COP21 video: St Lucia’s James Fletcher on loss and damage
Dr James Fletcher is St Lucia’s minister of public service, sustainable development, energy, science and technology.
Carbon Brief asked him at COP21 in Paris to introduce the hot topic of “loss and damage” and explain why his nation is unified with other vulnerable island nations in arguing that it should be recognised in the Paris climate deal. They argue that, for them, climate change is a matter of survival and that its impacts are “beyond adaptation“.
Countries such as the US and UK have traditionally resisted any wording in the deal that speaks of “compensation” for vulnerable nations, but there have been signals at the talks that some of the richer countries might be prepared to compromise about the inclusion of loss and damage in the final text.