PM Optimistic After Climate Talks

(ZIZ News) — Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris says he’s optimistic of the results of the recently held COP21 Climate Change Conference in Paris.

He made the comments while speaking with the media in Washington DC this past week.

The Prime Minister noted that in 2015, the Federation experienced significantly lower rainfall and now has to find a solution for alternate water sources in the future.

He said “2016 does not promise to be any better in terms of the availability of water from traditional sources and therefore, the government has now had to contemplate opportunities for desalination.”

He described this possibility as “a significant, unexpected expenditure that has come to our shores as a result of the adverse developments in climate.”

However, the Prime Minister noted the importance of leaders of larger countries stepping up and accepting responsibility to address climate change and its impact on smaller countries.

“And it was heartening in Paris to hear President Obama say that the United States is a large emitter of carbon emissions and he understood that as one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions that America has one of the largest responsibilities to ensure that what was the past will not continue long into the future,” he said.

He said he hopes that the tone set by the leaders at the international meetings will provide an opportunity for negotiations to move forward to address climate change.