Antigua and Barbuda’s climate change concerns reiterated

Antigua and Barbuda, a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), is making commendable efforts to combat the climate crisis while simultaneously fostering inclusive economic growth and a transition towards a green economy.

These comments were made by Foreign Minister E.P. Chet Greene, who represented Antigua and Barbuda at the 2nd Voices of the Global South Summit in India last weekend.

The Foreign Minister highlighted that Antigua and Barbuda aims to be climate resilient, with a particular focus on supporting adaptation, biodiversity, nature-based solutions, and the development of the ocean economy.

He emphasized that climate change poses the most significant threat to the sustainable development of Antigua and Barbuda and the rest of the Caribbean region.

Therefore, CARICOM countries, like other small island and low-lying coastal developing states, are advocating for elevated and concerted actions to limit the global temperature increase to below 1.5 degrees Celsius, instead of 2 degrees relative to preindustrial levels.

Greene noted that the mitigation outcomes going into COP 28 should be robust and in line with the scientific findings to keep the goal of limiting the temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach.

Antigua and Barbuda underscores that major economies should increase near-term or 2030 ambition and develop action plans in line with the science, as the implementation of such actions remains critical to keeping the 1.5°C goal achievable.

The Foreign Minister also drew attention to the lack of finance for small developing states to undertake the necessary transition to green energy.

This lack of finance is a significant concern for small and vulnerable economies.

In this regard, there is a need to encourage developed countries to achieve the delivery of 100 billion of climate finance by 2020 and to close the gaps in the shortfall of funding from 2020 to date.

Additionally, developed countries should further scale up finance to achieve the 100 billion goals before 2025.

The 2nd Voice of the Global South Summit, whose overarching theme was ‘together, for everyone’s growth, with everyone’s trust,’ was held in Guyana, and its agenda and deliberations focused on the theme ‘Global South and One Development.’