UNCTAD at the twenty-fifth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 25) in Madrid 2019
UNCTAD co-organised, together with UNEP, a High level Panel discussion at the twenty-fifth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 25, Madrid, Spain) on “Climate resilient transport infrastructure for sustainable trade, tourism and development in SIDS” with support of Germany, in collaboration with the OECS Commission, Commonwealth Secretariat, UNFCCC and ISO.
The high level panellists were Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP; Hon Simon Stiell, Minister for Climate Resilience, the Environment, Forestry, Fisheries, Disaster Management & Information, Grenada; Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, Secretary-General, Commonwealth Secretariat; Ambassador Peter Thomson, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean; and Isabelle Durant, Deputy Secretary-General, UNCTAD. The discussions were moderated by K. Warner, Manager from the UNFCCC.
In the light of the latest scientific findings that project significant increases of coastal hazards for SIDS critical transport infrastructure in the 2030s (IPCC, 2018), when the 1.5 degrees warming level is likely to be reached, the side event aimed at raising awareness of the important nexus between climate resilient transport infrastructure, sustainable trade, tourism and development in SIDS. To this end, panelists focused on the needs of SIDS to improve transport infrastructure for trade and tourism in the face of climate change and how trade can better promote climate resilience, in addition to proposing actions moving forward.
Watch the video on the UNFCCC website (no sign in required):
Further information:
Read the news story by UNEP: Small Island Developing States: Building resilience for sustainable trade, tourism and development