It is for this reason, that the Community must continue to strongly advocate for climate justice and climate finance. Jamaica’s Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, who assumed the Chairmanship of CARICOM on 1 July 2025, pledged that his country will be a “strong advocate” on the climate front. He made the commitment at the opening ceremony of the Forty-ninth Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM on 6 July in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Climate finance, a matter of “the Region’s survival and prosperity”, was one of the key items on the agenda of the Meeting.
“For others, the issue of climate change may be an academic discussion between scientists trying to determine whether the data set is accurate or whether historically, climate has changed overtime, and therefore climate changing now is nothing new. But last year, just around this time, Jamaica was staring down the earliest forming and perhaps the quickest forming Category 4 hurricane, which devastated a third of our island. So, for us, climate change is not an academic discussion; climate change is real. We live it almost every day. The impact of this has to be understood at the fiscal level, need for financing, but certainly because of our size,” he pointed out during his address at the opening of the Conference.
Dr Holness added that as the Region prepares for COP30 in Brazil later this year, “our call is urgent and clear: the promises of the Paris Agreement must be met—both in emissions reductions and access to climate finance at the level and scale required.”
]]>This commitment was formalised on February 21 during the 48th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM in Barbados, with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by Dr. Carla Barnett, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community, in the presence of H.E. Dr. Christophe Eick, Plenipotentiary Representative of the Federal Republic of Germany to CARICOM.
The MOU aims to bolster collaboration between CARICOM and Germany in areas such as climate change, climate finance, environmental conservation, renewable energy, energy security, agriculture and food security, transportation, and health.
This signals a renewed engagement that emphasises the importance of regular strategic dialogues to promote cooperation that fosters economic growth and development, based on mutual respect, sovereignty, cultural diversity, and unique challenges.
]]>Climate financing for SIDS – to the tune of $1.3 trillion – is necessary to help achieve the goal of reducing global temperature to 1.5℃ above pre-industrial levels. SIDS, including those in CARICOM, require a fraction of this amount for the very survival of the Region.
To achieve the 1.5℃ goal, requires ambition, innovation, adequate financing, and political commitment, Amrikha Singh, Progamme Manager, Sustainable Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, said during an interview.
Ms. Singh made the comments during an interview ahead of the 48th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, where she alluded to the 30th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change which will be held in Belem, Brazil, later this year.
The project is funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and will conclude in 2027 when the institutional, technical and climate finance needs of the CARICOM Member State are expected to be strengthened, ensuring a more resilient and sustainable future. The CCCCC, along with the Economic Planning Division of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning, and Information Technology, will execute the project on behalf of the government and people of St Vincent and the Grenadines.
The launch of the project took place in the presence of key national stakeholders from sectors such as agriculture, tourism, fisheries, forestry, economic development, environment conservation, meteorological services and others.
Mr. Earl Green, Project Manager at the CCCCC, emphasised the importance of the project towards strengthening the country’s capacity to implement actions that improve climate adaptation.
“It is expected that this will allow St. Vincent and the Grenadines to implement its Long-Term Readiness Action Plan to enhance its national capacity to effectively respond and address the impacts of climate change in a strategic, consultative, participatory, and comprehensive manner with national stakeholders to ensure country buy-in and country ownership”, he said.
At the launch, Ms. Giselle Myers, Senior Economist in the Ministry of Economic Development, reflected on the natural disasters that St. Vincent and the Grenadines has experienced over the past decade and lamented the relentless and pervasive nature of climate impacts in every sector. These events, she said, “depict clearly, the urgency for St. Vincent and the Grenadines to mobilise climate financing that will support projects to position the country to strengthen adaptation and mitigation efforts and decrease potential devastation”. (Adapted from Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre Press Release)
About the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC)
The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre is an intergovernmental organisation established by the Heads of Governments of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to coordinate the Region’s response to managing and adapting to climate change. The CCCCC also serves as a delivery partner for climate finance for the Region, a repository for regional climate change information and data provider of climate change-related policy advice and guidelines to the CARICOM Member States.
]]>The Prime Minister was at the time addressing the Leaders’ Summit of the Small Islands Developing States on Climate Change, in Baku, Azerbaijan, 13 November 2024. The Summit was an event of the Twenty-Ninth Meeting of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 29).
In his remarks, Prime Minister Davis reflected on the pattern of disasters that result from climate change and warned that time is running out.
“Every storm, every fire, every flood cries out that time is running out and yet some choose to look the other way,” he said
Listen to the Prime Minister’s remarks:
On Thursday 14 November, the Secretary-General met Dr. Mohammed Nagdee, Executive Director of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE).
The Secretary-General held talks also with Jeyhun Bayramov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Discussions centred on prospects for future areas of cooperation and activities with CARICOM, priorities of the COP29 presidency, and Azerbaijan initiatives on support for climate action efforts of Small Island Developing States.
On this same day, the Secretary-General’s engagements continued when she met with Mr. Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, the inaugural Executive Director of the Loss and Damage Fund.
