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Professor Dale Webber welcomes role as special envoy for climate issues

By Kimone Witter 
  
Professor Dale Webber says his appointment as Jamaica's first Special Envoy for Climate Change, Environment, Ocean, and Blue Economy will afford the country the opportunity to have a stronger voice internationally.
 
Making the announcement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Matthew Samuda, Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, said the pioneering role reflects Jamaica's commitment to addressing the global challenges of climate change, environmental degradation, and sustainable development.
 
Professor Webber says his ambassadorial duties will focus on the country's external climate change and environmental engagements, including negotiations and participation at COP conferences.   
 
"And a strong part of it is to try and bring money from those operations back to Jamaica to improve our climate change operations and our environmental protection," he noted. 
 
Professor Webber said, despite the expected setback, other countries should not be daunted by the withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Climate Agreement, which has been described as a blow to worldwide efforts to combat global warming. 
 
"It's, in a way, more difficult because they are a major producer. They have not made the kind of overtures they should have in terms of alternative energies, in terms of reducing greenhouse gases. So that's a major setback. There are no two ways about that. However, they are not the only player," he suggested, adding that if other major players like China step up their response, this will help significantly.
 
"China just announced that they are 50 per cent now alternative energy. If the US were to do that, that would make a difference and move the needle. So when I say take the small win, we need to take all we can from wherever we can to move the goal forward," he reasoned Tuesday while speaking on Radio Jamaica's Beyond the Headlines
 
Professor Webber, an esteemed marine biologist, conservationist, and climate change advocate, will report directly to the Prime Minister, while working closely with the Ministry of Economic Growth & Job Creation, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.
 


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