Climate change, a serious environmental challenge

 The emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other polluting gases into the atmosphere by human action has catastrophic effects on the economy, nature and human beings.

Its most immediate consequences are global warming and climate change, which today represent a major threat to the entire world, especially to Caribbean countries, including Cuba, despite their minimal contribution to global emissions of greenhouse gases.

According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), average temperatures in the Caribbean region are increasing by 0.1°C to 0.2°C every decade over the last 30 years, rainfall patterns are changing and the number of consecutive dry days is expected to increase.

In addition, the average sea level is rising at a rate of two to four centimeters over the same period, creating serious risks for the region's valuable freshwater resources and the coastal population that depends on tourism, fishing and agriculture.

Tropical storms and hurricanes, which are currently the greatest and most frequent threat to oceanic areas, as well as to nations, their economies and inhabitants, are another factor that triggers damage and risks.

The IPCC Report, published on April 4 this year, confirms that climate change is one of the planet's most pressing global challenges, affecting the most vulnerable with particular severity.

This situation is worsened by the economic and social impact of COVID-19 and the increase in the external debt of developing countries.

In this context, Cuba defends the full validity of the principles and objectives of the Framework Convention and its Paris Agreement and is broadly committed to their full implementation, on the basis of common but differentiated responsibilities.

Cuba has stated in different scenarios that it advocates the need to take urgent global action against climate change in terms of mitigation and adaptation, and that it is essential to transform the irrational and unsustainable patterns of production and consumption that affect us.

Developed countries must take the lead in reducing emissions and providing the necessary means of implementation to developing countries. The mobilization of additional financial resources and access to them by disadvantaged nations, as well as technology transfer and capacity building, are vital.

The richest 10 % of the world's population emits between 36 and 45 % of greenhouse gases (GHGs).

Without strengthened policies, GHG emissions are projected to increase beyond 2025, leading to an average global warming of 3.2°C by the end of the century, warns the report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.