Barbados still committed to green economy

Barbados has reaffirmed its commitment to move to a green economy and has set itself some targets towards achieving that goal.

This assurance was given by Prime Minister Freundel Stuart to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon during bilateral talks as the landmark Rio+20 Sustainable Development Conference came to a close in Brazil on Friday.

Barbados has taken a lead position among small island developing states (SIDS) in the move to a sustainable economy.

During the three-day summit themed The Future We Want, Barbados was invited to co-chair two events, and was one of the principal contributors at other special events that focused on the work of the global sustainability panel, the desirable outcome of the conference, and on the UN’s Sustainable Energy For All initiative, the brainchild of Ban Ki-moon.

At the talks, the secretary general complimented Barbados, and particularly Stuart, for sticking to the vision of a green economy future, which has as one of its cornerstones a sustainable energy for all strategy.

The Prime Minister gave an undertaking, “wherever it is feasible”, to accelerate existing activities while inviting crucial partnerships with the private sector and labour “which are crucial to the success of such an initiative”.

Ki-moon told Stuart he was impressed with the stand Barbados had taken on sustainable development, and on his leadership in that regard.

He added he had received good reports of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights’ recent visit to Barbados, and complimented the country on its human rights record.