Following last week’s Green Climate Fund (GCF) Global Conference in the Republic of Korea, Hon. Dr. Joyelle Clarke, Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Climate Action and Constituency Empowerment, is currently attending a series of global meetings that are targeting Climate Finance and private sector partnership for climate action at the 77th General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) that began on Tuesday 20th September, 2022, in New York.
The main concerns shaping the agenda surround energy and climate.
These include high-level discussions on the negative elements of a changing climate as well as a likely partnership between the Caribbean and the United States to address energy and climate crises. Other meetings surrounding policy solutions in tackling plastic pollution were tabled.
Dr. Clarke is attending these high-level climate change sessions and bilateral meetings on behalf of the Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, where Caribbean countries are trying to garner support for loss and damage as part of the upcoming COP27 or United Nations Climate Change Conference. This is all in the government’s drive to put policies in place to shape much-needed climate action initiatives.
Meanwhile, the organization responsible for coordinating the Caribbean region’s response to climate change, The Caribbean Community Climate Change Center (5Cs) is headed to St Kitts-Nevis to participate in a two-day South-South conference that brings together regional partners in climate financing.
The representatives from the 5Cs have indicated their interest in meeting with The Honourable Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, and the Minister of Climate Action, Honourable Dr. Joyelle Clarke. This is a direct outcome of the GCF conference in the Republic of Korea.
In response, the Prime Minister welcomed the dialogue and stated that a goal of the government is for St Kitts-Nevis to become the first sustainable island-state.