ST GEORGE’S, Genada -- United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has invited Grenada’s Prime Minister Tillman Thomas to attend a meeting on global warming and environmental concerns in New York later this year. The invitation was issued following an address the Prime Minister delivered on the issue at a special lunch session attended by the leaders and heads of delegations at the Fifth Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain. The UN Official said he was impressed by the currency of the information and Grenada’s passion on the issue. The UN Secretary General’s invitation to the Prime Minister came shortly after United States President Barrack Obama’s comments to Prime Minister Thomas, complimenting him on the speech, which called on regional countries to examine the consequences of global warming on small states. Prime Minister Thomas told the lunch session global warming was ultimately threatening the survival of cultures and island states in this hemisphere, pointing to the Bahamas where “some islands can disappear”. He said small states such as Grenada, will be forced to re-locate some of its population from coastline areas. “Most of our socio-economic infrastructure – roads, hotels, major human settlements – are all on the coast, and will be inundated by the rising seas. In addition, the rising seas will intrude into the coastal aquifers, creating further problems for an adequate water supply,” the Prime Minister said. He added ”These impacts will become a common feature of many of our island states and the consequent disruption and dislocation caused will be significant. Climate change therefore has the potential to considerably disrupt the development of our islands. For many of us in the community of small island states, climate change threatens our very survival.” The US president used the opportunity of the Summit to commit the United States to taking steps to lead in the fight against global warming by reducing gas emissions which pollute the environment and speed up the destructive process. Several other leaders called on the summit to find ways to exchange technology and increase research on alternative energy sources to help in the global fight to reduce carbon emissions and slow down global warming. Source:Caribbean Net News