During the first term of the 2024/2025 Academic Year, Cari-Bois partnered with the Scotiabank Foundation to empower ten (10) students with climate journalism skills as part of the second edition of Cari-Bois’ Youth Journalism Project. For their third assignment, students wrote a story on the importance of the United Nations Climate Conference to Small Island Developing States. This story was written by La Toya Le Quay of Blanchisseuse Secondary School.
First held in Berlin, Germany, in 1995, the United Nations Climate Conference (COP) has been a space where representatives from countries all over the world can gather and discuss the effects of climate change as well as solutions.
There are over 30 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) around the world, and they can be found in regions in the Caribbean Sea, Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
Some of these countries include St. Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Singapore, Tonga, Belize, and Maldives.
Due to their small size and limited economies, these islands are highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change given it can affect people, marine life, and wildlife.
Extreme tropical cyclones and droughts can destroy crops and lead to food shortages while coral bleaching can have devastating effects on marine ecosystems.
The role of SIDS at the United Nations Climate Conferences
The Governments of SIDS have prioritised attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
Their involvement in the Conferences have provided a platform for them to gather knowledge about making their countries more climate resilient and finding support for dealing with the effects of climate change.
These conferences also give SIDS a platform to voice their concerns and work with other nations to protect their environment and people.
Over the years, the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP) has made several important achievements that has benefitted Small Island Developing States like the 2015 Paris Agreement which is a treaty mandating countries to act against climate change and the Kyoto Protocol which called on countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
Conferences move towards transparency and action
With the creation of the Paris Agreement at COP21 in 2015, the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) was established to ensure that there were “harmonized” means of sharing information about each country’s efforts to achieve the targets of the agreement and report on efforts.
The ETF is also a tool that SIDS can use to hold “developing” countries to their climate commitments and ensure that they are accountable to their actions and emissions which contribute to the climate conference.
A very special thank you to the Scotiabank Foundation for supporting the development of young people through initiatives like the Cari-Bois Youth Journalism Project.
