— UN expert says more robust efforts needed in region to tackle climate change

DESPITE overwhelming evidence of the threats posed by climate change, the tangible change experienced in the region to reduce the impacts of these threats, is only at a policy level.
This was according to head of the sub-regional office of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Vincent Sweeney, following the opening of the UNEP Regional Capacity Building Workshop on National Adaptation Plan (NAP), Wednesday last.
When asked what tangible change has been created to address climate change in the region, Sweeney said “the tangible change would be at the policy level”.
He noted that through policy development, awareness of climate change is being raised and funding is being accessed more than ever before.
“There is a lot more financing available now than ever before and even for example the Green Climate Fund (GCF),” he said.
The GCF is a fund within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), founded as a mechanism to assist developing countries in adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change.
The UN has set aside US$900M to support adaptation and mitigation practices to counter climate change through the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
Just last year, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Baroness Patricia Scotland, in an interview with Guyana Chronicle, shared that the regional bloc will assist Caribbean countries in accessing these UN funds.
Baroness Scotland explained that climate change remains an important issue for the Commonwealth because it does not discriminate based on geographic space, and it poses an “existential threat” to this region.
In addition, she revealed that efforts are being made at the level of the Commonwealth to create a climate change financial hub, where expertise that the region needs, and those that the Commonwealth has, will be in a common place.
Sweeney also believes that the majority of the global community is on board with climate change mitigation.
Nearly 200 nations, including the US under President Barack Obama’s administration, agreed in 2015 to voluntarily reduce their greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to combat climate change. This is referred to as the Paris Climate Agreement.
Worrying though is the fact that newly-elected US President Donald Trump has announced that the US is withdrawing from the agreement, and that moves to negotiate a new “fair” deal that would not disadvantage US businesses and workers would begin.
Despite support at an international level to combat climate change, Sweeney said that he does not believe the commitment has been as strong at the national level.
“In a lot of countries there is a strong national commitment. At the international level, it’s clear in the Paris Agreement. At the national level, it is not so clear, although we do hear a lot of policy statements being made which incorporates climate change.”
He specifically referenced Guyana and Jamaica as two countries with strong commitments at the national level, to fight climate change. Reiterating that the region is at a better stage than it was some years ago, Sweeney noted non-traditional sectors are now getting on board in the fight against climate change since it is seen as entry point for financing.
He pointed out that in Jamaica world heritage and climate has been linked to facilitate accessing of funds to advance both of these areas.
“We see the same in the water sector. That sector is getting on board with climate issues and linking some of their vulnerabilities to climate, because that is where the funding is. We are seeing a lot of non-traditional sectors getting on board,” the UN expert said.