St Lucia says SIDS lack carbon emissions assistance from developed countries

St. Lucia has expressed its disappointment at the lack of assistance from developed countries to significantly reduce carbon emissions as well as labelling many small island developing states (SIDS) as middle income countries.

“The record shows that our community of small island nations has yet to arrive at a point of sustainability. Overall progress in surmounting our challenges has been modest at best, and in some areas there has been noticeable regression,” said Dr. James Fletcher, the island’s Minister for Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology.

Fletcher, addressing the United Nations’ Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which ends on Thursday, attributed the lag in progress to several factors including prolonged economic recession; dwindling support and the failure of key partners to fulfil pledges to scale up climate finance; and the graduation of SIDS to Middle Income Status.

He said the new status was based on “outmoded criteria that are out of step with empirical studies on vulnerability and resilience”.

http://www.caribbean360.com/news/st-lucia-says-sids-lack-carbon-emissions-assistance-from-developed-countries#ixzz3CHMlOLYi