International

The front lines of climate change

Prime Minister of Barbados, The Hon. Mia Amor Mottley and the Prime Minister of the Bahamas The Hon. Philip Davis

Nassau – Several Caribbean leaders are gathered in The Bahamas this week for the Regional Meeting to Prepare for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Egypt in November.

This is a strong showing of leadership on this matter and Prime Minister Philip Davis, who has made the climate change issue a focus of his, is no doubt pleased to be hosting high-level colleagues for the talks.

In so doing, Davis is building on the work previous Bahamian prime ministers have done to raise global awareness on the impact of climate change on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like The Bahamas.

Almost three years to the day after powerful Category 5 Hurricane Dorian ripped though the northwestern Bahamas, leaving billions of dollars in damage, the island nation Tuesday welcomed delegates from 17 Caribbean countries and international financing institutions to a two-day high-level summit to address the climate crisis.

The historic meeting, hosted by the Bahamas at a resort in Nassau, comes ahead of the United Nations Climate Conference, more commonly referred to as COP 27, in November in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. The goal, said Prime Minister Philip Davis, who lauded the recent passage of the massive climate change bill in the U.S. Congress, is for Caribbean leaders to speak with one voice.

“Our goal is to construct practical financing solutions, ones that help us move forward rather than lead to further indebtedness,” Davis said at an opening press conference. “I remain optimistic about our collective ability to meet the challenge of climate change.”

Davis said while there is no country on earth where the impact of climate change cannot be felt, for small islands and nations like the Bahamas and others in the Caribbean, “the threat is existential. Get unlimited digital access Subscribe now for just $2 for 2 months. CLAIM OFFER “This is the front lines,” he said, citing a report that showed that sea levels rose last year more swiftly in the Caribbean region than anywhere else in the world. The Bahamas and other nations in the Caribbean know they need to rebuild for resiliency and to adapt to the realities of a warming planet, the prime minister added, a task made harder by the impact of a storm like Dorian, which ripped through the country over Labor Day weekend in 2019. “That one storm alone cost our small country billions of dollars,” Davis said. “In fact half our country’s debt can be linked to hurricane damage.”

On the ground, however, many Bahamians do not see the issue as a priority item, notwithstanding the horrific videos that circulated on social media as Hurricane Dorian pounded the Abacos and Grand Bahama in September 2019, and the widespread coverage of its destruction.

For many, cost of living issues are more urgent, as is the case elsewhere.

In April, CBS News reported that with issues like the economy and inflation, crime, and the war in Ukraine weighing most on Americans’ minds, the percentage who think climate change needs to be addressed right now has dipped some since one year ago, but most Americans do think it’s an issue that needs to be addressed now or at least in the next few years.

The European Commission reported on a survey last year that showed that European citizens identify climate change as the single most serious problem facing the world.

Multiple studies have shown that SIDS are particularly vulnerable to the impact of climate change. While these small states contribute least to global warming, they stand to suffer the most.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development noted in March that for SIDS to survive climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic, they need to adopt an integrated approach that

promotes economic diversification, innovative financing instruments, and scaling up the blue economy.

It is a message that Davis and colleagues continue to promote as the need for urgent action by small and large states becomes even more urgent.

Our very survival depends on what is done collectively to address the crisis now.

Last August, a report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned that human influence has warmed the climate at a rate that is unprecedented in at least the last 2,000 years.

Researchers found that climate change is already affecting every inhabited region across the globe with human influence contributing to many observed changes in weather and climate extremes.

The report projected that in the coming decades climate changes will increase in all regions.

IPCC predicted that coastal areas will see continued sea level rise throughout the 21st Century, contributing to more frequent and severe coastal flooding in low-lying areas and coastal erosion. Extreme sea level events that previously occurred once in 100 years could happen every year by the end of this century.

For SIDS, there are special concerns and interests.

Addressing the climate conference yesterday, Davis stated, “If we advance our interests merely as individual Small Island Developing States, our voices will be dispersed, unable to be heard above louder, wealthier, carbon-producing interests.”

He noted that the Caribbean has been identified as the region with the largest number of indebted countries, due in many cases to borrowing associated with recovery efforts from the impact of climate change.

The prime minister also pointed out that many Caribbean states have already faced challenges in accessing climate-related funds.

“By acting in common cause, we can move with more authority and with greater impact to address legacy issues which have held us back from making meaningful progress,” Davis said.

“… Let us work together to construct a joint solution in respect of climate risk insurance and other climate risk facilities. And let us take practical steps to improve access to climate finance.”

The Bahamas and regional states are wise to strengthen their joint approach in placing the interests of SIDS at the forefront of the global climate agenda.

The urgency of this existential threat cannot be overstated.

