17 July 2008: Ministers at the Sixth UK-Caribbean Forum, which took place in London, UK, from 14-16 July 2008, highlighted the threat posed by climate change to security and prosperity, and agreed to continue to raise awareness of the threats of climate change and to work towards a rapid transition to a low carbon economy.
The UK indicated it will: fund capacity building initiatives in the Caribbean; support the development of a (CARICOM) Strategy on Climate Change and an economic impact review; help the region prepare for future international climate change negotiations; and push for deeper emission reduction commitments by all developed countries. Ministers pledged their support to the Bali Action Plan and to work towards an agreement at the 2009 UNFCCC conference in Copenhagen. They stressed the need for a greater focus in international negotiations on adaptation programmes in small vulnerable economies and the increasing pressures on standing forests.
On the Millennium Development Goals, they noted that the food and energy crises could hinder future progress, and welcomed the World Food Programme’s emergency appeal and the creation of the UN High-Level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis. Ministers underscored that the universality of the climate change and food and oil crises, and called for inclusive international collaboration and strengthening multilateral cooperation. [UK-Caribbean Forum Communiqué]