Small island States meet in Antigua and Barbuda charting new course to sustainable prosperity — World Points

10:40 AM

President of the Common Meeting Dennis Francis – who hails from the close by Caribbean State Trinidad and Tobago – stated the long-awaited SIDS4 convention “affords a robust as soon as in a decade platform” for motion, below the ABAS motion programme.

“If we don’t undertake substantive reform of the worldwide monetary framework and the multilateral structure – and their governance – creating international locations together with SIDS, can’t unleash their full potential to mobilize much-needed assets to attain the 2030 Agenda and it’s SDGs”, he informed the convention.

10:30 AM

Small island States ‘a take a look at case for local weather justice and monetary justice’

The world should not permit the lack of a single nation or tradition attributable to world warming or a continuation of a “two-speed monetary world” the place the wealthy get richer and the poor get poorer, stated UN chief António Guterres in his opening tackle.

Mr. Guterres stated together with their distinctive magnificence – be it the blue waters of the Caribbean, South Pacific or the Indian Ocean – SIDS are additionally exceptionally weak.

“Your distinctive geography places you on the mercy of local weather chaos, rising sea ranges and land degradation. Local weather change is an existential disaster for the whole human household, however SIDS are on the frontlines.”

Reliant on imports and sophisticated provide chains, the worldwide shocks of report excessive climate, the tourism destroying COVID pandemic and regional wars, many SIDS have been left reeling in tough waters.

Life rafts wanted

“The brand new Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS outlines steps to attain resilient prosperity in partnership with the worldwide group”, stated the UN chief.

“The United Nations stands with you” in battling the local weather disaster; constructing resilient economies; protected and wholesome societies, biodiversity conservation; “and to guard and sustainably use the ocean and its assets.”

He referred to as on SIDS to make daring and sustainable investments themselves – however they’ll’t succeed alone.

“The worldwide group has an obligation to assist you – led by the international locations which have best accountability and capability to cope with the challenges you face”, he declared.

Justice on the core

“SIDS are a take a look at case for local weather justice and monetary justice”, he stated, and with the 1.5 diploma restrict in temperature rise already quick approaching, “we can’t settle for the disappearance of any nation or tradition below the rising waves.”

“The concept a complete island state might develop into collateral injury for profiteering by the fossil gasoline trade, or competitors between main economies, is solely obscene.”

SIDS have led from the entrance for many years already, serving because the world’s conscience on the local weather disaster – making the distinction in Paris in 2015.

“Right this moment, we want your fierce voices greater than ever”, stated the Secretary-Common.

‘Sky excessive prices’

SIDS additionally want monetary justice, he defined, urging leaders in Antigua to insist developed international locations come by on pledges to double adaptation financing to permit correct defences to be constructed to save lots of island nations from destruction.

“You even have each proper to name for brand spanking new and vital contributions to the Loss and Injury Fund. A few of your international locations have suffered injury value greater than half their GDP in a single day, in cyclones and storms”, Mr. Guterres stated.

“However we’re in a two-speed monetary world. To the wealthy – go low-cost loans and straightforward cash. However the world majority – the international locations that want financing for improvement – are paying sky excessive prices to borrow cash.”

The millstone of debt is drowning SIDS economies because the ocean erode the shore: “That is making a vicious cycle of stress and vulnerability and constraining your capability to spend money on the SDGs.”

He highlighted the necessity for an SDG Stimulus and deep reforms to the “outdated, dysfunctional and unjust world monetary structure”, placing the wants of creating international locations first.

‘Almighty noise’

He stated the temptation to show inwards, and decrease expectations should be averted.

“That isn’t the SIDS method. Collaboration and mutual assist will assist SIDS to climate each geopolitical and bodily storms.”

And if you communicate collectively, SIDS could make an almighty noise. I urge you to take action at this essential time for our planet and our future.”

10:12 AM

Crucial to ‘act now’ and restrict world warming

Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne has simply been elected to preside over SIDS4.

He stated SIDS vulnerabilities positioned them at a significant drawback and huge scale polluters ought to compensate international locations for his or her exploitation.

The relentless local weather disaster has severely undermined efforts to satisfy the SDGs, making the seek for options all of the extra essential he stated.

This yr has been the most popular in historical past virtually all over the place, underscoring the urgency of our predicament, he added.

