PRESIDENT Jagdeo has been very focused at the Climate Summit on what needs to be done and what Guyana is seeking. He has not departed from his goal although he may not achieve what he really wants. I endorse the President’s call for China and the US to soften their position on carbon dioxide emission. Apparently, the two countries have heeded Jagdeo’s call because that is exactly what the leaders of both countries said they would do on the last day of the Climate Summit in Copenhagen. Some kind of agreement appears to be in the making.

To reach an agreement on climate change, Jagdeo was wise to suggest a compromise on the goal of setting a 2 degree Celsius increase in global temperature. Jagdeo offered a 1.5 degree change as a compromise – a goal being supported by an increasing number of countries since the US, China and several other polluters are unwilling to accept the 2 degrees target. Jagdeo also called on the developed countries to increase their dollar commitment to the proposed global environmental fund — US $10 billion a year combined from the wealthy countries beginning in 2012 is chicken feed to address the serous problem of global warming caused by emission of fossil fuel. The President is right in stating that more like $100 billion is necessary to decelerate the rise in global temperature which threatens the survival of the world.

Jagdeo was also smart to seek a long term commitment from the developed countries to the climate fund to aid poor.

Countries like Guyana with huge rainforests and those facing threat of being submerged by rising water caused by rising temperature need immediate help in order to reduce their disappearing forests. Unless they get aid, they will be forced to logging and to increase their use of fossil fuels for development. With aid, the countries can preserve their forests and turn to alternative green energy. Guyana urgently needs funds to implement its plan on climate change.
VISHNU BISRAM
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