CARICOM-Mexico summit issues climate change declaration

Climate Change Declaration

Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo

1. We, the Heads of State and Government of Mexico and the Member States of the Caribbean (CARICOM), gathered together on February 21, 2010, in the Mexican Riviera Maya, confirm our commitment to reinforcing cooperation to deal with the threat of climate change through joint efforts by our nations.

1. We express our concern over the scientific evidence showing that climate change induced by humans is worse than predicted and that the impacts of climate change we are already experiencing in our region will intensify.

1. Since the Caribbean is a highly vulnerable region to the harmful effects of climate change, we are determined to strengthen our mitigation and adaptation policies with the support of the international community to cope with this serious threat. We call for an increase in cooperation in our region to achieve understanding and adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and in this respect, we will ask for the establishment of collaboration links between the Caribbean Community's Center for Climate Change (CCCCC) and the Government of Mexico.

1. Our region widely acknowledges the fact that the development of mitigation actions will reduce the long-term costs and effects of the climate phenomenon. In this respect, we have been concerned to note that ever year, the continuous increase in global emissions reduces the possibilities of stabilizing the average global temperature and at the same time, increases the costs associated with this stabilization.

1. We stress the need to continue negotiations within the United Nations Framework Agreement on Climate Change and the Bali Action Plan and we urge all the states to become constructively involved in the negotiations and to build on the results achieved in Copenhagen.

1. We regard the Copenhagen Agreement as a significant step towards the implementation of the Bali Action Plan and express our interest in ensuring that the understanding reached over certain crucial elements will facilitate the negotiations underway at the Convention.

1. We also welcome the fact that our region will host the 16th Conference of the Parties to the Convention (COP 16) and the 6th Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 6) and we pledge to collaborate and support the Mexican Government to ensure the adoption of a broad, ambitious, effective agreement that will meet the challenges and needs of mankind, particularly the most vulnerable sectors. CARICOM and Mexico agree over the importance of ensuring that the COP 16 results are legally binding.