“The parts of the globe likely to be hit hardest by climate change are those least able to do anything to prevent it,” Dr Mark Collins, Director, Commonwealth Foundation.
Combating impact of climate change in the Commonwealth critical
11 October 2006
Conference in Seychelles to help communities adapt to climate change and manage related natural disasters.
An international conference on climate change opened in Mahe, Seychelles, with a call from Commonwealth Foundation Director Dr Mark Collins to combat the effects of climate change.
“The parts of the globe likely to be hit hardest by climate change are those least able to do anything to prevent it,” Dr Collins said.
“These are the poorest countries and the smallest states whose carbon emissions are tiny, but who, by virtue of geography and poverty, are most vulnerable to the impact of climate change.”
Dr Collins highlighted the need to develop a programme of proactive, practical measures that will help communities across the Commonwealth adapt to climate change and manage related natural disasters.
“Our aim must be to promote awareness, preparedness and adaptation so that when ecological changes do occur, as we believe they will, small states in particular will be better prepared to take action and save lives and livelihoods,” he said.
Dr Collins stressed the need to reduce carbon emissions, saying that it was happening too slowly.
Participants at the gathering -- organised by the Commonwealth Foundation and the Government of the Seychelles between 9 and 12 October 2006 -- will discuss climate change and disaster management strategies that can be implemented at a grassroots level.
The outcomes of the conference will feed into the Second International Workshop on Community Based Adaptation to Climate Change to be held in Bangladesh in January 2007. It will ultimately be built into a plan of action and submitted at the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Uganda for endorsement.
The Commonwealth Foundation is an intergovernmental organisation founded by Commonwealth governments in 1965. Its mandate is to meet Commonwealth goals for development, democracy and cultural understanding by strengthening the work of civil society organisations.
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