Message From President Leon for the CARICOM Pavilion COP28
Dr. Hyginus “Gene” Leon President, Caribbean Development Bank
As the global community gathers in Dubai, United Arab Emirates for the 28th Annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is joining forces with our partners across the Region to highlight the challenges Climate Change is posing for our countries. Once again, we will use the platforms provided by COP to focus the attention of the global community on the unrelenting threat the Caribbean faces and the support we must receive to alleviate the increasing impact of this crisis.
The matters of greatest concern include:
- The urgent need to increase climate finance available to Caribbean Countries.
- The importance of incorporating resilience and vulnerability considerations in climate finance allocation mechanisms.
- The necessity of technical support, training, and capacity building for the Region’s Governments and institutions to implement effective climate change policies and programmes.
- Imperatives for enabling the Caribbean to fairly compete in Green Trade, as global markets incline towards commerce in sustainable goods and services.
- The need to accelerate the Caribbean’s Sustainable Energy Transition to reduce negative climate impacts.
CDB’s ongoing advocacy on these issues will continue long after COP 28 concludes in Dubai. However, the event allows us to intensify the dialogue with partners and stakeholders who can make a material difference in the thrust to modify the global financial architecture to ensure small developing states, such as CDB’s Borrowing Member Countries, receive the support needed to survive this growing scourge.
We look forward to working with all parties concerned to make a difference.
