President Donald Ramotar urged world leaders at the United Nations Climate Summit’s Thematic Discussions on Climate Science to stop providing lip service to the world when it comes to the issue of lowering carbon emissions and providing financing for climate change adaptation and mitigation.
The Guyanese leader, who co-chaired the discussions along with Mongolia’s President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, in his closing remarks urged that the entire world take climate change as a serious issue, and not just some countries, while others continue with life as usual.
“The developed countries, who have been using most of the world’s resources anyhow and who have been maybe the main polluters, have promised since 1970 to put 0.7% of their GDP towards assisting and fighting and reversing this climate change. It’s time they put their money where their mouth is,” he said to loud applause from the gathering.
The president called for there to be closer partnership and collaboration among countries of the world in tackling the issue of climate change.
He said science has already identified many solutions to the issue, and what are needed now are commitment and political will, and working together in making them a reality, to make a contribution to the planet.
President Ramotar also spoke to the imminent challenges climate change poses to the world and the need for all hands on deck to tackle the issue.
“Climate Change is a reality, and it has been affecting many countries already as we have heard here. In my own country is had a big effect on our economy. Up to the beginning of this century we had 120 days to do preparatory works in the sugar cane industry. As of today, I am told that it is between 75 and 80 days only that we have had over the last five years or so, which shows the impact it has had on our economy and the pressure it put on small countries like ours, trying to industrialise,” President Ramotar said.
He however, said that science and technology has been extremely important in pointing out these kinds of challenges, but noted that the full benefits of science has to be a combination of natural and social scientists, as well as policy makers.
“85% of the country is pristine forest, and we understand how important it is, one of my colleagues talked about replanting the forest, I would say the big task is maintaining what we do have left in our society at this point in time and here I think we can make a contribution,” he added.
The president also spoke of the Guyana/Norway agreement signed in 2009 under which Guyana will be provided with US$250M over five years to preserve its forests.
The country boasts an intact rainforest larger than England.
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