12/21/04:Climate change centre gets funding

December 21, (CERN)- The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) has received a large financial boost from Italy that will also see the creation of a pilot project on renewable energy, the centre said.

An initial grant of over 400,000 US dollars from the Italian Government is to cover the centre's operations for 2005, part of a package that is to last five years, a release from the centre said. Rome is also to fund the energy project with an additional 100,0000 US dollars. No further details on the renewable energy project were given.

The grants were agreed during the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The one year-old regional climate change agency, based in Belize, was set up to help Caribbean people adapt to the effects of climate change and to adopt more sustainable lifestyles.

The World Bank/CARICOM Mainstreaming Adaptation to Climate Change (MACC) Project operates from the centre.

"The fact that the Italian Government recognises the role of the Centre as both a catalyst and stimulus for adaptation in the Caribbean is as important a signal to our own people as it should be to the rest of the world, CCCCC Director, Dr. Kenrick Leslie, said.

"The support from Italy would now allow the Centre to proceed with its mission of supporting the people of the region as they address the impact of climate variability and change on all aspects of social and economic development."

Dr. Leslie said the urgency of the problems posed by climate change needed a coordinated regional and global response.

"While the day after tomorrow is important, the day before tomorrow, today, is vital. If we are to avoid the catastrophe predicted for the day after tomorrow, we must take advantage of today and every ensuing today, making the most of the time we have," he said.

(CERN)