The Government has pledged its support on the issues of climate change, with the aim of sending an urgent message that climate change is a serious concern to the country's sustainable development.

Speaking at a symposium on climate change, held at the University of the West Indies Law Faculty recently, Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Robert Pickersgill, emphasised that the effects of climate change may threaten the country's economy, health, agriculture and natural resources.

"We must make it our business to take the climate-change considerations into account as we make our decisions, recognising not only our vulnerabilities, but that we all must play a role in protecting and preserving our nation's assets, and our individual and collective livelihoods," Pickersgill said.

He explained that in keeping with the administration's commitment, a climate change department is to be established, and that the ministry is now in the process of setting up a climate change advisory committee.

No regrets

The minister also noted that the Government was committed to implementing 'no regrets' mitigation measures, such as demand side management in electricity production, and using alternative energy sources, including solar, wind, hydropower and biofuels, to produce energy.

In the meantime, the environment minister, while welcoming the interest in environmental law, emphasised that this must be used to change behaviour and attitudes to the environment.

"As we move towards natural resource valuation and requirements for environmental performance bonds as a means of protecting the environment and involvement in carbon trading, we may see more calls for environmental lawyers," Pickersgill said.

He added that there are clear issues that require a platform for serious, intensive, aggressive advocacy on the international stage, and that there is a growing body of multilateral environmental agreements, which will require legal as well as technical expertise.

According to the recent Bridging the Gap Report, global emissions are likely to be around 55 billion tonnes per year by 2020. A further reduction of six to 11 billion tonnes per year of greenhouse-gas emissions is required to achieve a warming of below two degrees Celsius.