Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda has asserted that the United States holds a significant ‘moral obligation’ to take on a leadership role in addressing the pressing issue of climate change.

He made these remarks during a press conference at the COP29 conference, currently being held in Azerbaijan. His statements were in response to concerns regarding the potential for the U.S. to withdraw from the Paris Accord, an international agreement aimed at combating climate change.

During the conference, PM Browne articulated his belief that the United States has a history of emissions that necessitates proactive remediation measures.

“The U.S. has a moral obligation to provide leadership on the issue of climate change because of its historical emissions,” he emphasized.

He further elaborated that the U.S. should not only acknowledge the damage caused over centuries but also contribute substantial funding as a means of climate justice.

“Ultimately, the United States and other large polluting nations have created a tort against all of humanity,” he stated, urging a collective acknowledgment of accountability.

Browne strongly disapproves of the U.S.’s potential decision to withdraw from its climate-related commitments, labeling such actions ‘totally inappropriate.’

He called on the international community to hold the United States accountable for its essential role in providing direction and justice in the fight against climate change, which he described as an existential threat facing humanity.

In his statement at the conference, PM Browne pointedly criticized major polluting nations for failing to adhere to previous pledges to help combat climate change.

“For decades, wealthy nations committed to providing $100 billion annually to support vulnerable countries, yet these promises have largely gone unfulfilled,” he remarked.

As discussions around a New Collective Quantified Goal took center stage, he expressed concern that proposals emerging from wealthier nations were complicating the path forward rather than fostering genuine commitment.

Browne accused affluent polluting countries of attempting to shift responsibility for climate action onto elusive private capital sources instead of ensuring decisive government interventions to reduce emissions effectively.

He advocated for the introduction of a global carbon tax, which could help finance the transition to clean energy, an initiative he described as crucial for the survival of the planet.

“To those who bear the greatest responsibility for climate change, I say: the time for moral responsibility is now,” he declared, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.

The Prime Minister further articulated that if support commitments continue to go unfulfilled, justice must insist on the enforcement of these promises.

He highlighted the necessity for the conference to reach a consensus on a clear and tangible climate finance target during COP29, ensuring that adequate resources are allocated to help small island developing states adapt and bolster their resilience against the impacts of climate change.

PM Browne specifically requested “not loans that deepen our debt burden, but direct investments in the form of compensatory grants that can help us rebuild more resilient infrastructure, which has been repeatedly damaged by catastrophic climate events.”

He pressed for equitable, accessible, and debt-free climate financing to achieve true climate justice. In light of the lack of decisive action from the countries most responsible for climate change, PM Browne remarked that vulnerable nations are increasingly turning to international law for recourse.

He mentioned that following a favorable opinion from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), which affirmed the duty of states to protect the marine environment, Antigua and Barbuda will present a case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December in solidarity with Vanuatu, championing their cause for climate justice.