Statement from the Foreign Minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines Louis Straker for the BCSC 2020

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"Excellencies, distinguished colleagues, today we meet virtually as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. We are faced with the contemporary reality that increasingly we are challenged by non-traditional issues that are transboundary in nature and effect.

Climate change is one the most pervasive issue of our time. It’s effects are seen on land, in the air and on the seas and result in desertification, acidification and given rise to severe droughts, flooding and more intensive hurricanes and other extreme weather conditions.

Climate change is not only an environmental issue but an economic one and is one of the greatest security challenges of the 21st century. It disrupts economic security and is a threat to the very existence of small island states, as well as low-lying coastal areas. It affects agriculture and food production, give rise to food insecurity and it breeds conflict among nations, resulting in migration and the refugee problem.

The developing countries which are most vulnerable to climate change will befall the challenge to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals unless the developed countries of the world meet the benchmark set at the Paris Agreement Conference for greenhouse emissions and provide easy access to financial assistance in order to help the poorer countries in their efforts at mitigation, adaptation and resilience.

We must use the international rules-based system as a means of coordinating a global response. Since climate change is such an existential threat to our lives and affects peace and security, the United Nations Security Council, as the premier organ of the United Nations that deals with threats to peace and security, must lead the world to recognize the urgency and necessity of this threat.

Collectively, we must all strive to build a better world for ourselves and future generations, as well as protecting and preserving the one planet we all share. Thank you for this opportunity to contribute to this discussion on this very pivotal issue."
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