Tourism Minister wants carbon emitters to stand by their financial pledges

by Chanolde Munroe
In Baku, Azerbaijan

Minister of Tourism, and Sustainable Development, Carlos James, has demanded that historic carbon emitters be held accountable for their commitments to reduce carbon emissions, and financial pledges to Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to aid in their efforts to become climate resilient.

In his address at the 29th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP29) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Baku, Azerbaijan, the minister highlighted that SIDS like St Vincent and the Grenadines no longer have time for polite asks, as they continue to expend resources in a continuous recovery cycle from natural disasters caused by climate change.

The Sustainable Development Minister described the refusal by historic carbon emitters to meet their financial pledges is a “selfish and unwarranted assault on the 65 million people living in SIDS.”

Minister James urged the World leaders to ensure that the New Collective Quantified Goal is implemented to build upon previous financial targets set in the Paris Climate Agreement. He added that this new goal must take into account, and respond to the “urgent needs and priorities of developing countries, and recognition of the special circumstances of SIDS, addressing efficaciously their unique social, economic, and environmental vulnerabilities”.

The minister, who heads this country’s delegation to the November 11-22 conference, said solutions must be found to unlock the continuous maze of accessing climate finance, adding that there must be considerations for access and distribution.

He again reiterated the continuous call for a restructuring of the global financial architecture; and also again called for Taiwan to be involved in negotiations in an effort for there to be effective multilateralism.

Minister James called for collective action from world leaders and urged countries not to compromise themselves out of a viable future.