Jan. 25, 2007
Media advisory: Executive Sims and President Note of the Marshall Islands to pledge joint cooperation to battle the threat posed by global warming to the islands
Seattle – Members of the media are invited to join Executive Sims tomorrow morning as he meets with the President Kessai Note of the Marshall Islands to pledge their joint cooperation to deal with the extreme threat posed by global warming to the more than 60,000 residents of the islands.
The event will be held:
Fri., Jan. 26 at 11:30 am
Executive Conference Room
King County Executive Office
701 Fifth Ave, Suite 3210, Seattle
President Note is extremely concerned about the looming impacts of global warming, and is emerging as an international leader on the issue. He has every reason to be concerned; his nation, a string of more than 1,000 extremely low-lying islets in the Pacific, averages only seven feet above sea level, and at its highest point is less than 20 feet above sea level. The Marshall Islands are thus considered a “front-line state” in the battle against climate change.
Global warming is expected to raise sea levels and increase the frequency and intensity of the tropical storms that batter the islands. If not checked, climate change impacts could become so severe that the islands will have to be evacuated. To help avoid that fate, Executive Sims will pledge today to deploy the county’s nationally-recognized experts of climate change adaptation strategies to assist the Marshallese in dealing with the climate threat.
After brief remarks, and the signing of a joint statement of cooperation, Executive Sims and President Note will take questions from the press.