International

CHINA CELEBRATES ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY

China marks National Day with light shows, #fireworks, drone displays #PRC75Years

Fireworks illuminate the sky in Macao, south China on Oct. 1, 2024. Various events and activities were held to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

*Tourists visit the Senado Square in Macao, south China*

International

Wang Yi calls on Global South to jointly advance peace and development

Wang Yi, director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, on Wednesday called on the Global South to work actively and contribute to building a world of lasting peace and universal security.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, made the remarks at a dialogue session between high-ranking officials responsible for security matters and national security advisors from BRICS and Global South countries in the Russian city of St. Petersburg.

Noting the international security situation is becoming increasingly complex with fierce geopolitical competition and emerging hotspot issues, Wang said the aspiration of people of all countries for peace and security has become stronger and the call for unity and cooperation has become more urgent.

Global peace and development cannot be achieved without the support and participation of all progressive forces, Wang added.

Gaining momentum in the new century, Wang said, the Global South should stand ahead and make positive contributions to building a world of lasting peace and universal security in the face of a turbulent and interwoven world.

Wang called on the Global South countries to adhere to dialogue and cooperation and share the development opportunities and fruits to safeguard their legitimate rights and interests, realize common prosperity and gain a greater voice in the international arena.

Wang said, being an ex-officio member of the Global South, China has always stood firm with southern countries to jointly safeguard international fairness and justice and promote world peace and development.

BRICS countries and the Global South share a natural emotional bond and extensive common interests, Wang noted, and China supports BRICS in pursuing development with an open door and promoting cooperation with open arms.

China welcomes more like-minded Global South countries to join the BRICS family and work together as a force for stability and peace, a backbone for open development, a force for global governance and a force for mutual learning among civilizations, so as to build a community with a shared future for mankind, Wang added.

Caption: Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, attends a dialogue session between high-ranking officials responsible for security matters and national security advisors from BRICS and Global South countries in St. Petersburg, Russia, September 11, 2024.

International

The Authority of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 Cannot Be Challenged

Article by H. E. YanXiusheng, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Barbados

The 79th United Nations General Assembly opened on September 10 in New York. At present, there are still a handful forces that have been deliberately distorting and challenging UNGA Resolution 2758 adopted in 1971, trumpeting the notion that Taiwan’s status is undetermined, and advocating support for Taiwan’s participation in UN meetings and activities, in an attempt to challenge the international community’s consensus on the one-China principle. I believe that such actions, which go against the tide of history, will undoubtedly end in failure.

On October 25, 1971, the 26th UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 by an overwhelming majority, deciding to “restore all its rights to the People’s Republic of China and to recognize the representatives of its Government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations, and to expel forthwith the representatives of Chiang Kai-shek from the place which they unlawfully occupy at the United Nations and in all the organizations related to it”. The Resolution resolved once and for all politically, legally and procedurally the issue of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, at the United Nations. The resolution also made clear that there can only be one seat representing China at the UN and precluded the possibility of “two Chinas” or “one China, one Taiwan.”

UNGA Resolution 2758 is based on historical facts and has a legal basis. Taiwan has been part of China since ancient times. Before the adoption of Resolution 2758, it was already a historical fact and an international consensus that Taiwan is part of China. This was a significant political precondition for the UN General Assembly to adopt Resolution 2758. The 1943 Cairo Declaration and the 1945 Potsdam Proclamation clearly stipulated that Taiwan, a Chinese territory stolen by Japan, shall be restored to China. These documents with international legal effect formed an integral part of the post-WWII international order and also established the legal foundation of Taiwan’s status as China’s inalienable territory.

The one-China principle adopted by UNGA Resolution 2758 is a widely accepted international consensus. For over half a century since the resolution’s adoption, the UN system has always observed Resolution 2758 and upheld the one-China principle in dealing with Taiwan-related issues. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has repeatedly reaffirmed that the UN’s position is very clear, which is to observe the Resolution and uphold the one-China principle, and that all UN actions are based on this. To date, 183 countries, representing over 93% of UN member states, have established diplomatic relations with China on the basis of the one-China principle. These facts fully demonstrate that the one-China principle reflects the will of the people and represents the trend of the times and the course of history.

Barbados is one of the earliest countries in the eastern Caribbean to establish diplomatic relations with China, and is also a good friend and partner of China in the region. Over the past 47 years, the bilateral relations have steadily advanced based on the one-China principle, mutual respect, and mutual benefit. China highly appreciates Barbados’ firm adherence to the one-China principle and is willing to work with Barbados to continue implementing the important consensus reached by the leaders of our two countries, deepen political mutual trust, strengthen cooperation in various fields, continue to understand and support each other on issues concerning our core interests and major concerns, constantly expand and enrich the friendly relations between our two countries, and build a closer China-Barbados community with a shared future.