At COP 29, CARICOM’s approach is anchored in the principles of limiting global warming to below 1.5°C, emphasising science-driven action and reinforcing the special circumstances of SIDS. It is a landmark year for financing as CARICOM seeks to secure a climate finance goal that guarantees access for SIDS to grant-based or concessional finance, especially for Adaptation and Loss and Damage respectively, through minimum allocation floors and highest levels of concessionality for SIDS.
]]>He issued the call on Wednesday, 13 November, in his address at the Leaders’ Summit of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) on Climate Change at the Twenty-Ninth Meeting of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 29) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
“So we can find trillions to fight wars; we can find trillions to fight the climate crisis,” he said at the Summit.
Listen to his address:
The Secretary-General made the call at a Leaders’ Summit of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) on Climate Change at the COP29 (Twenty-Ninth Meeting of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Pointing out that SIDS need “real finance”, the Secretary-General said: “SIDS do not have the luxury of time. We must ensure that we solve the problem of access to resources to address our vulnerabilities. We cannot ease up on our insistence that those countries responsible for the emissions that cause climate change take effective action to reduce their emissions.”
Listen to the Secretary-General’s remarks here
]]>Dr. Carla Barnett, CARICOM Secretary-General, spoke of the AI policy thrust on Wednesday, 13 November, during a Leaders’ Summit of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) on Climate Change at the Twenty-Ninth Meeting of the Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 29) underway in Baku, Azerbaijan.
In her remarks which focused on AI and its role in enhancing climate action, the Secretary-General outlined how the technology is being used on multiple fronts, such as improving the ability to predict and prepare for extreme weather events like hurricanes and wildfires by analysing massive climate datasets. She noted that AI can also help monitor and protect ecosystems by tracking shoreline change, loss of territory, and deforestation with unprecedented speed and accuracy.
She underscored that it is crucial to develop and use AI responsibly.
“We know the mischief that AI can be programmed to do. We have already, for decades, have been fighting misinformation and climate skepticism. A strategy to counter this climate misinformation may be timely.
In her remarks, the Secretary-General reiterated the need for urgency in accessing finance.
“But the riddle that must be solved with a much greater sense of urgency, is the access to finance on affordable and appropriate terms to make it possible to do all we need to do to build resilience to climate change, including the deployment of AI.
Listen to the Secretary-General’s remarks:
The CCCCC delivered capacity-building training in Grenada from September 11th to 13th 2024, at the Radisson Grenada Beach Resort through the Small Island Developing States Capacity and Resilience (SIDAR) Programme for the Caribbean, which is financed through the UK Foreign Commonwealth, Development Office (UK FCDO).
The capacity-building training workshop was conducted as Grenada, along with its sister islands Petite Martinique and Carriacou undergo climate-resilient recovery and rebuilding efforts following the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl.
Peron Johnson, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Climate Resilience, the Environment and Renewable Energy delivered remarks at the workshop and welcomed the support from the UK Government and the technical assistance from CCCCC to design mitigation, adaptation, and resilience-building projects for the country.
“The Grenada CCCCCs country project management training concluded with a renewed commitment between the Government of Grenada, the CCCCC, and the UK Government, which has pledged ongoing technical assistance to support the development of bankable projects,” said Permanent Secretary Johnson. “This partnership aims to integrate the climate resilience portfolio into Grenada’s national processes, strengthening resilience across various sectors.
The workshop played a vital role in equipping government stakeholders with the knowledge and information necessary to secure financial support from major multilateral climate funding institutions, such as the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the Adaptation Fund (AF).
“Key stakeholders outlined actionable strategies to enhance climate adaptation, mitigation efforts, and sustainable development,” said Permanent Secretary Johnson. “The three-day training emphasized collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the need for effective workflows to ensure Grenada’s preparedness for climate-related challenges.”
Resident British Commissioner to Grenada, Mr. Victor Clarke, noted that the United Kingdom Government is also working to introduce reforms to multilateral climate funds to assist small island developing states in adapting to climate change and building their resilience.
“As co-chair of [the] Green Climate Fund (GCF) this year, the UK will also be pushing hard for reform that better meets the context for Grenada,” said the Resident British Commissioner Clarke. “Our second replenishment of the GCF ($2bn for period 2024-2027) is the biggest single climate change commitment the UK has ever made.”
The Resident British Commissioner said that the UK Government recognizes that Caribbean nations are at the frontline of the battle against climate change. He noted that the UK has committed itself to support climate action and climate financing in the Caribbean.
“This is where UK funding support for SIDAR (Small Island Developing States Capacity and Resilience) Programme through CCCCCs (Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre) fits in – providing additional key staff (two long-term experts in Grenada), training and tools to help get climate proposals and readiness requests over the line and ramp up climate finance access that is urgently needed,” said the Resident British Commissioner.
The SIDAR Caribbean capacity-building workshop featured specialised training on project development, environmental and social safeguards and performance standards and gender mainstreaming and sexual exploitation, and harassment and abuse prevention for climate projects.
Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre Press Release | 16 September 2024
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