Caribbean News Now!

By Shamkoe Pilé

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (BGIS) -- Barbados has received high praise for its proactive approach to climate change and environmental protection from executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Christiana Figueres, who paid a courtesy call on minister of foreign affairs and foreign trade, Senator Maxine McClean, on Monday.

"It is so refreshing to see a country taking the initiative to protect itself from the effects of climate change," Figueres said, pointing out that she was impressed with The Richard Haynes Boardwalk in Hastings, Christ Church.

She continued: "Taking responsibility and taking action not only helps your national growth, but also your economic development."

In turn, McClean noted that Barbados has invested heavily in protecting its natural resources and the environment.

"We are also relooking our energy sector and exploring renewable energy methods that would reduce our dependency on external energy sources such as fossil fuels. This will help our economy and protect our environment," the foreign affairs minister stated, adding that Barbados was working towards becoming a green economy state.

Matters of environmental protection for small island developing states (SIDS) were also on the agenda. Both officials examined possible outcomes to upcoming international environmental conferences and further discussed strategies and mechanisms that would be helpful to Barbados and other SIDS.

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