At COP30, Caribbean reports unveiled to promote strengthening of regional resilience

Negotiations at the global climate summit, COP30, are intensifying as the event’s final week approaches. On Tuesday, November 18, the focus turned to the Caribbean, where Climate Analytics Caribbean introduced their latest publications aimed at strengthening regional resilience.

A press release from Climate Analytics shared that the presentation occurred at the CARICOM Pavilion and featured prominent regional officials, including The Honourable Senator Dr. Joyelle Trizia Clarke, Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Climate Action, and Constituency Empowerment of St. Kitts and Nevis, along with Mr. Chamberlain Emmanuel, the Head of the Environmental Sustainability Division (ESD) of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States.

The launch included two key reports:

– “Refining the Regional Goal on Adaptation for the Caribbean,” a technical paper prepared by Sasha Jattansingh, Deputy Director and Senior Adaptation and Loss and Damage Adviser at Climate Analytics Caribbean.

According to the release, this document updates the proposed Regional Goal on Adaptation (RGA), aiming to elevate the importance of climate adaptation in the Caribbean. It seeks to identify and address existing gaps in funding, capacity, and technical support, while promoting effective governance and practical action at local, national, and regional levels. The revised RGA features fourteen strategic targets—eight thematic and six cross-cutting—that reflect Caribbean realities and priorities. It aspires to serve as a regional framework for contributing to the global Climate Goal on Adaptation (GGA) through regional leadership and partnership, bridging local efforts with international discussions.

– “Pathways to Global Stocktake Implementation in the Caribbean,” authored by Kory Hall, Energy Policy Analyst, and Kristin Qui, Climate Diplomacy Adviser at Climate Analytics Caribbean.

This report underscores the critical moment for the Caribbean’s energy transition, proposing pathways to develop a sustainable, green economy that benefits all stakeholders, explains the press release. Currently, renewable energy accounts for just 12% of the region’s electricity in 2022, underscoring the need to triple renewable capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030 to meet the targets set out in the Global Stocktake (GST) and the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Roadmap and Strategy (C-SERMS), which aims for 47% renewable energy by 2027. The report emphasizes that aligning Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with GST efforts can streamline planning, improve accountability, and attract investment. Achieving these goals requires regulatory reform, enhanced data systems, and stronger regional cooperation.

Caribbean Analytics reported that endorsements came from Philip Julien, CEO of Kenesjay Green Systems in Trinidad and Tobago, and Mairi Dupar, Senior Research Fellow at ODI Global, who shared insights on how the Caribbean can foster greater interconnectedness to empower communities, bolster resilience, and scale up financial and technological solutions. The panel discussion was moderated by Rueanna Haynes, Director of Climate Analytics Caribbean.

Minister Clarke reportedly concluded the session by highlighting the SKN-100 initiative, which aims to accelerate decarbonization in St. Kitts and Nevis’ energy sector. She called for increased international support to help the Caribbean quickly advance sustainable projects that address climate impacts.

“The Caribbean does not lack the ingenuity or the ambition to innovate,” Clarke stated.“Where we are lacking in resources, the developed countries can support by staying true to their commitments for scaling up access to critical financing, technology, and capacity-building so we can implement these innovations and make sure our region can not only survive the challenges at hand but develop sustainably.”

The reports are scheduled for publication later this year.