GSEII
Global Sustainable Energy Islands Initiative

Press Release
Contact: Hon. Tom Roper
September 2, 2002 Ph: 0837659647, WSSD
Tom.roper@btinternet.com

Caribbean Countries Set Ambitious Energy Targets

Johannesburg, September 2, 2002 - Three Caribbean Island Nations have told the World Summit in Johannesburg that they have set themselves ambitious targets for renewable energy.

Speaking at a Press Conference the Prime Minister of Dominica, Hon. Pierre Charles, Foreign Minister Hon. Julian Hunte of St. Lucia and Environment & Health Minister of Grenada, Hon. Dr. Clarice Modeste-Curwen said that while other countries argued about energy targets they were taking action to cut fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions.

The Prime Minister Hon. Pierre Charles said that while currently 33 percent of Dominica's electricity comes from hydropower, the national target for renewable energy would be 50% by 2005 and 65% by 2010.

"My country known as the 'Nature Island of the Caribbean' has long embraced the principles of sustainable development and sees clean energy as a fundamental requirement for economic and social progress", he said.

Prime Minister Charles told the Conference that dependence on expensive foreign energy resources was not in Dominica's long-term national interest and had not delivered affordable energy to the poor or for development.

St. Lucia's Foreign Minister Hon. Julian Hunte said that St. Lucia had already adopted a sustainable energy plan based on a minimum of 20% contribution from renewable energy by 2010.

"Currently like so many island nations we are dependent on very expensive greenhouse gas producing diesel", he said.

The Foreign Minister said that financial incentives were already being provided to support renewable energy investments.

"Amongst the practical steps being taken were the development of a Canadian privately financed 13.5 Megawatt wind farm, and a geothermal investigation by a French company", he said.

Grenada's Minister for Environment and Health, Hon. Dr. Clarice Modeste-Curwen said that her country's sustainable energy plan is aimed to increase economic development, reduce poverty and improve environmental protection.

"We have already identified a wind energy site on the island of Carriacou and will be developing a small wind farm to meet local needs", she said.

Ms. Curwen said that some of the measures intended in the plan were policy and legislative reform, renewable energy projects, energy efficiency, and a solar water heaters program.

All three Ministers thanked their NGO partners in the Global Sustainable Energy Islands Initiative for their help so far.

The Climate Institute's Tom Roper said that small island nations around the world could not afford the high cost of fossil fuel energy and for environmental and economic development reasons were changing to renewables.

"Companies and individuals in the Caribbean are paying some of the highest energy prices on the planet, between 20 and 30 cents per kilowatt-hour", he said.

Mr. Roper called on the international banks and donors to start paying attention to the needs and opportunities in the Small Islands Developing States which to date have been ignored.

"We are delighted by the leadership being taken by Dominica, St.Lucia and Grenada and the examples they are setting for the rest of the world", Mr.Roper said.