PRIME MINISTER OF GRENADA/CHAIRMAN OF THE ALLIANCE OF SMALL ISLAND STATES
ADDRESSES COMMONWEALTH LEADERS 

Port-of-Spain, November 27, 2009 -- Chairman of the Alliance of Small Island States, (AOSIS) Grenada’s Prime Minister Hon. Tillman Thomas has challenged world leaders to work toward a legally binding agreement on climate change when the global community meets in Copenhagen in next month.

Addressing leaders at the Commonwealth Heads of Government summit in Port of Spain on Friday, Prime Minister Thomas called on his fellow heads to be a source of inspiration for the millions of people who depend on us to do the right thing, as he pointed to the need for the upcoming Copenhagen meeting to set the survival and economic viability of all small island states as its benchmark.

While acknowledging that several “fundamental issues” relating to mitigation commitments by developed countries; mitigation actions by developing countries that are enabled by finance and technology; and the provision of financial support, are still to be resolved, he urged his colleagues to work toward a legally binding agreement instead of a politically binding one in Denmark.

“Mr. Chairman, despite many statements to the contrary, we want to emphasize that an internationally legally binding outcome at Copenhagen is technically, legally and procedurally feasible. The issues that are being put forward for consideration in the “politically binding” outcome are the same ones that will have to be considered in the “internationally legally binding” outcome,” Prime Minister Thomas told delegates.

The Prime Minister argued that the need for the survival of small island states and current evidence from the scientific community should inform the decision making process to mitigate against global warming.

“These mitigation commitments must be reviewed after every five years, to ensure that they are in line with the requirements of the evolving science,” Prime Minister Thomas said, pointing out that responses must be based on country driven priorities and should include a mechanism to address loss and damage from climate change, including permanent loss from slow onset events.

The AOSIS Chairman said these actions must be supported by “the provision of new, additional, stable, predictable and adequate grant financing that is accessible to all developing countries.”

He said the world requires an internationally legally binding outcome at Copenhagen that preserves the integrity of the Kyoto Protocol and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. He said the outcome should address climate change with the urgency and comprehensiveness that are consistent with the scale and seriousness of the threat faced by small island developing states.