GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Ministers of Trade and Economic Development met on Thursday for a “special” meeting that focused on matters including energy security, electric mobility, and the work of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE).
The Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat did not provide details on the outcome of the half-day deliberations chaired by St. Lucia’s Minister of Infrastructure, Ports, Transport, Physical Development, and Urban Renewal, Stephenson King.
But in his address to the meeting, King, a former St. Lucia prime minister, spoke of the need to intensify the drive towards renewable energy, energy efficiency, and ultimately energy security.
“Our regional energy security is central to our discussions, which can only be achieved through the focused energy transition. Historically we saw growth from wood to coal in the 19th century and coal to oil in the 20th century.
“The Caribbean region is vulnerable to the environmental effects of climate change, and although our transition may not cause significant drops in the level of CO2 (carbon dioxide) in the atmosphere, it will most certainly build our resilience in energy-related matters,” he said.
King said, given the uncertain global environment and the ongoing Russia\Ukraine war. It is imperative for the CARICOM small island developing states (SIDS) to “further intensify our drive towards renewable energy, energy efficiency and ultimately energy security.
He acknowledged that attaining these milestones can only happen if CARICOM countries are resilient collectively, not separately.
“Therefore, it is necessary at this critical juncture to understand and appreciate the need for harmonious regional policies if we are to survive those exogenous factors more frequent, diversified, and volatile, thus challenging our future well-being and survival as a people.
“We, as CARICOM member states, have been negotiating for our lives in the climate race, advocating that we, the World, need to maintain temperature increases below 1.5 degrees to stay alive, as temperature increases above pre-industrial levels will be detrimental to our region.
“As CARICOM SIDS, our advocacy on the subject must be sustained, and the decibel levels must be synthesized and intensified if we are to achieve this survival landmark,” he said, noting that the region has become very familiar with named hurricanes that have devastated the area at one time or another, destroying livelihoods, snatched lives and devastated infrastructure, “thus paralyzing our economies.
“We have all been affected, and there are living memories of the trauma, the pain, and the suffering. Literally, at this time, we get scared of the unknown and the known potential of the climate.”
King said the decisions to be taken at the meeting “can be a catalyst for recovery from the still-healing, social and economic bruises of the past and the effects of COVID-19, all of which must serve as guides that should lead to continued growth, development and success in our region.
“Also of tremendous importance is our scheduled discussion on our push for electric mobility. A strong transport electrification strategy is not a want but a need for an efficient transportation sector. The electrification and digitization of all processes and sectors of the economy is the element for sustainability and a model for the circular economy.’
He said efficiencies in energy consumption and using raw materials could influence energy security and economic growth.
“Global trends warn that we cannot continue to conduct “business-as-usual” – high consumers of energy and raw materials, as such folly will land us far behind the expected achievements of Small Island Developing States, with dwarfed and stagnant economies.
“Our consensus will be of benefit to succeeding generations. Let us leave a clear path for continued growth, resilience, sustainability, and Independence for our energy sector and generations to come,” he added.,
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