Tuesday, December 1, 2015
By NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
nscavella@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Perry Christie has again denounced the use of gross domestic product or gross national income per capita as the main component in “determining the access that The Bahamas and other small island developing states have to financial resources” to counter climate change.
Speaking at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations (UN) Convention on Climate Change in Paris, France, Mr Christie urged world leaders to adopt an “internationally legally binding agreement” that would “acknowledge and make provisions for the special circumstances” of small island development states (SIDS) and allow “for the flexibility needed to overcome limited human, financial and technical capacities.”
Mr Christie told world leaders that while The Bahamas is facing “growing public and international pressure to adapt to the impacts of climate change,” the country is also expected to simultaneously “pursue a low carbon pathway and increase energy security,” both of which he said are “expensive and resource-intensive” pursuits.
As such, Mr Christie urged for the world’s nations to achieve the legally binding and universal agreement on climate change to “send a clear message to the world that we will fight for countries like The Bahamas to stay on the map into the next century.”
“This existential threat to the survival of a number of (SIDS) must be explicitly recognised in the Paris agreement,” Mr Christie said.
“It should, at its core, acknowledge and make provisions for the special circumstances of SIDS, allowing for the flexibility needed to overcome limited, human, financial and technical capacities.”
Mr Christie also said that loss and damage should be “anchored” in the Paris agreement, and also called on diplomats to recognise the $100 billion per year pledge by developed countries, which he said needs to be “honoured and built upon in the post-2020 period.”
“The Bahamas should be able to access these funds,” he said. “We deplore the continued use of GDP/GNI per capita as the main component in determining the access that the Bahamas and other SIDS have to financial resources for our adaptation needs. Storms like (Hurricane) Joaquin and others have shown that it only takes one event to decimate entire island economies and communities.”
Mr Christie added: “I know the next two weeks will not be easy. Our negotiators must find the compromises we need to move forward. Because this is what we must leave as our legacy – the ability to rise above greater difficulty to become something greater.”
The summit, which runs from November 30 to December 11, seeks to achieve a universal agreement on climate from all the world’s nations.
The ultimate goal of the summit is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to keep global warming below two degrees Celsius, or 35.6 degrees Fahrenheit.
Comments
TruePeople says...
so what's up with the solar power Mr. Christie?
Posted 1 December 2015, 1:42 p.m. Suggest removal
GrassRoot says...
now all of a sudden we are not part of the group of developed countries anymore, ey? what are we? 2nd or 3rd world?
Posted 1 December 2015, 1:56 p.m. Suggest removal
themessenger says...
Mr. Christie once again on the world stage begging bowl in hand.
Rambling on about "growing public and international pressure to adapt to the impacts of climate change" & "the country is also expected to simultaneously “pursue a low carbon pathway and increase energy security,” both of which he said are “expensive and resource-intensive” pursuits.
The only hi carbon producers in this country are BEC, the Jitneys and Christie's mouth.
Referring to the 100 billion per year pledged by the developed countries he said " the Bahamas should be able to access these funds." as if any first world country would give this government access to any funds with their track record. Christie must think the developed world is as backwards as his constituents. And as always whatever results will be part of his ever growing Legacy, he is truly a legend in his own mind.
Posted 1 December 2015, 3:07 p.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
Why is Perry around begging for free money when "the boys" will get the fat from the contracts that will be handed out in the name of "climate change mitigation" ............ that is why the First World governments don't trust fellas like Perry dem to use their money loosely.
Posted 1 December 2015, 3:19 p.m. Suggest removal
rawbonrbahamian says...
It's not about solar power. Its the high rise in the sea levels and tides due to global warming. it is expected that we will lose 20% of the Bahamas due to high tides and the United Nations does not want to give us a lot of money because they don't expect the Bahamas to be able to recover. If you think about it once the sea level rises above the island there's nothing you can do. Hurricane Joaquin just showed us that. There are now permanent ponds from the sea rising and coming on land on certainvlow lying islands. Also we can't expect the UN to give us the same amount as other nations that produce something. We are already producing nothing without a great effect from global warming who I'd going to give us more to produce less than nothing. Its happening in Florida also. The coast lines are receeding. It is expected that miami Tampa, Jacksonville and new York will suffer the greatest loss from their huge ports
Posted 1 December 2015, 6:34 p.m. Suggest removal
sheeprunner12 says...
Agreed ............ what good is solar power when the Chinese and Indians are smogging the world ................ their lack of concern will be our ruin
Posted 1 December 2015, 7:32 p.m. Suggest removal
Tarzan says...
Yes. Per Mr. Gore and his Chicken Little minions, Miami and New York City are already underwater and the entire Artic Ice cap has melted. In fact we here in the Bahamas are all drowned. Gee, I thought Heaven would be nicer.
Posted 2 December 2015, 8:28 a.m. Suggest removal
banker says...
These are representations of NASA photographs of the melting of the ice shelf of the Arctic ice cap. It shows no signs of abating. The collapse of the Arctic ice shelf is as inevitable as the collapse of the Bahamian economy.
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2015…
Posted 2 December 2015, 1:15 p.m. Suggest removal
BaronInvest says...
Well, you can check at http://geology.com/sea-level-rise/ if your house will still be there... mine is... and lovely new beaches will appear inside this island. We just have to build a new airport or relocate it ....
Posted 2 December 2015, 1:55 p.m. Suggest removal
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