CARICOM and AOSIS Demand Urgent Action at COP29

As nearly 200 countries gather for COP29, the latest United Nations climate summit, delegates from the Caribbean region are particularly attuned to the urgent needs and demands of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). These vulnerable nations, disproportionately affected by rising sea levels, extreme weather, and biodiversity loss, are advocating for stronger global commitments to mitigate climate impacts and ensure adequate climate financing.

The summit, which is taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan, aims to evaluate progress under the Paris Agreement—a 2016 global accord that seeks to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Despite years of negotiations, the world remains on track for a temperature increase of more than 3 degrees Celsius without more substantial emissions reductions.

SIDS and AOSIS, whose very existence is threatened by unchecked warming, have voiced growing concerns about the lack of urgent action and the insufficient pace of funding for climate adaptation.

Last week, Minister of Climate Change, Orlando Habet, told News Five, “One of the main focus areas for COP 29 will be financing and the one hundred billion that was promised some years ago finally accordingly reached in 2022.  But we are looking for a much more than that the top is in the trillions of dollars.” 

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Habet, who will lead delegations for both AOSIS and CARICOM, explained that the new collective quantified goal aims to hold developed countries accountable for their commitments under the Paris Agreement, which requires them to finance climate initiatives in developing nations.

Habet noted that COP28 saw the approval of the Loss and Damage Fund, valued at over $400 million. At COP29, the goal is to increase this funding significantly. According to Habet, COP29’s president has committed to prioritising this scaling effort within the first week of negotiations, providing a crucial opportunity for delegates to influence the outcomes at the negotiating table.

SIDS’ representatives are expected to press for clear commitments from major emitters to significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions and honour climate finance pledges. Many are calling for high-emitting nations to allocate larger shares of funding to climate adaptation projects—efforts essential for small islands facing extreme weather, food and water insecurity, and forced displacement. A recent U.N. report also highlighted that 2023 marked the highest greenhouse gas emissions ever recorded globally, underscoring the need for immediate action and ambitious new commitments at COP29.

This year’s COP is seen as critical for SIDS, as they seek to shape a climate response that adequately addresses their unique vulnerabilities. Whether or not major economies rise to the challenge, SIDS will continue to advocate for a fair and robust global framework—one that recognizes their needs and holds high-emitting countries accountable for their role in driving climate change.