Despite its low contribution to global carbon emissions, the Caribbean is ready to set an example, French ambassador Eric de La Moussaye said.
French Ambassador Eric de La Moussaye is urging the world to follow the Caribbean example in the fight against global warming.
The ambassador spoke at a press conference held earlier this month, during which he discussed issues related to the upcoming United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to be hosted in Paris in December.
"[In collaboration] with several Caribbean leaders such as Kenny Anthony and Roosevelt Skerrit, the President of France, François Hollande, launched the “Call of Fort de France” a call for the world to unite against this universal danger [of climate change] and to follow the Caribbean example which, despite its low contribution to global carbon emissions, is ready to set an example,” de La Moussaye said.
He explained that while one of the major objectives is to contain the rise in temperatures to 2°C, OECS states leaders wish to go further and implement solutions to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
The leaders have also formed a workgroup, Working Partners for Paris Climate 2015 (WPPC15). Led by the OECS, the WPPC15 has a mission to empower Caribbean populations to tackle the problem of climatic disorder and to set up supporting projects for the environment.
At the UNFCCC, OECS countries will be integrated into the AOSIS group (Alliance of Small Island States) with other islands of the Indian and Pacific oceans. The main concern of these countries will be to limit the rise of sea level.
“The increase of global temperature is now inevitable and will have very real consequences on the world's population,” de La Moussaye said.
"Caribbean States are particularly at risk and will probably be subjected in the near future to an increase in the frequency and strength of hurricanes, as well as a partial destruction of their ecosystem.
"France would like to collaborate in good terms with every country with an objective that no one feels forced and so that negotiations can succeed.”