44th Scott Lecture to Tackle Climate Change

Climate change will be in focus when Giza Gaspar Martins, Director of the Cabinet on Climate Change at the Ministry of the Environment of the Republic of Angola delivers the 44th Sir Winston Scott Memorial Lecture on the topic “Human Life is Not Negotiable: Why We Must Act Now on Climate Change.” The lecture takes place on Monday, November 25, 2019 at 8:00 p.m. at the Frank Collymore Hall.

“Climate change is a global concern, but for small island states like Barbados, and for lower income countries, it is one that poses an existential threat to their survival,” said Novaline Brewster, Chief of Corporate Communications at the Central Bank of Barbados, which sponsors the annual lecture. “Mr. Martins is well acquainted with specific issues such nations face, and through both his current position and his former role as Chair of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) Group, he has lobbied for urgent action on climate change.”  

Martins negotiated on behalf of the 48-nation LDC Group at the Paris Climate Conference, also known as COP 21, in 2015 and was involved in securing an agreement to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. He will also participate in the upcoming COP 25 conference in Madrid.

“We are very fortunate to have Mr. Martins as our speaker this year, and we encourage everyone to come out to the Frank Collymore Hall so they can benefit from his insights.”

The Sir Winston Scott Memorial Lecture honours Barbados’ first native Governor General and is the island’s longest running lecture series. Past speakers have included venture capitalist Nicholas Brathwaite; the Right Honourable Patricia Scotland, Q.C. Secretary-General of the Commonwealth; and Dr. Carissa Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organisation.

The lecture is open to the public.