HomeLatest NewsC.E.O. Williams Addresses COP29 Gathering

C.E.O. Williams Addresses COP29 Gathering

C.E.O. Williams Addresses COP29 Gathering

Doctor Kenrick Williams, the C.E.O. of the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, is currently in Baku, Azerbaijan. On Thursday, he took the stage at COP29 to highlight the devastating and irreversible effects of climate change on Small Island Developing States like Belize. He passionately called for climate justice and equity, stressing the urgent need for fair treatment and support for these vulnerable nations.

 

Dr. Kenrick Williams, C.E.O., Ministry of Sustainable Development

“While we gather here, the climate emergency continues to tighten its grip on vulnerable nations like Belize, continuously and consistently eroding any progress we make.  Every day, our communities are experiencing and living the escalated impact of the climate emergency.  Irreversible impacts unfold with each increasing fraction of a degree, magnifying the devastation while every moment of inaction exacts a toll on lives, ecosystems and livelihoods.  Every climate disaster serves as a profound reminder.  Adaptation investment is not a luxury nor is it a charity; rather, it is indispensable for our survival.  Like other SIDS, we face unique vulnerabilities with limited capacity to adopt.  Just this past Sunday, Tropical Storm Sara made landfall in Belize, bringing intense rainfall, widespread flooding, and threatening the livelihoods of our people.  Coupled with the most severe wildfires this year, and Hurricane Lisa in 2023, the aggregate loss and damage stands over two hundred million dollars, or over six percent of GDP in just two years.  Regrettably, this cycle of loss and damage occurs much too often.  This is why we need doubling of adaptation finance and we need fast-tracking of loss and damage finance.  Belize, a small nation with an overwhelming stake in this crisis, stands here, not just with words, but with the weight of our people’s future.  Our position is clear: climate justice and equity must prevail.”

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