Bridges Trade BioRes • Volume 5 • Number 1 • 21st January 2005
SIDS: MAURITIUS MEETING ADDRESSES CLIMATE CHANGE, TRADE ISSUES
SIDS: MAURITIUS MEETING ADDRESSES CLIMATE CHANGE, TRADE ISSUES
Climate change and trade topped the agenda at a recent meeting on small island developing states (SIDS), held from 10-14 January at Port Louis, Mauritius. The International Meeting (IM) to Review the Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of SIDS, which saw the participation of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan as well as 18 presidents among the 2000 participants, concluded by adopting a "Mauritius Declaration" and the "Mauritius Strategy" for further implementing the Programme of Action. Given that the meeting took place soon after the devastating tsunami in Southeast Asia, participants emphasised the event and made linkages to the needs of SIDS in the area of climate change, which is expected to lead to an increase in extreme weather events.
The Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of SIDS covers a number of areas, including: climate change; natural and environmental disasters; management of wastes; resources, including coastal and marine; graduation from least developed country (LDC) status; and trade - globalisation and trade liberalisation.
Climate change threats to small islands
SIDS are particularly vulnerable to climate change, with large portions of the population living in low-lying areas expected to be submerged due to sea-level rise. SIDS populations and their livelihoods are also threatened by accelerating frequency of extreme weather events. In the "Mauritius Strategy" that was agreed at the meeting, participants urged the international community to cut emissions of greenhouse gases in accordance with commitments made under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC. The Strategy also specifically calls on "Parties that have ratified the Kyoto Protocol strongly urge all States that have not done so to ratify it in a timely manner".
While not all thought the strategy was strong enough, Gordon Bispham, director of the Barbabos-based Caribbean Policy Development Centre noted that "finally, all parties have agreed that climate change is having an effect on (small islands) right now and that we need to put in place policies to reverse this".
Speaking at the meeting, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said that the devastation caused by the tsunami in December was a lesson for those looking at the results of climate change. "It is no longer so hard to imagine what might happen from the rising sea levels that the world’s top scientists are telling us will accompany global warming." He said that "decisive measures" were necessary to prevent damage from climate change, which threaten SIDS in particular. He called for a global early warning system that would help in emergency preparations for climate change-induced extreme weather events.
Tough negotiations on trade text
During negotiations, issues related to the erosion of trade preferences and effects on SIDS were under debate. Participants also addressed the question of whether a special category for small and vulnerable economies, such as the SIDS, should be established within the WTO system. A number of SIDS pushed for it, while developed countries opposed such a designation, preferring to make commitments to help improve SIDS’ trade capacities. Among statements by intergovernmental agencies, UNEP stressed that environmental issues should not be used as a reason to raise trade barriers.
On trade, the "Mauritius Strategy" acknowledges the special difficulties SIDS face in integrating into the global economy due to their small size and structural disadvantages. As such, trade liberalisation and globalisation present both opportunities and challenges, including in terms of preference erosion (i.e. loss of benefits from preferential trading arrangements due to further reductions of trade barriers at the multilateral level). The Strategy goes on to reaffirm countries’ commitment to the rules-based multilateral trading system. It welcomes the WTO July Package and the new resolve by Members to fulfil the development dimension of the Doha Round, and stresses the importance of facilitating effective participation by small economies such as SIDS, which often lack representation in Geneva or are involved in the challenging accession process. The trade section of the "Mauritius Strategy" concludes by listing areas of key concern to SIDS: WTO accession; graduation from LDC status; capacity constraints; technical assistance; structural vulnerabilities; erosion of preferences; structural adjustment; the relationship between trade, environment and development; trade and food security; and lack of Geneva representation.
Daily coverage provided by IISD Linkages.
ICTSD reporting; "Islands’ Fears on Climate, Trade Acknowledged," REUTERS, 17 January 2005; "Support to small islands on disaster preparedness pledged in UN meeting," XINHUANET, 14 January 2005; "Summary Of The International Meeting To Review The Implementation Of The Programme Of Action For The Sustainable Development Of Small Island Developing States," ENB, 17 January 2005; "Mauritius International Meeting (BPoA+10) Press Releases," SIDS NETWORK, 10-14 January 2005.