23 October 2008: At a press conference at UN Headquarters in
New York, US, representatives of the Association of Caribbean States said
countries of the Caribbean region were headed for “hard and difficult times”
unless they took action on climate change, with the cooperation and support of
the international community.

The Association’s delegation underlined the
region’s dependence on tourism and fisheries industries, which are highly
vulnerable to global warming and extreme weather events. The Association had
been meeting during the week to raise awareness among UN member States of
resolutions it plans to introduce in the General Assembly’s Second Committee
(Economic and Financial), including one seeking to have the Caribbean Sea area
designated as a special area within the context of sustainable development.
John Agard, one of the scientists on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change, stated that the Caribbean was already experiencing the impacts of
climate change, with more frequent and severe extreme weather events. [UN
Press Conference]