The time to act is now -Persaud tells United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC)
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Agriculture Minister Robert Persaud addressing Bali Conference on Climate
Change.
AGRICULTURE Minister Robert Persaud urged the 13th Meeting of the Conference
of Parties to the Climate Change Convention in Bali, Indonesia to move to
end to protracted discussions and negotiations and to take urgent action to
address climate change.
Persaud, represented Guyana at the Conference.
Advancing the vulnerability of Guyana to the effects of climate change,
Persaud declared: "Guyana is a developing country, and a net sink for
greenhouse gases. 90% of our population occupies a coastal belt which is
approximately one metre below sea level. My country is particularly
vulnerable to climate change. We have already suffered the effects of
extreme weather events including a devastating flood in 2005 which resulted
in the destruction of 59% of our GDP. This was the worst natural disaster
recorded in Guyana's history."
He noted that Professor Stern has confirmed that countries which will suffer
most are the ones which have made the least contributions to emissions and
are also the ones least able to finance adaptation measures. This, he added
is one part of Guyana's story.
"However, notwithstanding our vulnerability, and the lack of support for
adaptation, Guyana is taking deliberate action for climate change mitigation
and adaptation."
"Our vast, intact forest resources, as part of the Amazonia Rainforest belt,
of approximately 16 million hectares covering 75% of the country, serves as
an import carbon sink for the world. This resource has been maintained
through strong political will and commitment to sustainable forest
management, balancing both conservation and sustainable use," he exhorted.
Guyana's efforts, he pointed out, however, have not been encouraged by the
current Kyoto Framework which offers no recognition or compensation to the
contribution of standing tropical forest to climate change mitigation. This
is the other part of our story.
This COP 13, he contended provides an important opportunity to examine the
current framework and ensures that the "courageous commitment towards the
global good by developing countries, such as ours is duly rewarded. We do
not seek charity nor are we holding the world to ransom."
"Our call for urgent action does not have to await a post-2012 agreement.
The good work of the IPCC and also the advocacy of Vice President Gore, both
of whom I wish to congratulate, support this position," he reiterated,
adding: "The time to act is now. We must change this situation."
In this regard, he said Guyana proposes a three-point agenda for immediate
action which takes into account our national circumstances and the
expectations of our local and indigenous communities:
1. To take into consideration the establishment of a voluntary market
mechanism to compensate for the environmental services of standing tropical
forests from now until a new framework is agreed upon;
2. To ensure that the Bali Roadmap allows for a change in the current
perverse arrangements within the Kyoto Protocol which provide a disincentive
for tropical forest conservation and protection; and
3. To provide increased and easily accessible financial resources to
vulnerable low-lying developing countries for climate change adaptation.
Guyana stands ready to work with international partners who share our vision
and commitment to taking urgent and constructive action on climate change,
Persaud emphasised
"We urge all parties to ensure even the commitment under the existing
framework are met. We know of attempts to water-down the collective targets
and goals which have been committed.
I wish to reiterate the commitment of Guyana. We are prepared to act
immediately. We are prepared to discuss deploying almost our entire
rainforest, which is approximately the size of England, in the global battle
against climate change," Persaud assured
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