Caribbean urges action at COP30 after Hurricane Melissa ^{CEFR B1}

COP30 will be held in Belém, Brazil, from November 10 to 21 and aims to continue global talks on the climate crisis. Caribbean countries, many of them small island developing states, have pushed for climate justice and a stronger Loss and Damage agenda. At the same time, some regional leaders are cautious about the value of COP meetings after years of limited results.

The COP process began after the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and later produced the 2015 Paris Agreement with its goal “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels”, a target known in the Caribbean as “1.5 to stay alive.” Many SIDS face intense and disproportionate impacts while contributing little to global emissions.

Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, The Bahamas and Bermuda. AccuWeather estimates the region could face USD 48 to 52 billion in damage, covering more than insured losses and including long-term effects on tourism, business and agriculture, plus infrastructure, evacuation and cleanup costs.

Jamaica has used financial tools and took out a USD 150 million catastrophe bond, which the World Bank called the island’s “well-developed disaster risk financing strategy.” Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, CEO of the Jamaica Environment Trust, said Jamaica was “reeling” and that storms are becoming the norm, fuelled by the climate crisis. She called for radical change, commitments, adaptation financing and Loss and Damage money now. She criticised the absence of leaders from the United States, China, India and Russia and called for accountability while countries press for stronger global commitments.