NASSAU, Bahamas, CMC –The United States Special Presidential Climate envoy, John Kerry, says he intends to listen to Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries regarding their concerns about the impact of climate change.
“You can’t say this is an existential issue in one breath and then walk around and slow walk our approach to the technologies, to the challenges we face, particularly in island states. The island states of the world and the sub-Saharan African states. I mean 48 sub–Saharan African countries equal 0.555 percent of all the emissions in the world,” Kerry told a function hosted by the US embassy here on Tuesday night.
“I want to say to all of you it takes everybody. Every country has got to be a part of this journey, and you know, The Bahamas and other countries in the region don’t contribute much to it. Still, we all have a vested interest in making certain that we’re on a track to do what our citizens want us to do and citizens around the world want us to do, which is to respond to this crisis,” he added.
Kerry is leading a 30-member delegation that includes former US Senator Chris Dodd and Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Brian Nichols to the 44th CARICOM summit that gets underway here later this evening with the ceremonial opening that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will also attend.
Speaking at the function at which Prime Minister and CARICOM chairman, Phillip Davis, was also present, Kerry said the reason for his visit is to listen to the concerns of the regional leaders and hear the challenges faced by Caribbean countries regarding the impact of climate change.
“So, we’ll talk…and I came here along with Chris, Brian, and the rest of our delegation. We came here to listen.
“We want to listen to you. How do you deal with the resilience issue? What are the choices in terms of adaptation? What are the options in terms of our ability to deal with food production and quick response to increasingly intense storms which take their wrath on the islands repeatedly, most recently with Dorian?
“So, my friends, we’re all in this together. Different layers of contribution, different levels of responsibility, but every one of us has to take the measure of our responsibility to live up to the hopes and aspirations of our kids and grandkids,” the US envoy added.
Prime Minister Davis said he was looking forward to the continued close collaboration between the United States and CARICOM, specifically in climate resilience, economic diversification, and clean energy transition.
“The fabric of our societies is already woven together. Our Caribbean sons and daughters are going on to do great things in the United States. Having just witnessed the immense talent of Rihanna at the Super Bowl halftime show, I think it’s safe to say that the Caribbean-American connection is an impressive one, capable of astounding not merely at the level of the hemisphere but the entire globe.
“Moving forward, I would be delighted to see new opportunities for deepening cultural and educational exchange between the Caribbean and the United States. The future is certainly ripe for new enterprises in tourism, education, and the orange economy, so let us innovate and endeavor to strengthen the existing ties between our regions,” Davis added.
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