By the Caribbean Journal staff

Grenada will host a United Nations environmental workshop next year, Environment Minister Joseph Gilbert announced.

Grenada will be the first country in the western hemisphere to host such a meeting.

“This workshop, which will be funded by the United Nations Environment Programme, will put Grenada on the map,” Gilbert said in his Christmas Message.

Grenada has been receiving support from a number of countries for climate initiatives, including Germany and Japan.

Germany and Grenada signed a $6.89 million “concept agreement” for projects aimed at fighting the adverse effects of climate change last month.

“One of the critical tasks for us now, as a government, is to ensure that when these environmental projects come on stream, that as many persons as possible obtain some degree of employment,” he said.