As the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) prepares for the 30th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Brazil next month, Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett, said the negotiations demand the highest level of strategic political coordination, moral clarity and regional solidarity.
The Secretary-General was addressing Ministers with responsibility for the environment at the second CARICOM meeting in preparation for COP 30, in Saint Lucia on Wednesday, 9 October.
COP 30 will be the first to take stock of the Global Goal on Adaptation. It will assess progress on the Loss and Damage Fund, and shape the New Collective Quantified Goal on climate finance.
The Secretary-General advised that CARICOM’s positions must be informed by robust technical analysis and grounded in regional realities, and that the Region must leverage its diplomatic networks, scientific institutions, and civil society partners to amplify its voice.
Underlining the need to “speak our truth,” Dr. Barnett said the Region must always remind the world that CARICOM stands at the frontline of the climate crisis, contributing less than one per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet bearing the disproportionate share of the impact of climate change. She drew attention to rising sea levels that threaten regional coastlines and cultural heritage, intensifying hurricanes, droughts, ocean acidification, and saltwater intrusion.
“Yes, we want to be able to effectively implement mitigation and adaptation strategies and need affordable finance, access to technologies, and meaningful support from our cooperation partners to be able to do this. But we must never forget to speak our truth, we do not cause climate change. We bear the burden of climate change. And that burden will continue to grow as long as global emissions continue to grow,” the Secretary General pointed out.
Please read the Secretary-General’s entire remarks:
“As we convene ahead of the 30th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 30), I extend warm greetings and deep appreciation for your participation in this meeting.
We thank the Government of Saint Lucia for hosting us as we work together to prepare for COP30 where we must continue to speak with one voice and urge world leaders to act with urgency.
We must always remind the world, lest they forget, CARICOM stands at the frontline of the climate crisis, contributing less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, yet bearing a disproportionate share of its impact. Rising sea levels threaten our coastlines and cultural heritage. Intensifying hurricanes, droughts ocean acidification and saltwater intrusion are not abstract threats. They are lived realities for our farmers, fisherfolk, tourism workers, and families across every Member State and coastal community.
The upcoming COP 30, to be held in Belém, Brazil, will be the first to take stock of the Global Goal on Adaptation, a key outcome of COP 28. It will assess progress on the Loss and Damage Fund and shape the New Collective Quantified Goal on climate finance, which must replace the outdated annual $100 billion pledge, which was never achieved.
Ministers, distinguished guests,
Climate finance remains the cornerstone of our advocacy. While global pledges have increased, contributions lag well behind, and disbursements remain slow, fragmented, and inaccessible. Small Island Developing States (SIDS) continue to face complex bureaucratic hurdles, eligibility constraints, and inadequate support for adaptation and loss and damage.
Therefore, at COP 30, CARICOM must continue to demand:
- a scaled-up and simplified Loss and Damage Fund, with direct access modalities for SIDS,
- a robust New Collective Quantified Goal that reflects the real cost of climate action and includes sub-targets for adaptation and resilience, and that is implementable,
- reform of multilateral climate finance architecture to ensure equity, transparency, and responsiveness to SIDS’ needs, and
- recognition of the SIDS unique vulnerabilities in climate finance eligibility criteria.
We must also continue to champion innovative financing mechanisms, including debt-for-climate swaps, blue bonds, parametric insurance, and blended finance models that can unlock resources for resilience and sustainable development.
From the coral reefs of the Bahamas and Belize to the rainforests of Suriname and Guyana, our Region is home to extraordinary biodiversity. These ecosystems are climate assets. Mangroves buffer storm surges, forests sequester carbon, and healthy reefs support livelihoods. Yet, biodiversity loss is accelerating, driven by climate change, pollution, and unsustainable land use. At COP 30, we will advocate for greater integration of biodiversity and climate agendas. We must also press for scaled-up support for ecosystem-based adaptation and community-led conservation.
As always, our positions must be informed by robust technical analysis, grounded in regional realities, as we leverage our diplomatic networks, our scientific institutions, and our civil society partners to amplify our voice.
COP 30 demands the highest level of strategic political coordination, moral clarity and regional solidarity. Our negotiators have been preparing and must be supported and positioned to influence outcomes. At the CARICOM Pavillion, we will tell our story, not just of vulnerability, but of vision. We must showcase our responses to climate change, our leadership on issues critical to us, and our demands in ways that resonate with global audiences.
Ministers, ladies and gentlemen,
COP 30 is not an endpoint, but another a brief stop on a long and difficult journey, thirty years so far. Our climate agenda will continue to be embedded in our development strategies, our budgetary frameworks, and our regional integration efforts.
But we must never forget that as long as the developed world does not meaningfully accept their responsibility for generating the largest portion of the greenhouse gases that are the source of global warming that is causing climate change; our fight to survive will continue.
Yes, we want to be able to effectively implement mitigation and adaptation strategies and need affordable finance, access to technologies, and meaningful support from our cooperation partners to be able to do this. But we must never forget to speak our truth, we do not cause climate change. We bear the burden of climate change. And that burden will continue to grow as long as global emissions continue to grow.
Let us continue to speak our truth, as we have always done, as we continue to prepare for COP30. Let us work together to ensure, as the late Sir Shridath Ramphal used to tell us, even if in a different negotiating context, we can all “sing from the same hymn sheet.”
Thank you very much.”
