Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago – The 26th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) yearly Conference of the Parties (COP26) is happening in Glasgow, Scotland between November 1-12, 2021. As we draw closer to the vital summit, the science couldn’t be clearer. Every decision, every day and every fraction of a degree counts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report is a clear and sober reflection of our current pace. The global climate is changing even faster than we had previously thought.
To accelerate climate action, the UN High Level Climate Champions have convened a small group of global leaders with a range of expertise and knowledge across regions and sectors to support the Race to Zero and Race to Resilience. As part of this programme, Caribbean Climate‐Smart Accelerator (CCSA) CEO Racquel Moses was approached to join an esteemed team of Global Ambassadors and readily accepted.
The Global Ambassadors will help the Champions accelerate the implementation of zero carbon targets and build resilience in urban, rural and coastal areas. Each Ambassador has been carefully selected as an individual deeply committed to transformative change and addressing the climate crisis. They have been appointed to help amplify the campaigns, anchor their narratives locally and accelerate action across mitigation and adaptation.
Other Global Ambassadors include Michael Bloomberg, U.N. Secretary General Special Envoy for Climate Ambition and Solutions, Founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies and 108th Mayor of New York City, Dr. Susan Chomba, who leads WRI’s work on forests, food systems and people, which includes forest landscape restoration, sustainable agriculture/food systems and thriving rural livelihoods in Africa and Prof. Saleem Huq, an expert in adaptation to climate change in the most Vulnerable developing countries and has been a lead author of the third, fourth and fifth assessment reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). You can find out more about this initiative and see all the global ambassadors here.
Reacting to her appointment to the Ambassadors Programme, Racquel Moses commented: “It is an honour to have been selected as an Ambassador for the UNFCCC Race to Zero and Race to Resilience programme. I was already set to travel to Glasgow to take part in COP26 and represent the interests of the Caribbean and other developing nations, and this has bolstered my determination to bring forth the challenges we are facing. Financing the transition towards a clean future has proven to be difficult despite the assurances laid out in the Paris Agreement and prior mechanisms. This has led SIDS and developing nations in the Caribbean and worldwide to be left behind. With certain island nations unable to send delegations due to COVID as well as the accessibility issues surrounding the conference’s location, it is more important than ever to have island communities represented in Glasgow. Islands need a seat at the table when discussing sustainable development and economic development. I intend to make our collective voices heard.”
The CCSA is a coalition of countries collaborating on climate action and was featured as the first high-level commitment coming out of French President Emmanuel Macron’s One Planet Summit. The Accelerator was created via a partnership between Prime Ministers Roosevelt Skerrit of Dominica, Keith Mitchell of Grenada, Allen Chastanet of Saint Lucia and Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson, who all shared a far-reaching vision for the Caribbean to become the world’s first climate-smart zone.
In collaboration with Caribbean governments and supported by cross-sector partners and multilateral institutions, this unprecedented group is united around a shared vision for transformative climate action and innovative solutions designed to affect climate change. The headlining partner of the COP26 Island Space organized by Island Innovation, the CCSA will be actively working towards highlighting the challenges faced, and solutions created by island communities worldwide. For more information, visit the Island Innovation website.
For further inquiries, please contact:
Vincent Diringer, Project Manager
Email: vincent@islandinnovation.co
WhatsApp: +44 74156 85775
