ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, November 4, 2010 - The Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) believes that the prospects for a significant outcome at this month’s Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico have increased following a two-day meeting hosted by Grenada.
Foreign Affairs Minister Peter David told delegates at the closing session that the productive engagement has increased the possibility of a strong agreed outcome in Cancun on the basis of strengthened confidence, greater thrust and maximum agreement towards a positive outcome.
“The exchange of perspectives have allowed us to move closer and improved the environment and possibility of successful outcomes when we get to Cancun,” he said.
“We fully expect to continue this dialogue over the next week and leading up to Cancun. I feel confident that these discussions will enhance our decisions in Cancun as we will be building on a number of advances”.
More than 100 delegates including non-AOSIS members and partner organisations participated in the informal Ministerial meeting at the Grenada Grand Beach Resort which was co-hosted by Mexico and Grenada.
David said that the meeting also saw the urgent need to transform the global economy to low carbon to minimise the threat and impact of Climate Change.
“Our survival is dependent on transforming the global energy sector from high carbon emission to low carbon or carbon neutral,” he said.
“We are therefore absolutely delighted by the words spoken by our friends at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and World Bank in support of our Sustainable Energy Initiative partnership – SIDS DOCK - and we ask our friends from the developed countries to also consider supporting the partnership”.
He said that based on the positive responses from the UNDP and World Bank as well as from other countries, AOSIS and its partners will embark on a path to develop and sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) in Cancun for the first phase of SIDS DOCK development.
“We have matured a great deal because of the lessons we would have learnt at Copenhagen and since Copenhagen. Thus, there is no value for us, the AOSIS Family, to engage in lamenting Copenhagen,” said Grenada’s Environment Minister Michael Church.
“Instead, we must embrace those lessons on the eve to Cancun by constantly bringing realism to our approaches and expectations”.
AOSIS continues to lend moral voice to the climate negotiations, especially emphasising the need to address global equity and climate divide issues, and in defining a clear vision and call to action.
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