Barbados to host climate change conference

Fri, October 05, 2012 - 3:30 PM

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, Oct 5, CMC – The impact of climate change on small islands developing states (SIDS) like Barbados will be further discussed here when the islands hosts the three day United Nations sponsored meeting from October 9.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Expert Meeting for Small Island Developing States will examine a examine a number of topics including the loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change.

The meeting will focus primarily on approaches to address loss and damage associated with climate change impacts related to slow onset events, loss and damage at the national, regional and international levels and also seeks to share links and synergies between approaches, regional priorities and key messages.

The organisers said climate change is of concern to SIDS countries especially as the intensity of hurricanes, storm surges and the threat of tsunamis and other natural events increases. In addition, rising sea temperatures are also having an impact on the island’s coral reefs, resulting in mass bleaching events.

UNFCCC executive secretary Christiana Figueres, who will be here for the three-day conference, is expected to view the effects of climate change on the island’s coasts and will also deliver a public lecture on the topic “Is Anything Being Done on Climate Change”.