Caribbean climate representatives are renewing calls for stronger international action on climate change, warning that progress since the 2015 Paris Agreement has not been sufficient to protect vulnerable countries.
CARICOM climate envoy Dr. James Fletcher made the remarks as the latest United Nations climate conference, COP31, opened in Antalya, Türkiye, on Monday.
Fletcher said that although progress has been made in reducing projected global warming, the world remains far from achieving the targets established under the Paris Agreement.
He highlighted the importance of limiting global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees Celsius and called for greater access to affordable and predictable climate financing.
Caribbean countries are particularly vulnerable to hurricanes, droughts, flooding and rising sea levels, despite contributing relatively little to global greenhouse gas emissions.
Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre also indicated that Caribbean leaders intend to place climate financing, adaptation, biodiversity and loss-and-damage funding high on the conference agenda.
Pierre argued that Caribbean nations need financing arrangements that recognise their vulnerability to natural disasters rather than relying solely on traditional income-based measures.
The conference is expected to continue until November 20, with representatives from countries around the world discussing climate finance, emissions reduction and measures to protect vulnerable communities.
For the Caribbean, the discussions are particularly important as governments continue to seek resources to strengthen infrastructure and protect their populations against increasingly challenging weather conditions.
