Hague
FEATURE ADDRESS BY THE PRIME MINISTER OF SAINT LUCIA, THE RIGHT
HONOURABLE DR. KENNY ANTHONY, TO THE SPECIAL EVENT FOCUSING ON
SMALL ISLAND STATES ORGANISED BY COUNTERPART INTERNATIONAL, THE
GLOBAL COMMONS INSTITUTE, THE CLIMATE INSTITUTE, THE ORGANISATION
OF AMERICAN STATES, WINROCK INTERNATIONAL AND THE FORUM FOR
ENERGY AND DEVELOPMENT, WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE SIXTH MEETING
OF THE CONFERENCE OF PARTIES TO THE UNITED NATIONS FRAMEWORK
CONVENTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
16 NOVEMBER 2000, THE HAGUE
Salutations
Ladies and gentlemen.
I wish to thank the organizers of this special event for their
kind invitation to share some thoughts with you on the threats
and challenges climate change has placed on the development
agenda of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). I am especially
pleased that you found this issue sufficiently important to take
time off from your difficult and exhausting negotiations to join
this discussion. Let me also thank the organizers of this event
for their foresight and concern, demonstrated by their convening
of this event. It is a statement that we have friends willing to
work with us as we face this challenge to our development.
International Meetings on Climate Change
Ladies and gentlemen, both Agenda 21 and the Barbados Programme
of Action have placed the special vulnerabilities and challenges
of Small Island Developing States on the global development
agenda. These challenges have also been the focus of attention by
the Commission for Sustainable Development, the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the Alliance of Small Island
States (AOSIS). These organizations are all concerned about
mankind's prospects for a sustainable future and, within that
framework, for the special circumstances of SIDS.
A Response to the Skeptics
Mr. Chairman, I understand that there is a small group of persons
who still argue that there is in sufficient evidence to conclude
that the climate change phenomenon is indeed taking place. Over
the past few years, many regions of the world have reported
record high temperatures. We are losing the polar ice caps. Lakes
are appearing at the North Pole. There are increased frequencies
and intensities of storms and it now appears that if we are to
have enough characters to provide unique names for annual storms
in the South Pacific, we will need to adopt the Chinese alphabet.
The Global Observation System is reporting increased sea levels
and while we debate this, a way of life is under threat of
disappearing in the Polynesian islands. The floods in the Alps
this year have laid bare nature's response to mankind's
disturbance of the balance she has achieved over the millennia.
And let us not forget Otzi, our prehistoric ancestor. His body
lay peacefully for five thousand years in his frozen grave in
the Viennian Alps. His final resting place gave him up when the
ice melted.
Those who still try desperately to disprove the climate change
phenomenon, explain these, and the many other recorded pieces of
evidence as either isolated, unusual events or as part of a
prolonged, natural global climate cycle. Now, I am not a
scientist, but I understand their ways. I understand that when
dealing with a subject as complex as the global climate system,
research findings can be tainted by the source of funding and the
philosophy of that source. On the other hand, I am a lawyer, and
from this perspective, I can only conclude that, unfortunately,
there is a preponderance of evidence to support the notion that
the climate is indeed changing.
The Problems of Climate Change
Mr. Chairman, the unfolding revelations of climate change and its
threat to the survival of natural ecosystems that support all
life forms will make those of us to whom mother earth was
entrusted over the past century the villains in the ongoing story
of mankind's quest for survival. The Workshop of the Third
Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group
concluded that a worldwide rise in sea levels would inundate
wetlands and low lying areas, erode shorelines, exacerbate
coastal flooding, increase the salinity of estuaries and
otherwise impair water quality, alter tidal ranges in rivers and
bays, change the locations where rivers deposit sediment, change
the heights, frequencies and other characteristics of waves and
decrease the amount of light reaching the ocean floor. Only one
month ago, the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change
concluded that at the current rate, average global temperatures
are likely to increase by up to ten degrees by the turn of the
century. I pray that they are wrong, as the consequences of such
a dramatic increase in our planet's temperature in such a short
time is incomprehensible.
