Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

The Bahamas’ Prime Minister Philip Davis reiterated the threats of climate change to The Bahamas, speaking at a Global Citizen Conference in New York on May 2. He spoke of The Bahamas’ vulnerability as an ocean state, highlighting that more than 85 percent of the landmass is less than 3 meters above sea level and is porous limestone; a huge issue as water is able to seep into the land due to rising sea-levels. He expressed that Bahamians are “Doomed” to become climate refugees.

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

Jamaica got a 3 million US dollar grant from humanitarian charity organisation Direct Relief, as part of its mission to strengthen resilience in the Caribbean region. This is also an effort to enhance Healthcare systems and infrastructure throughout Jamaica in preparation for natural disasters as the organization renews its ongoing partnership with the island. This was announced by Direct Relief in an article on May 1.

Garfield Ekon

Staff Writer

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has embarked on a new approach to undertake measures to manage Climate Change challenges, with support for developing countries on their Climate actions.

Launched by the UN Secretary General, António Guterres and UNDP Administrator, Achim Steiner at an event at the UN Headquarters in New York City, it seeks to revitalise strategies on Climate action across the UN System, ahead of 2025, when commitments on global warming will be scrutinise.

The campaign is dubbed, Climate Promise 2025, and is seeking build on the organisation’s ongoing support for more than 125 developing countries to align the next generation of their national Climate pledges, known as ‘Nationally Determined Contributions’ or ‘NDCs,’ to the goals set forth under the 2015 Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius and increase resilience to climate impacts.

Mr. Guterres told the launch that the new efforts aim to make or break for the 1.5-degree limit. “In 2025, all countries need to submit new and ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions to avert Climate calamity, and these new national Climate plans must align with the 1.5-degree limit and cover all greenhouse gases, all sectors, and the whole economy. If done right, these Climate plans can double as National Investment Plans, and reinforce National Development Plans.,” he said.

Adding that the measures can catapult sustainable development, by connecting billions to clean power, boosting health, creating clean jobs, and advancing equality, he said they are complex, technical documents.

“And developing countries have consistently asked for support in making them as ambitious, inclusive, and comprehensive as possible. Through the Climate Promise, the entire UN system is coming together to help developing Governments to seize the opportunity and create new national Climate plans aligned with the 1.5-degree limit,” the Secretary General stated.

“The next two years are critical to put the world on a 1.5° pathway. UNDP has committed to bring the UN system together to support developing countries to scale-up climate action,”

Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, said the UNDP’s Climate Promise 2025 will support countries around the world to develop and deliver their pledges under the Paris Agreement and take “bold steps toward a net zero, resilient, and inclusive future.”

For Cassie Flynn, Global Director of Climate Change at UNDP, the UNDP has the largest Climate portfolio in the UN system, and supporting Climate action in nearly 150 developing countries, with a proven track record of supporting the first and second generation NDCs, including over 85 percent of developing countries’ NDCs in 2020.

“We’re bringing together the UN system behind this effort and linking Climate diplomacy and thought leadership with Climate action and sustainable development at the national and local levels”, she said.