CANOC President Urges Action on Climate Change Post-Hurricane Beryl | St Vincent & the Grenadines NOC Secretary General's Statement

The president of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) has praised the region’s resilience and called for action on climate change after the passage of Hurricane Beryl. Keith Joseph, who is also Secretary General of the St Vincent & the Grenadines National Olympic Committee, issued a statement on Thursday.

“The path of destruction left in the wake of Beryl’s passage should come as no surprise,” he said, after acknowledging that this deadly cyclone was one of the earliest of such magnitude in recorded history.

“Last year was the hottest on record for our planet,” Joseph continued. “We have watched in awe as lake waters evaporated, rivers ran dry, glaciers melted, and sea levels rose to threaten the continued existence of some islands. Too many have chosen to ignore the dramatic changes spawned by global warming. We have done so at our peril, threatening the life chances of generations as yet unborn.

“Perhaps, more than anything else, Beryl reminds us of the reality of climate change and its impact on mankind. None is exempt from its ravages. CANOC’s members are predominantly islands whose coastlines are in constant recession while our people live, work, and play in increasingly unbearable temperatures.”

Joseph took the opportunity to remind members of the regional body of the need to take firm action.

“As President of CANOC, I once more call upon all our members to sign on to the Sport for Climate Action Framework and commit to its lofty ambition of having sport play its part in the fight against the unwarranted destruction of our planet, constantly re-committing ourselves to meeting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

“CANOC is working with the International Olympic Committee’s Sustainability Department to fashion our Sustainable Action Plan for the Olympic Games of 2028, a comprehensive document we hope to sign during our General Assembly in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, on 20 October 2024. We believe that our Memorandum of Understanding with the University of the West Indies will allow for a solid academic foundation and alliance to engender a more significant commitment to research in and through sport, yielding environmental benefits for generations of Caribbean children and yet unborn.”

He also thanked those who have begun reaching out quickly to lend their support to the affected territories.

“CANOC wishes to thank all our members who, on learning of the disaster spawned by Beryl, have already committed to lending support of all types. This is who we are as a Caribbean people. This is who we have always been. This is who we will always be. We look out for each other because we have variations of the same history., We are Caribbean people. We are a Caribbean Sports Family that has and always will lift the spirit of our people to our rightful place in the global environment, forcing due recognition and our right to be.