Difficulties and Concerns
Mr. Chairman, the Convention identifies small island states,
which contribute the least to the climate change phenomenon, as
being most vulnerable to its adverse effects. This raises special
concerns about the disproportionate responsibilities demanded of
us, as small island states, in the quest to address climatic and
ecological imbalances. Whilst we are prepared to do our part to
assist in the global battle against climate change, we also ask
our global partners to be sensitive to our development needs.
Whilst we recognize that we are traveling on the same ship, we
are also aware that some of us travel First Class, whilst the
majority occupy the cargo holds. We are worried Mr. Chairman,
that our economic development might be threatened, because we are
denied industrial strategies which were once used without
restriction by our more fortunate fellow travellers. We are
worried that we are being asked to "environmentally subsidise"
our more powerful friends.
The recognition that the Small Island Developing States have
contributed very little to global climatic problems, should mean
that special effort should be made to respect our attempts at
economic development. We constantly face the twin challenges of
economic development and environmental sustainability, and the
contradictions that are unleashed by this interaction.
Further, Mr. Chairman, we are also concerned about the financial
burden which will be imposed on our societies in accessing the
clean technologies which are compatible with environmental
sustainability. In the not-too-distant-future, I expect the issue
of emission limits for developing countries to be placed on the
Convention's agenda. Under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
we can expect developed countries to invest in the most cost
effective emission reduction options. It follows that when the
time comes for us to achieve reduction targets, only the more
expensive options will remain. We must, therefore, ensure that
appropriate baselines are set to measure our reductions, lest we
face even more severe economic challenges in addressing the
climate change threat.
What St. Lucia is Doing
How has St. Lucia responded to the climate change threat?
A year ago in Bonn, Saint Lucia declared its intention to pursue
a development path which will incorporate a sustainable energy
future for our island. This is a bold decision, with far-reaching
policy implications for our small State. However, it was taken
against the background of our conviction that we needed to
provide prudent leadership to the rest of the world in our quest
for survival. Sometimes, it is the very small that is best
positioned to provide moral leadership.
Although our contribution to the global warming phenomenon is
miniscule, we feel strongly that our commitment to the solution
must be pursued with vigor. We also feel that adaptation to the
impact of climate change cannot be the limit of our intervention.
We further recognize that although any mitigation option we
pursue will make a very small contribution to the total effort
needed, we must demonstrate our commitment to working towards the
global solution. In short, Mr. Chairman, as a responsible member
of the global family, we refuse to be another Nero, fiddling
without concern as our planet burns. There are strong economic
reasons for pursuing this path. We see opportunities for new
investments, technological advancement, the creation of quality
employment opportunities as well as some measure of isolation
from the steadily increasing price of fossil fuels. However, we
recognize that many of these benefits will ultimately depend on
the outcome of ongoing negotiations on the Clean Development
Mechanism and Article 4 of the Convention. We look forward to the
satisfactory conclusion of these negotiations so that we can move
this process forward with confidence. Some of St. Lucia's
capability is being developed through the enabling activities
currently underway. In the Caribbean, we have implemented the
Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Climate Change project. With
the imminent closure of this project, we have proposed the
establishment of a Regional Climate Change Centre as a means of
continuing the research and capacity building so vital to our
region. This proposal must be seen as part of the global effort,
as its outputs will add to our collective knowledge of climate
change and build global capacity to address it.
Mr. Chairman, as our small size places severe limits on the
shocks we can absorb, it is important that we go beyond the
reactive approach and embrace, as far as possible, approaches
which allow us to respond to anticipated climatic changes. Given
that most of our population centres and economic infrastructure
lie within the coastal zone, we must, of necessity take action to
protect them. We must also seek to develop both the human and
institutional capacities of our countries, if we are to meet the
anticipated challenges to our development.
