Anguilla’s Honourable Premier, Dr Ellis Webster, attended the recent sitting of the OECS Assembly held in Antigua on March 18, 2022.
The Assembly is made up persons from five member states and three associate states within the OECS. Members of the Assembly meet every two years.
As an associate state, Anguilla was represented by three persons – one virtually and two in person. Dr Webster and Mrs Cora Richardson-Hodge attended the meeting in person, as Honourable Leader of Government and Honourable Leader of the Opposition, respectively.
Speaking at the government’s press briefing on Wednesday, March 23, Dr Webster noted that the substance of the meeting addressed climate change, adaptation, and financing.
Presentations on ‘damage and loss’ resulting from activities that cause climate change – erosion, rising ocean levels, rising temperatures leading to extreme storm events such as flooding and droughts – were made by Lord Goldsmith, UK Minister for the environment, and the Honourable Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian Foreign Minister and President-Designate of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 27).
Premier Dr Ellis Webster stated Anguilla’s position in response to those presentations. The full text of his remarks is printed here:
6th SITTING OF OECS ASSEMBLY
18 MARCH 2022
Response to Hon. Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian Foreign Minister and President-Designate of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 27)
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Good morning, Chairman Dr. Mitchell, Excellencies, Delegates, Director General Dr. Jules, Friends of the Planet in the Assembly and those participating virtually, and the youth in the Assembly. I wish to thank the Honourable Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda for his hospitality in hosting this sitting of the OECS Assembly.
I am joined in the Assembly by the Honourable Leader of the Opposition Cora Richardson-Hodge and virtually by the Honourable Deputy Speaker Merrick Richardson.
Madam Speaker, I have listened keenly to the presentation made by the Honourable Sameh Shoukry, President-Designate of the United Nations COP27, which highlights the grim outlook for our planet as outlined in the report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). After reviewing the IPCC report, I too feel compelled to concur with the response to the report from UN Secretary-General António Guterres when he said “Delay is death”.
As people of small island developing states (SIDS) which have high vulnerability to climate change impacts, we can easily become climate refugees if there is continued lip-service paid to climate change issues. We can all identify with the concerns raised by the Honourable Shoukry regarding the impacts of climate change on terrestrial, coastal and marine habitats. We know our coral reefs are under threat and our coastlines are shrinking. We have seen first-hand the humanitarian crisis and displacement caused by severe weather events in our region. We have personally witnessed how food security can be compromised by natural disasters such as hurricanes and long periods of drought. Many of us have seen our economies suffer from the devastating effects of increasingly severe hurricanes on our tourism industry. For us climate change in not just a concept in a textbook or scientific journal, it is our everyday reality.
I believe as an OECS Assembly we have to make a strong statement on this issue. We are in a fight for our survival and we must ensure that the rest of the world pays attention. They must understand how their actions are impacting us and make more meaningful efforts to address the climate crisis. While it is clear that we have an up-hill battle, I am heartened by the commitment of the Honourable Shoukry to ensuring that the issue of damage and loss is the focus of COP27. It is evident that the required financial commitment of the largest contributors to climate change to provide funding for the damage and loss suffered by communities like ours, has not been forthcoming. In fact, it appears to remain a point of contention in the international community. It is unconscionable that in this scenario where the innocent is paying for the guilty, where climate offenders are not the climate victims, that we as SIDS are being asked to foot the bill of climate related damage and loss. As a region we must continue to collectively lobby for both the technical and financial support needed to deal with this existential threat.
The UN Secretary General recently tweeted “Least Developed Countries did not cause the climate crisis. But they are living with its worst impacts. They need a massive boost in support to build climate resilience.”
Our colleague and host the Honourable Prime Minister Gaston Browne has stated in the past that when we ask for assistance we are not seeking loans, even at low interest rates, but meaningful support and grants to adapt and survive climate change and its financial, social and environmental repercussions.
Excellencies and colleagues, it is also important for us to recognize that while our location and geographical features contribute to our vulnerability to climate change, our vulnerability is also heightened by socio-economic factors such as poverty and inequality. As a region seeking to combat the effects of climate change and improve climate resilience, our focus cannot solely be on restoring wetlands, planting mangroves, developing coral nurseries and the like. While those efforts are important, equally important is building resilient communities by reducing poverty and improving living conditions, because we are aware the poor and vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected by climate events.
I’m not certain that we have done everything we can with regard to building adaptive and resilience capacity. However, it must also be understood that adaptation has its limits. In the words of Madeleine Diouf Sarr, the chair of the Least Developed Countries at the UN climate talks who also read the IPCC Report: “I read this report with a great deal of fear and sadness, but not surprise. It’s very clear to us that no amount of adaptation can compensate for failing to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celcius.”
In Anguilla, the Blue Anguilla (BANG) Task Force was established in 2021 comprising representatives from various government ministries and departments to provide a regional context to blue economy development and advance a strategic vision for the development of Anguilla’s blue economy, while ensuring marine protection and conservation. This initiative highlighted the need to find a balance between exploiting our coastal and ocean resources for economic progress and preserving the environment, while adapting for the effects of climate change. The BANG Paper was presented by the Honourable Quincia Gumbs-Marie during meetings at COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, and at the Joint Ministerial Council for UK Overseas Territory Ministers in London. This led to meetings with Lord Zac Goldsmith, UK Minister for the Environment, and was referenced by the Duke of Cambridge in his presentation. We have initiated discussions to join the Blue Belt and Blue Shield Programs.
Anguilla has pledged to do its part by setting several goals, including climate resilience and environmental management, sustainable management of coastal and ocean resources, safe shipping and a well-regulated, sustainable tourism industry. The main challenge to implementing these goals is funding. But to set aside or delay implementing these goals spells disaster.
In Anguilla, we are making a hard push to alternative and renewable energy, not only to decrease energy cost, but to decrease our carbon footprint even though our contribution is so small. Every small act is a step in the right direction.
Colleagues, now is the time for urgent action. If not now, then when? If not us, then who? We must ensure that our concerns get the attention of the international community; we must join with Honourable Shoukry and others to lobby for the technical and financial assistance needed to deal with damage and loss; and we must also take action to limit global warming and to improve the quality of life for our people.
To again echo the words of UN Secretary General regarding this existential crisis, “Delay is death.”
I thank you.
Dr. Ellis Lorenzo Webster
Premier of Anguilla
