Prime Minister of Saint Lucia, Honourable Philip J Pierre, has affirmed the commitment of his government to aid in climate change efforts. However, Pierre is asking more developed countries to take accountability for their impact on climate change. CARICOM will agitate for the Fund at this year’s Conference of Parties (COP28) in Egypt.

 “I went to Barbados last week to have a meeting with the President-designate at COP and I put the case for the Caribbean,” the Prime Minister explained. “What we expect from COP is a definitive statement for loss and damage, and the hundred billion dollars promised to the region.” He calls on the members of COP to provide concrete solutions to the climate crisis the region faces. “When are we going to collect that money, if ever? We are the most vulnerable countries as climate change is concerned.”

 Pierre says the region faces the risk of its GDP being reduced significantly due to the passage of one adverse weather system. This, he says, is a high likelihood. “There is a threat of climate, not a matter of if, but when - not if it happens, but when it happens…in fact, we are the least of the polluters and we get the worst effects.”

 The United Nations Climate Change Conference happening in November until December at Expo City in Dubai, United Arab Emirates will gather leaders in nations and industries to “hold open consultations on thematic areas and sequencing, inviting inputs from the broad mix of stakeholders that will attend the conference.”