(Washington D.C. April 22, 2024) In recognition of Earth Day 2024, the Honourable Dr. Joyelle Clarke, Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Climate Action, and Constituency Empowerment, addressed the Organization of American States’ Joint Meeting of the Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development on the theme: “Earth Day 2024: A Call to Action – Meeting Critical Environmental Challenges in the Americas.”
Minister Clarke, who is currently attending the Fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee Meetings in Ottawa, Canada, joined the OAS sitting virtually to amplify the Federation’s support for environmental sustainability and to share with fellow member states, the incremental steps taken to protect the planet and people of St. Kitts and Nevis in the face of a climate crisis.
In drawing attention to the 54th anniversary of Earth Day, the Minister remarked, “today there must be a greater call to action, which not only serves as poignant reminder of the critical and escalating environmental challenges that continue to confront our Americas, and our world, but also as another dire appeal to the collective -individuals, communities, and nations, to take collaborative and ambitious actions now to protect our environment and safeguard our future.”
At a global level, our small island developing states which sit on the front lines of the relentless advances of the climate and environmental crisis have made significant strides in raising awareness and leveraging joint commitment to tackling these pervasive issues, however Minister Clarke emphasized the need for the multilateral process to lead the charge in taking decisive action on climate change, “We need multilateral action to address the multi-dimensional environmental crisis of biodiversity loss, plastic pollution, and climate change. More importantly as Small Island Developing States, we need contextualized action and regional consensus ahead of all international obligations.”
Minister Clarke, in recognizing the important advocacy of our regional and hemispheric partners in championing the cause for our island nations, also capitalized on the opportunity to call on international partners to honour their commitments, emphasizing the urgent need to “Let our words become real actions, that compliment and do not hinder our pathway to our survivability.”
Earth Day is celebrated annually on April 22nd, and the Permanent Mission of Saint Kitts and Nevis to the OAS under the leadership of Ambassador Jacinth Henry-Martin, continues to work with our hemispheric partners to raise awareness on the climate crisis, foster meaningful partnerships and cooperation to leverage and mobilize resources, to deliver innovative solutions to the myriad of environmental challenges that confront our hemisphere.
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