“To disregard that is to gamble with our collective future. Persevering with with enterprise as common is not only negligence, it’s an energetic selection that invitations catastrophe. Such indifference will reverberate disastrously affecting each nation, each group and each particular person throughout the planet.”

Placing income over sustainability should finish he stated, calling for a worldwide carbon tax to be levied on vastly worthwhile oil firms. “Failing to behave will dictate the destiny of SIDS…It’s crucial that we act now, not tomorrow however at present, with conviction and with unyielding resolve.”

10:05 AM

‘Your future is our future’: King Charles

The SIDS4 convention is ALMOST formally underway. and there is a particular message from King Charles, Head of State of Antigua and Barbuda.

In a video, the monarch stated that over a long time, he has seen for himself the essential challenges confronted by SIDS and the way they’ll multiply to a horrifying diploma.

He stated he had additionally been in awe of the management proven by leaders of SIDS, which has been essential to battle local weather change. He stated their instance had paved the best way at essential junctures.

“Nonetheless, I hardly have to let you know of all individuals that there’s a lot additional to go“, to construct new partnerships, he stated. King Charles congratulated Antigua and Barbuda and all States gathered for SIDS4.

“The problems earlier than you can hardly be extra vital. Your future is our future…in the end all of us want daring and decided motion.”

09:45 AM

Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne was the final speaker within the cultural section, in a video clip from the UN Common Meeting, interesting for extra assist for SIDS within the gentle of corrosive local weather change.

09:35 AM

Now it is a efficiency of pure pleasure, showcasing a few of the nice points of interest of this jewel of the Caribbean. “Present me how a lot you are loving Antigua and Barbuda up to now!”, is the cry from the stage. It is a loud and celebratory welcome to islanders from the world over.

09:25 AM

It has been fairly a present: dancing, singing, dramatic video of magnificence and human struggling attributable to local weather change – and the spectre of pure catastrophe within the type of hurricanes that Antigua and Barbuda is aware of about solely too properly, having suffered by Irma and Maria in 2017.

09:14 AM

We had been simply handled to a efficiency from the Antigua and Barbuda Symphony Orchestra. Now it is a theatrical efficiency centered on the risks of local weather change for the weak nations gathered within the corridor. We now have bushes, tropical sounds and a warning that the ecosystem is method off steadiness…”We should give the youth of those nations an opportunity”, Mom Nature is saying:

“What impacts small island States, impacts us all. Respect all of nature or all the things will quickly disappear!”

08:45 AM – All of it will get entering into a couple of minutes’ time with a cultural opening occasion. Fortunately the solar is shining this morning, as compared with yesterday’s debilitating rain storms that reminded everybody right here of the unpredictability of more and more excessive climate that will probably be one of many chief speaking factors this week.

You could find full protection of the whole week and particular options main as much as the convention, on our landing page here.

‘Resilient prosperity’

Greater than 20 world leaders, along with representatives from the non-public sector, civil society, academia and youth – near 4,000 contributors in all – have gathered on the verdant convention venue within the American College of Antigua near the capital St John’s, to deal with essential points impacting the way forward for SIDS.

Underneath the theme Charting the course towards resilient prosperity, the four-day Convention (27-30 Could) will showcase new improvements and develop sensible options to deal with essential SIDS-specific challenges pushed by the local weather emergency, spiralling debt and well being crises.

For extra on the convention, take a look at our curtain raiser story here. UN Information was at one of many excessive stage occasions over the weekend organized by greater than 80 younger changemakers from throughout the globe and you’ll take a look at their demand for action here.

The Convention will undertake The Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS) – a Renewed Declaration for Resilient Prosperity, which units out the sustainable improvement aspirations of small islands over the subsequent decade and the assist required from the worldwide group to attain them.

The SIDS throughout the Pacific, Caribbean and Atlantic, Indian Ocean and South China Sea are dwelling to roughly 65 million individuals. They handle 19.1 per cent of the world’s Unique Financial Zones and the assets they maintain.

Accounting for 14 per cent of the world’s coastlines, SIDS boast a excessive diploma of biodiversity. SIDS have pioneered renewable power options, championed sustainable tourism whereas spearheading conservation efforts and making main strides in creating ocean-based economies.