Kamla: Don't weaponise climate change agenda

PRIME Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has warned against the weaponisation of the climate change agenda.

She did so during her address to the 80th UN General Assembly in New York on September 26.

Persad-Bissessar said,"The antagonistic approach adopted by climate activists towards the implementation of their climate agenda does more harm than good."

She warned developed countries cannot force feed a climate agenda onto developing countries and blackmail them into cooperation.

Persad-Bissessar claimed, "That is exactly what has been happening where the access to financial systems, media platforms, new technologies and development funding has been weaponised in order to coerce compliance with climate goals.

She said, "What adds insult to this injustice is that many of the same developed nations actively supporting the imposition of the aggressive climate agenda actually achieved developed nation status and prosperity through highly environmentally destructive and polluting industries in the many decades gone by."

Persad-Bissessar acknowledged there is a space for renewable energy.

But she added, "The fact remains that fossil fuels are essential for our continued survival. "

Trinidad and Tobago, Persad-Bissessar continued, will within reason support actions to protect the environment for future generations.

She suggested independent nations must be free to create a climate policy that is crafted to balance their development goals and poverty eradication policies with environmental protection.

"This balance is a pragmatic necessity for food security, civil order and economic growth."

Persad-Bissessar repeated TT will not adopt unbalanced and unreasonable, imposed climate policies that will lead to the exportation of jobs, lowering of the standard of living, stunting of economic development, pushing people into poverty while many larger countries completely ignore their responsibilities.