WASHINGTON, DC – With recent scientific studies confirming that global climate change is real and that small and low lying states are at greatest risk from its effects, the Organization of American States (OAS) is joining forces with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center to help make the Caribbean Community more resilient to a changing climate.
The OAS and the Belize-based Climate Change Center will sign a collaborative agreement to that effect on April 9, committing to joint action.
The scientific findings, including the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), are of particular concern to Caribbean countries whose development over the past two decades has been severely disrupted by a variety of extreme weather events, especially floods, droughts and hurricanes. The prospect that the intensity, frequency and duration of such events will increase as a result of global climate change demands a prompt, strategic and collaborative response by those countries that are most vulnerable in concert with their development partners.
It is against this background, and in furtherance of the mandates and responsibilities entrusted to the various organs of the OAS, including the Committee on Hemispheric Security, that the OAS and the Climate Change Center are proposing to collaborate on this venture.
Secretary-General José Miguel Insulza will sign on behalf of the OAS General Secretariat, with Dr. Ken Leslie signing as Executive Director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center.
In addition to the two signatories, the ceremony will feature brief remarks by Dr. Izben Williams, Permanent Representative of St. Kitts and Nevis to the OAS and Chairman of the Committee on Hemispheric Security and Ambassador Nestor Mendez, Permanent Representative of Belize to the OAS.
The signing ceremony will take place at 12.00 noon at the headquarters of the General Secretariat of the OAS at 17th Street and Constitution Avenue, in Washington, D.C.
