BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - CHALLENGES facing youths within the Caribbean region will take center stage in the Federation this week, as CYEN’s 12th Biennial Congress and Caribbean Youth Environmental Summit opened today (Oct. 31) at the Agriculture Department’s Conference Room.
The Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) is hosting a five-day workshop geared towards highlighting some of the major environmental and other challenges that are of paramount importance to the people and Government of Small Island Developing States, such as St. Kitts and Nevis.
According to Senior Environmental Officer within the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources, Cooperatives, Environment and Human Settlement, June Hughes, the environmental challenges are far reaching and highlight the vulnerability to environmental challenges as well as the limited ability to deliver sustainable responses.
Pointing to some of the challenges facing youths and Governments in the region, Hughes stated that Climate Change, pollution, depletion of natural resources, environmental degradation and overpopulation.
“The threats posed by these issues are already proving to be expensive and politically eventful. This is evident by the resources that are actively being sought to stave off the impacts from these environmental concerns, as well as the global jacking and negotiations that are continuously undertaken to achieve the responsive milestones…”
She noted that one of the recent achievements in the global arena is the successful negotiations emanating from the COP21 Summit.
“The Paris Agreement core aim is a global response to Climate Change by keeping the temperature to well below two degrees Celsius. Additionally, the Agreement seeks to strengthen countries like ours to deal with Climate Change.”
As of October 15, just about 86 countries ratified the Paris Agreement.
Meanwhile, Hughes noted that there are two major topics that would be discussed during the week - Principle 10 and Sustainable Lifestyle.
According to the government official, Principle 10 has three fundamental rights: access the information, access to public participation, and access to justice.
“It is very critical that our youths and the general public understand that they have a right to access the environmental data and information. The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis understands and appreciates this fundamental right and the right of everyone to access the environmental information.”
The workshop has drawn participants from CARICOM member states with facilitators from across the globe representing a number of international advocacy agencies.
