By Philip Iglauer
Dominica Commonwealth looks to the United Nations conference on climate change in November for developed nations to back up promises with badly needed funding intended to alleviate island nations which are the most impacted by the effects of climate change.
“We see the effects of climate change like no other region in the world,” said Kenneth Darroux, minister of the environment for the Dominica Commonwealth.
“Hurricanes have become more erratic and flooding more intense,” he said, adding “Just a couple of weeks ago, we had 10 inches of rainfall in just 9 hours. It caused unprecedented flooding, even for our country used to severe rainfall.”
Developed nations agreed to set up a “Green Fund” for nations that receive the brunt of the damaging effects of climate change, like the Caribbean island nation of the Dominica Commonwealth. However, countries have not followed through on those promises with the cash needed to get the programs running.
“As of now, it is all just talk,” Darroux said, in an interview with The Korea Times Friday on the heels of the first high-level meeting between the Caribbean and Korean government officials.
He said it is time for Dominica to tap into the promised resources coming out of a U.N. framework for climate change in Cancun, where the negotiations he said were very successful.
It is important that Dominica persuade developed nations “to translate these agreements in Cancun into projects on the ground.”
ephilip2011@koreatimes.co.kr