The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting which is taking place in the Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago is trying to reach some consensus on the issue of climate change.

The CHOGM summit which is the last gathering of world leaders bringing together 53 member state nations before the Copenhagen climate talks, is raising hopes from both the developed and developing nations on reaching a common stand on specific and clear commitments on the proposed emissions cuts.

President Mwai Kibaki who is also attending the meeting has been in the fore front urging the African nations to come up with new initiatives aimed at enhancing global dialogue and support for environmental solutions for the good of humanity.

In the most recent meeting held in Addis Ababa Ethiopia, under the African Group of Ten Summit on Climate Change and hosted by the auspices of the African Union Commission, President Kibaki had reiterated that Africa must talk with one voice to ensure continued commitment and support to the Kyoto Protocol as the only legal and political basis for dealing with devastating effects of climatic change.

However some leaders within the commonwealth are of the opinion that even if no consensus is reached at Copenhagen next month, efforts should continue with an aim of concluding the negotiations as mandated by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change within a specific time frame.

Ahead of the Copenhagen Summit on climate change, some world leaders are saying efforts should be made to come out with a legally binding substantive outcome on tackling the pressing global challenge and have disapproved of any attempt to give up and defer a decision as is being mulled by some developed countries.

At the end of this year's Commonwealth Summit tomorrow, the 53-nation grouping of former British colonies, which include developed, developing and under-developed countries, is expected to come out with a communiqué pressing for early decision on tackling the problem of climate change.

The attendance of UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and French President Nicolas Sarkozy in the Commonwealth meeting is expected to send out a strong message for the Copenhagen meeting, with an objective of influencing the negotiators to reach a decision.

Other issues which are being addressed by the summit include the role of sports in youth development, and equity, sustainability and partnership in the development of Commonwealth nations.

Addressing the opening ceremony yesterday the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Mr. Patrick Manning said the Commonwealth must play its part towards global corrective action.

He said poverty and underdevelopment will continue, as will starvation and malnutrition, even as many millions of children in the Commonwealth die but he said he believes there is hope.



PPS