Statement By Deputy Premier And Minister For Natural Resources & Labour - Island Innovations At Cop 11: Island Life - Hyderabad, India

ROADTOWN Torotla BVI, October 17th, 2012  --  Representatives of the Government of India, CBD Executive Secretary Mr. Braulio Dias, Honourable Ministers of Government, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Mr. Maurice Ponga, European Union (EU) Commissioner for Environment Mr. Janez Potocnik, Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) delegates, other guests and friends, a pleasant good evening.
 
On behalf of the Government and people of the British Virgin Islands (BVI), I would like to first thank the Co-Chairmen of the Global Islands Partnership (GLISPA) for the generous invitation to participate in tonight’s event.  GLISPA has truly proven to be an effective platform for Island Parties and Parties with Islands to implement the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and other related multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs).
 
The occasion of the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP 11) and the in-depth review of the Progamme of Work on Island Biodiversity (POWIB) mark an important milestone for Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs), as it is the first time we have been involved in the process of reporting progress and planning critical next steps in CBD implementation.  Thus it gives me great pleasure as an Overseas Territory Environment Minister to deliver this intervention.
 
Those of us from islands, or supporting islands, that are privileged to hold office, have a special responsibility to conserve our unique biodiversity.  This applies not only to well-resourced islands, but also to micro and small island states such as my own that have limited resources at their disposal with which to implement the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and meet the Aichi Targets.
 
In the wider Caribbean region, efforts are being made on the policy front to meet our international obligations as signatories to the agreement.  Among other things, 10 Caribbean Islands have come together to participate in the Caribbean Challenge Initiative.  The Challenge entails three main objectives: (1) to galvanize high-level political will to protect and better manage coastal and marine resources; (2) to mobilise funding by establishing sustainable finance architectures; and (3) to support on-the-ground action for implementation of commitments made by governments. 
 
The Challenge also calls for all participating governments to commit to the protection of at least 20% of their near-shore marine and coastal environment by 2020.  My Government has actually exceeded this target and has committed to protecting 33% of our marine and coastal resources under the BVI Protected Areas System Plan.  We are also well advanced in our work to establish a National Climate Change Trust Fund that, in our view, is one of the most important commitments, given the financial constraints faced by many Caribbean governments.  On May 17 -18, 2013, my Government in partnership with the Government of Grenada will co-host the Summit of Caribbean Political and Business Leaders in the BVI where we will discuss our progress and next steps
 
Among the Dutch and British Caribbean Overseas Territories, we have established the Caribbean Overseas Countries and Territories Council (COCTC or Council), which was set-up to provide a forum for leaders at the highest political level to address common challenges, as well as enhance our level of technical cooperation in key areas, including the environment and those natural resources and processes linked to it.
 
In the BVI itself, we are doing our best to contribute to the international movement to conserve biodiversity.  Earlier this year, my Government and members of the private sector and wider society participated in a review and consultation process on environmental mainstreaming funded by the UK Government and Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC).  The exercise included a two-day seminar on “Greening the Economy” facilitated by the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) designed to inform us about how we can integrate the environment into decision making, and in particular, economic decision making.  My Government followed-up on this activity with the adoption of the The Virgin Islands Climate Change Policy that will, among other things, serve to help protect endemic and other species under threat from the negative effects of climate change.
 
My Overseas Countries and Territories colleagues around the world are taking similar steps to safeguard their own biodiversity.  The EU and its Member States to which we are linked, including the United Kingdom (UK), France, Netherlands, and Denmark, are also paying greater attention to our biodiversity in recognition of its national and global value.  In this spirit we are collaborating to meet our international obligations.
 
In the specific case of the British Overseas Territories (BOTs), we have received generous support from the UK Government and various partners under the Darwin Initiative funding scheme.  I would like to sincerely express my appreciation for the funding and technical expertise provided to the BVI that supported the development of a Biodiversity Action Plan for the island of Anegada, which is home to a number of endemic plants, turtles, the rock iguana; special bird species; and a globally important coral reef system.
 
At EU level, the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA) that represents 26 EU associated territories situated in every ocean on the globe, is working with the European Commission (Commission) to enable greater access to EU programmes related to the environment.  The BEST Scheme which supports biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Overseas Countries and Territories and EU Outermost Regions (ORs) is a good example of how such EU support is already helping us to meet our biodiversity targets.
 
In closing, I again want to thank GLISPA for the opportunity to deliver this intervention.  I would also like to congratulate the Co-Chairman, Mr. James Alix Michel, President of the Seychelles; The Honourable Tillman Thomas, Prime Minister of Grenada; and Mr. Tommy Remengesau, former President of Palau, for seeing the need for the kind of critical partnership that GLISPA provides.
 
I also want to thank the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) for its generous support to the BVI delegation in the lead-up to this evening’s event.
 
Thank you all for listening.

*************************
  DISCLAIMER
  
 
This article was posted in its entirety as received by SKNVibes.com. This media house does not  correct any spelling or grammatical error within press releases and commentaries. The views expressed therein are not necessarily those of SKNVibes.com, its sponsors or advertisers