The 4th Council of Ministers of Environment meeting, under the theme of “Accelerating Sustainable Development: Addressing Challenges, Creating Opportunities”, is scheduled to be held in Grenada from 26 to 27 April, 2017 at the Radisson Convention Centre.
The Council consists of the Ministers responsible for Environment in each of the member countries of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and makes recommendations to the OECS Authority on matters pertaining to the environment and sustainable development. The event offers an opportunity to strengthen regional partnerships in environment related matters. It assists OECS member states to improve environmental management by increasing sustainability and minimising vulnerability, and protect the region’s natural resources for the optimal social and economic benefits of the people. The Council meets regularly in order to deliberate on topics including: water resource management, ocean governance, energy and climate change in addition to other relevant issues related to environmental sustainability, natural disasters and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
The 4th Council meeting will be preceded by a Green Climate Fund Structured Dialogue which will be taking place from 24-26 April. The aim of this meeting is to support Caribbean countries to access the Green Climate Fund directly. Technical officers from the OECS countries as well as key regional partners will be at attendance at this OECS supported meeting which will lead into the 4th Council of Ministers meeting.
The Ministry of Education, Human Resources and the Environment will take the opportunity of this event to host a Climate Change Exhibition to inform the regional delegation as well as the Grenadian public about Grenada’s climate change resilience actions in six key area: Water Management, Energy, Coastlines and the Ocean, Education and Awareness, Food Security, and Alternative Livelihood. An additional Islands Resilience booth will feature selected regional projects.
The exhibition will be open to schools and the public from Tuesday 25 April in the afternoon to Thursday 27 April 2017 in the morning. The exhibition will also feature the screening of the movie “1.5 – Stay Alive” by Lucian Segura which captures a spirit of optimism and resilience by challenging a host of preeminent Caribbean musicians to express their experiences of climate change, and their visions of how to confront it (more about the movie and to watch the trailer: www.onepointfive.org). The viewing will be followed by a Q&A session with Climate Change experts. This event will take place on Tuesday 25 April from 5 pm to 7:30 pm.
On their last day in Grenada, ministers visiting the country will take a tour of the Coral Gardening project in the Grand Anse Bay. The project, which is implemented by UN Environment in collaboration with the Government of Grenada, is rebuilding a damaged reef by replanting coral. Ultimately, the replanting of coral on the reef that used to protect Grand Anse Bay will prevent further loss of the beach, which is Grenada’s premier tourism asset.
