CANCUN, Mexico, December 8, 2010 – Today, at the Sixteenth Meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties, the Prime Minister of Grenada, Tillman Thomas, in his capacity as chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).

Grenada is expected to benefit, along with 14 other AOSIS countries in transforming its energy sector toward low-carbon. This represents the first major tangible benefit that AOSIS has delivered to Grenada and it has taken two years to bring to this stage, with a steady team led by Ambassador Dessima Williams and Dr. Al Binger.

Other countries for which Grenada as Chair has secured this benefit include The Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica and St. Lucia. Each is expected to draw down in the range of US$500,000 starting April 2011.

The Government of Denmark, the first developed country to provide support to the Initiative under the Copenhagen Accord ‘Fast Start’ mechanism, had pledged some US$14.5 million in 2011.

Environment and Women Welfare Minister of Denmark; President of the The World Bank; and Administrator of the United nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed an historic agreement aimed at helping Small Island Developing States develop renewable energy and increase energy efficiency will also be making the programme.

At the signing ceremony Prime Minister Thomas pointed out that the latest scientific evidence was a major concern for island states and that the global community needed to urgently transform the energy sector in order to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emission.

Failure to bring about a transformation of the global energy sector to GHG emission below 1990 levels within the next decade will see the end of many small island states as viable countries, and many will disappear into the oceans, and others will be significantly reduced in size losing their major economic assets.

The Small Island Developing States Sustainable Energy Initiative called SIDS DOCK was developed to provide a DOCKing Station facility which provide island states with easier access to financing, technology, technical assistance, and to participate in the global carbon market.
 
The World Bank represented by its President Mr. Zoellick and the UNDP represented by Administrator Ms. Clarke will provide technical support to the Initiative. 

PHOTO CAPTION: Prime Minister Tillman Thomas, along with officials of Denmark, The World Bank and UNDP.

Prime Minister Tillman Thomas and Lykke Friis, Denmark’s Minister for Climate and Energy.