Partners in our Sustainable Energy Plan
I am pleased to inform you that a number of partners have joined
us in developing the framework of our Sustainable Energy Plan. We
entered into a partnership with The Climate Institute, and
through this organisation, have received assistance from The
Organisation of American States, United Nations Development
Programme, the United States Department of Energy, and a number
of other organizations in this effort. To date, we have produced
a draft plan that calls for action, and set targets in a number
of areas. These include greater exploitation of renewable sources
of energy, demand side management, energy efficiency and
conservation, a framework for facilitating the involvement of
independent power producers, the rationalization of road
transport as well as the use of fiscal incentives to support
various elements of the plan.
I must point out that the development of this plan is not a
theoretical exercise. Even as we are developing it, actions are
being pursued to achieve the targets we are setting. Government
has already removed all taxes on renewable energy technologies.
We have entered into an agreement with the Toronto-based Probyn
and Company to develop a wind farm on the island. The wind
resource assessment is complete and the local utility is
currently considering a Power Purchase Agreement for a 13.5 Mega
Watt wind farm. We have also entered into an agreement with CFG
of France to conduct further geothermal explorations on the
island. We are currently seeking an additional US$400,000.00 to
close this deal, following which work is to commence. We have
also implemented a Solar lighting demonstration project with
assistance from the Italian government and we are seeking
partners for implementing a wind-based irrigation demonstration
project.
In addition to these projects, we are reviewing the policy
framework under which the power sector operates. To this end, we
are currently studying the report of a Review Commission
appointed to review the operations and policies of the local
utility and will be taking appropriate decisions to ensure
conformity with national policy.
Mr. Chairman, let me put these actions into perspective. While we
have taken the decision to pursue a sustainable energy future, we
recognize that we cannot achieve this alone. Success presupposes
the support of technology providers under favourable conditions,
for we cannot accept options that deliver at a higher cost than
we now have. Also, we cannot accept experimental technologies,
for our size and technological base will not allow this. We also
presuppose that technology transfer will be complete, with
appropriate training and capacity building to ensure local
involvement in this initiative. And finally, Mr. Chairman, we
challenge the promoters of the concept of a global sustainable
energy future to bite the bullet with us and prove that this is
indeed achievable.
Conclusion
I take this opportunity to thank the Climate Institute,
Counterpart International, and all the other organisations that
are assisting us with this effort. Mr. Chairman, this is not an
exclusive club. There are opportunities for others to demonstrate
their vision for a safer world by participating in this
initiative. I challenge them to do so. Distinguished ladies and
gentlemen: Our apparently insatiable thirst for fossil-based
energy has disturbed the thermodynamic equilibrium nature
achieved over the millennia and we have already begun to witness
her efforts to restore it. She cries out for our help. She
beckons us to take action to restore the balance needed for our
own survival. I suggest to you that if we ignore this call,
history will condemn us as selfish and uncaring. I propose that
whereas climate change is arguably the greatest challenge mankind
faces today, it is not beyond our collective ability to overcome.
I say this not only because of the tremendous energy you expend
in these negotiations, but because, in a very real sense, we have
no choice in the matter. Failure to reach critical agreements in
the ongoing negotiations is not an option, for it spells untold
difficulties for generations yet unborn.
The earth is not a gift we will leave for our children. Rather,
it is the property of future generations, entrusted to us for
safe keeping. Let us not disappoint them. Ladies and gentlemen,
as a small island nation, vulnerable to global actions that
negatively impact our economy and the environment, and having
suffered from new trade rules that have severely hindered our
banana industry, we have learned the importance of taking matters
into our own hands and protecting our nation. In the same way
that we are restructuring the banana industry and diversifying
the agricultural sector in response to the realities of trade
liberalization, we have also made big strides in reducing our
reliance on the consumption of fossil fuel, by taking a lead in
the renewable energy sector.
As the nations of the world deliberate here in the Hague over the
next 10 days to accelerate international action to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions, St. Lucia is calling for immediate
action from the industrialized world to make a moral commitment
to stop polluting the earth's fragile environment. If St. Lucia
can do it - then the bigger and richer countries can do so too.
Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you.
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Mon Dec 04 2000 - 13:09:03 EST