Received by Registration Unit - 02/05/2018 2:49;] 1 PM wn- Maiil menu Enter Egan?! wagi;_ earth $23911 {1099.19 '18: @9390; (I For islands. Hurricane Irma is the climate change wakeup call Wednesday. September 20,2017 - 3:28pm - - 1 A. 1121.13 S91 Metamozrostauis 2 49:11 PM To most people. islands bring to mind trepical paradiscs with palm trees surrounded by a turquoise sea Millions of tourists visit annually to relax and to play on the beautiful beaches- But with the destruction Wrought by Hurricane Inns in the Caribbean. the world also must lrecognize the vulnerability of the islands to climate change and how quickly they can become scenes of devastation and suffering The intensity and destructive force of Irma perhaps the strongest hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic should came as no surprise. Scientisrs have been warning that warmer Atlantic waters are making the humcanes bearing down on Caribbean islands stronger and wetter. And now yet another Hurricane Maria is pounding the region. 1, There 15 no doubt about the long? term danger to small islands from rising sea levels One day they may be submerged if we do not take action. But there IS an insidious damage long before an island sllips under the sea. The world already 15 struggling to cope with ever-increasing numbers of refugees ?eeing war violence and persecution, but what will happen when climate refugees swell these ranks even further? . 'Changing weather patterns in both the Atlantic and Paci?c cause more frequent and more powerful storms that destroy homes and Wash out roads Wanner water degrades coral reefs which help protect islands from storms and the waves that can erode the shore and allow salt water to seep into freshwater supplies. Fish depend on the coral ree fs. so without them. the food supply 15 threatened Higher temperatures and greater rainfall can increase diseases such as Dengue Fever. Two years ago. I spoke before the U. N. Security Council on the threat facing small islands and developing siatcs from the effects of climate change. including changing "weather patterns. I did so on behalf of the Kingdom of the Netherlands as the prime minister of Aruba. 3 small island 1n the Caribbean. Since I addressed the Security Council, there has been a glimmer of optiinism in the ?ght against climate change. The Paris Climate Accord was signed. and although this was a step forward, much more has to be done - and soon. While most of the world celebrated the consenSus in Paris to limit global warming to a 2 degree Celsius increase small islands were disappointed we had pushed to draw the line at 1.5 degrees. The rcpresentatiire from the Marshall Islands stated bluntly that a 2 degree increase is a ?small island death warrant." To raise awareness. Caribbean representatives sang and chanted' 'l .5 to stay alive" throughout the halls With limited political clout we did whatever we could to make our point Islands are not responsible for climate change. yet they are the ?rst to suffer from its effects and have few resources to defend themselves. One-half degree may sound insigni?cant, but 11 means the difference between keeping our homes. cultures iand identities intact and or watching them get washed away forever. The Whining, but the Paci?c islands are lower lying than those in the Caribbean. and the effects of climate change are felt acutely there as . well. One such island Kiribati. with a population of 10, 000. has been making plans to relocate the entire population lineginc the heartbreak if you are a leader who has to plan for the end of your country. Kiribati has been encouraging its people to move abroad through a program called ?migration with dignity.]? And it has purchased nearly 6.000 acres in Fiji. a larger island LOGO miles away with a higher elevation. as a possible haven. The world already is struggling to cope with ever-increasing numbers of re?tgees fleeing war;_violcnce and persecution, but what will happen when climate refugees swell these ranks even further? ln Aruba We are seeking to transition fossil fuels by 2020 and to share the lessons in sustainability we learn with other countries. especially small islands. Islands are not responsible for climate change. yet they are the ?rst to suffer from its effects and have few tiesources to defend themselves. Some believe that only large nations can ?ght climate change. But each country. no matter how small, can contribute to the ?ght against: climate change. In Aruba we are seeking to transition off fossil fuels by 2020 and to share the lessons in sustainability we learn with other countries, especially small islands..We believe that small islands can be laboratories to demonstrate how this transition can occur in all countries with the appropriate scaling. It is no longer a scienti?c issue. It should not be a political Issue It is a moral issue. Each of us is responsible for the welfare of the planet. for one another and for ?iturc generations Am I my brother' 5 keeper? Yestime for the world to heed this walc'cup call from Irma and to take action against climate change. Topics: I I musings! . Tags: . -. resilience Ihln'thil article . . . - 51111111111 -f?as:elmk oinLinkedln Prime Minister - I I Aruba . I 4 Comments GreenBlz i . 9 Logln . .. . mascommanoRece?tV?doby Registration Unit 2: 49: ll PM