ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA, DECEMBER 16th, 2009_ Grenada’s Prime Minister, Hon. Tillman Thomas has called for urgent action to save small island states and ultimately the planet from the ravages of climate change. Addressing the Copenhagen Conference on Climate Change, Prime Minister Thomas said leaders must not miss the “unique and historic” opportunity to act. “It is not often that leaders from over 120 countries come to the table to seek a collective solution to a common challenge. Today, ladies and gentlemen, represents one of these unique occurrences. The entire world including my own tiny island Grenada and the rest of AOSIS (Alliance of Small Island States) come together to find solutions to our common climate problem,” the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister noted that there are millions of people depending on the leaders to provide assurances that their homes, livelihoods, communities and countries will not be swept away by the effects of climate change. “They are depending on us to provide the assurances that life dependent ecosystems and ecosystem goods and services are preserved for this and future generations. They are depending on us to act to protect our planet,” he said. ”We must act NOW, because for some of us in the small island states, have no choice; for many of our states are already experiencing the devastating impacts of climate change. We MUST act NOW, ladies and gentlemen, because if we don’t, history will NOT absolve us,” he continued. The Grenadian leader, calling for adequate technical and financial support for vulnerable countries, urged leaders from developed and developing countries to take ambitious and robust decisions which will ultimately prevent the dangerous impacts of climate change.