GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — Representatives from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), attending the 23rd meeting of the Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Conventon on Climate Change (COP23) now underway in Bonn, Germany are focusing on mitigating climate risks and building resilience against extreme weather events.

This year’s climate talks mark the first time a member of the Alliance for Small Island States (AOSIS) has held the Presidency. It presents an important opportunity for CARICOM and the wider Small Island Developing States (SIDs) to influence the global climate change agenda.

According to CARICOM, this comes against the backdrop of the unprecedented climate disaster events which struck the Caribbean in September 2017, the opportunity looms large to focus the world’s attention on the peculiar vulnerabilities of Small Island and low-lying coastal countries.

“For CARICOM, COP 23 offers an opportunity to advance the Paris Agreement Work Program, and to strengthen partnerships for climate action targeting financing for mitigation and adaptation.”

The Community is expected to continue to advocate for the international community to honour the annual commitment of US$100 billion to assist developing countries in their adaptation and mitigation efforts.  The scale of the devastation in Barbuda (Sister Isle of Antigua), Dominica, the British Virgin Islands, St Marten,  Ragged Island in the Bahamas, the Turks and Caico Islands and well as Anguilla, will be highlighted as strong reminders of the need to upscale  efforts,  especially among SIDS, to adapt to and recover from the impact of global climate change.

Based on recent events, CARICOM officials have pledged to push countries to implement their intended Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to greenhouse gas emissions, as it continues to advocate that global temperature limit should be 1.5°C which is critical for our survival.