From St. Kitts and Nevis, Kebon Brown (Win) highlights Caribbean leaders’ calls for climate Justice and international partnership at the 48th regular meeting of the Government Secretary of the Calcom Council in Bridgetown, Barbados.
According to a 2020 survey, Climate Dam in the Caribbean is projected to increase from 5% of regional GDP in 2025 to more than 20%, according to current trends. Other forecasts estimate the annual cost of climate disruptions to be $22 billion by 2050.
Caribbean leaders delivered passionate pleas for climate justice and international partnerships at the 48th regular meeting of the Calcom Government Chiefs’ Conference in Bridgetown, Barbados.
The urgent call comes after catastrophic climate events have severely affected several member states, highlighting the vulnerability of small island developing countries to the escalating climate crisis.
Prime Minister Grenada Hon. Dicon Mitchell, the chair in front of CARICOM, stressed that the demands in the area were not charity, but rather demands for meaningful collaboration.
“We don’t want mercy. In fact, we don’t want sympathy. We want partnerships. And don’t make a mistake about it: we have one planet. And don’t make a mistake about it: we have one planet. I don’t know you, but I’m sure I’m not going to live on Mars. And it could be the Caribbean islands today, or the Pacific island tomorrow, Spain, New Orleans, or Australia. It’s one planet. And we simply want a partnership in addressing the challenges of climate change and protecting and maintaining the lives, livelihoods and cultures of people who are prone to the catastrophic impacts of climate change,” Mitchell said at the opening ceremony.
His country was one of several CARICOM members last year that was devastated by Category 4 Hurricane Beryl. This unprecedented early seasonal storm forced the cancellation of a planned CARICOM conference in Grenada.
The Grenadian leader praised the local community’s rapid response following Hurricane Beryl, pointing to how member states mobilised support quickly. “In a few weeks, they had regenerated and came down to Grenada. We were able to hold a meeting less than a month after the hurricane passed,” he said. Mitchell explained that this demonstration of unity provided resilience that allowed Grenadians to “become stronger, better and more determined to confront the existential threat of climate change.”
Prime Minister Hong. Dr. Terrance Drew of St. Kitts and Nevis intervened in his intervention in climate resilience and trade justice.
Regarding climate change, Drew reflected Mitchell’s sentiment about the disproportionate impact on the Caribbean countries. “We are one of the least contributing to climate change, but we suffer the most, and those resources will continue to be very slow in the future when it comes to getting the resources that will help us adapt and build resilience,” he argued.
Despite these challenges, Drew expressed optimism about the local initiative. He particularly praised the Guyana president for presenting opportunities for renewable energy development and reaffirming his country’s commitment to geothermal energy projects.
Both leaders address a broader historical context, with Mitchell emphasizing the value of the Caribbean and culture in the world’s landscape. “If you don’t think Barbados is worth fighting, if the Bahamas are worth fighting, if the Dominica is worth fighting, I don’t know what it is worth fighting for.” – Prime Minister Grenada Hon. Decon Mitchell.
Despite their leadership in climate action and resilience building efforts, Caribbean SID continues to face challenges that require urgent international support, climate funding and debt relief to effectively address the impacts of climate change.
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