“Leaders are united in purpose when addressing the issue of Climate Change but not united in action and we must seal the deal in Copenhagen”. Those are the words of Ban Ki-moon Secretary General of the United Nations as he addressed the media during the presentation of the Port of Spain Climate Change Consensus: The Commonwealth Climate Change Declaration.

The Secretary General expressed gratitude to the Honourable Patrick Manning, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago for the opportunity to address the issue of climate change at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting 2009 ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Demark from December 7 to 18.

The Port of Spain Climate Change Consensus is strongly welcome by the UN Secretary General and with it “the momentum for success in Copenhagen is growing”.
 
The Declaration states, “The needs of the most vulnerable must be addressed. Their voices must be heard and capacity to engage strengthened. Many of us from small island states, low-lying coastal states and least developed countries face the greatest challenges, yet have contributed least to the problem of climate change.”
Mr. Ban urged that we pay particular attention to this by “giving priority to those most vulnerable.”

He called on leaders to “stay focussed stay committed and see you in Copenhagen”.

Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma painted a grim picture of the effect climate change is having on smaller nations and impressed upon leaders the importance of “building on the Lake Victoria Commonwealth Climate Change Action Plan which was adopted at the last CHOGM”.

Mr. Sharma emphasised the need for “fast-start” funding, which provision was made for in the Declaration. This includes grant funding for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries.

Success in Denmark is almost guaranteed with the Commonwealth heading to the conference with a united voice on Climate Change and a Port of Spain Climate Change Consensus.