By Aabigayle McIntosh

Chief Environment Officer Dianne Black Layne is endorsing Prime Minister Gaston Browne’s call for the negotiation of a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. Browne made the call recently at a Global Citizens forum.

The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative aims to foster international cooperation to end the development of new fossil fuels, phase out existing production within the agreed climate limit of 1.5°C, and formulate plans to support workers, communities, and countries dependent on fossil fuels to create secure and healthy livelihoods.

Ambassador Black Layne emphasized the importance of this initiative, recognizing that it is crucial for addressing the pressing issue of climate change.

“The more we cut emissions the less we have to pay for storm after storm after storm that is clear-cut math, that’s not even economics it is math the other issue that we have is a huge amount of politics with it where developed countries are moving out of fossil fuel”, Black Layne said.

“They are actively moving out of fossil fuel. But developing countries are saying I have fossil fuel I want to develop my fossil fuel now you should let me do that, there is a real danger,”

Black Layne is also pushing for a diversification of the country’s energy sector

“The energy system, the economics, and the market is working finally, and solar and wind is so it has a good positive behavior for APUA they can use they can offer that as an option, to Antiguans our electricity bills is still one of the highest in the region and so if you want to grow an economy or grow your family Antiguans can use three “, Black later added