Climate injustice is akin to slavery and the injustices of slavery – PM Skerrit
Climate injustice is akin to slavery and the injustices of slavery says Prime Minister of Dominica, Rosevelt Skerrit as he and other sub-regional Heads of Government visited St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) on Tuesday of this week.
Dominica was decimated by Hurricane Maria in 2017 and, Skerrit declared solidarity with St Vincent and the Grenadines as he and other colleague Heads of Government visited to get a first hand look at the destruction left behind by Category 4 Hurricane Beryl which crossed over SVG on July 1, 2024.
“I can tell you that I am very upset with the international community, with the developed world, for their reluctance in taking on their responsibility in a serious manner,” Skerrit told persons, including representatives of the media at the Argyle International Airport (AIA) on Tuesday, July 16, 2024.
Skerrit paid a one day visit to SVG along with colleagues Dickon Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada; Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis; Prime Minister of Saint Lucia Philip J.Pierre; and Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Gaston Browne. Petit Martinique and Carriacou also felt the wrath of the hurricane.
PRIME MINISTER of St Vincent and the Grenadines Dr Ralph Gonsalves (in hat), discussing with Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda and Prime Minister Philip J.Pierre of St Lucia the destruction caused by Hurricane Beryl.
Skerritt said at a press briefing that for many years, people have been speaking about climate change and its negative impacts on these societies, the lives and livelihoods of its people. Also, that the global entities deemed to be responsible for climate change and its impacts, recognize their responsibility but are not fulfilling their promises.
“…and when hurricanes like these affect us and we have to live those experiences, one understands how we feel as a society and how we feel as a people,” Sherrit stressed.
An analysis by Influence-Map, which is recorded in its Carbon Majors Database, shows the 57 companies that unleashed 80% of global carbon emissions between 2016 and 2022 include Western petroleum multinationals like Exxon Mobil, Shell, BP, and Chevron, as well as government- run titans and investor- owned companies.
Another statistic shows that about 100 companies are responsible for more than 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and that since 1988, ExxonMobil, Shell, BP and Chevron, with their combined emissions alone, totalled nearly 7% of all greenhouse gas emissions.
It has been noted that as greenhouse gas concentrations rise, so does the global surface temperature, and this causes more severe storms, increased drought and a warming, rising ocean.
Skerritt said although countries like SVG and Dominica do not contribute to climate change, they are the ones that have to mobilize the resources required to fix the damage.
“…this is a war that is taking place and we did not provoke the war but we are suffering the consequences of the war.
“I have said I have no difficulty if a country wants to mobilize billions of dollars for Ukraine which is fighting a war, but what about us who are subject to a war that we did not provoke?” Skerrit queried.
He asked, “how is St Vincent and the Grenadines going to raise these monies to restore lives and livelihood which is estimated to be in the hundreds of millions of dollars”?
Skerrit said it is frustrating as every time, “we make efforts to advance our countries’ development, we are pulled …five, six, seven, eight, nine steps back.”
It was noted that in Dominica’s case, 85% of the country’s debt is as a result of its response to national disasters.
“I want to say to us in St Vincent and the wider Caribbean that we must not continue to see our advocacy only being the responsibility of the Prime Minister and the government.
“The issue of climate change and its impact is affecting every one of us, but we are not hearing the voices of advocacy from the various sectors, not from the private sector, not from civil society, and not form the church in a continuous way,” the Dominica leader stressed as he again called on the international community to fulfil their promises.
“Over 16 years ago we went to Copenhagen, and promises were made there, and not one dollar has been delivered.
“In Paris in 2015, we arrived at an Accord, and within that Accord, there were promises made. We haven’t seen any of those,” Sherrit said. He pointed out that in this region whenever an opportunity arises to attend an international meeting on climate change the question is raised whether to go or not, but the reality is, “once there is injustice you must never give up the fight because we are not doing this for us, we are doing this for succeeding generations…”.
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