Dominica Calls for Climate Justice at UN Assembly

A Plea for Action Against Climate Change

Dominica, a small island nation in the Caribbean, has appealed to the international community to take immediate action against climate change, citing the devastating impacts it has already had on the country and other small island developing states (SIDS) like itself.

“We stand today at a critical juncture in human history. Climate change, as we know, is not just an environmental challenge; it is a threat to every aspect of life as we know it. For Dominica, as for many Small Island Developing States, this is not a distant or abstract issue; it is a daily reality,” President Sylvania Burton told the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

According to President Burton, Dominica and other SIDS face an onslaught of intense hurricanes, devastating floods, and prolonged droughts on an annual basis. The country suffered devastating losses in 2015 when Tropical Storm Erika wiped out 96 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP), and again in 2017 when Hurricane Maria destroyed over 225 percent of its GDP in hours.

President Burton urged the international community to take bold and decisive action to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, reduce emissions, and build critical resilience infrastructure in regions particularly vulnerable to climate change. She emphasized that this is a moral imperative of the utmost urgency, a matter of climate justice, and that the future of small island nations like Dominica depends on the decisions made in these halls.

In her address, President Burton also highlighted the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Caribbean, citing the World Health Organization’s (WHO) findings that NCDs account for 75 percent of all deaths worldwide. She stressed that the fight against NCDs requires strong leadership, innovative strategies, and collaboration at every level, and that Dominica has made significant progress in enhancing its healthcare system to better meet the needs of those at risk or living with NCDs.

Additionally, President Burton called for continued support for ensuring peace and stability in Haiti, the removal of the US trade and economic embargo against Cuba, Washington’s imposition of sanctions against Venezuela, the end to the wars in Ukraine, Gaza, and the respect for human rights worldwide.

Conclusion

As the international community grapples with the challenges of climate change, it is imperative that small island nations like Dominica are at the forefront of the discussion. Their voices must be heard, and their experiences must inform policy decisions. It is only through collective action and collaboration that we can mitigate the impacts of climate change and ensure a sustainable future for all.

FAQs

* What is Dominica’s stance on climate change?
Dominica is calling for immediate action to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, reduce emissions, and build critical resilience infrastructure in regions particularly vulnerable to climate change.
* What is the impact of climate change on small island developing states (SIDS)?
SIDS face an onslaught of intense hurricanes, devastating floods, and prolonged droughts on an annual basis, which has devastating impacts on their economies, infrastructure, and way of life.
* What is the situation with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Caribbean?
NCDs account for 75 percent of all deaths worldwide, and the Caribbean region is no exception. Dominica is urging global leaders to take a unified and aggressive approach to address this growing burden.