Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador for Climate Change, Ruleta Camacho-Thomas, delivered a powerful message on the urgent realities of climate-induced displacement as she addressed a high-level session on Climate Mobility and Loss and Damage at the COP30 climate conference in Belém, Brazil.

Speaking before global delegates, Ambassador Camacho-Thomas underscored that climate mobility is no longer a distant concern for the Caribbean but a lived experience that is steadily reshaping communities across the region. She stressed that the displacement caused by hurricanes and other climate impacts does more than uproot people, it disrupts identity, culture, and the social foundations that define Caribbean life.

In her remarks, Ambassador Camacho-Thomas explained that villages and communities across the Caribbean represent far more than geographic locations; they embody identity, livelihoods, tradition, and cultural roots that bind generations. She noted that when climate impacts force people to move, the consequences extend beyond the physical act of relocation, disrupting mental well-being, breaking social networks, and threatening the preservation of cultural memory.

Drawing on the region’s recent disasters, Ambassador Camacho-Thomas referenced Antigua and Barbuda’s displacement challenges following Hurricane Irma and the ongoing hardship in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa. These events, she noted, serve as stark reminders of how swiftly a single storm can fracture social stability and leave lasting scars on affected populations.

The Ambassador reiterated the importance of the international community ensuring that vulnerable nations can access the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage. When adaptation efforts fail or are overwhelmed, she said, this financing becomes essential to support recovery, protect cultural heritage, and ease the economic and emotional strain of displacement.

“Climate mobility is not a future risk, it is already reshaping Caribbean life,” she added. “Protecting people, culture, and dignity must remain at the center of our collective response.”

Her participation at COP30 highlights Antigua and Barbuda’s continued leadership in global climate advocacy, as the country champions climate justice, equity, and resilience for small island developing states navigating the escalating challenges of a warming world.