Antigua and Barbuda Environment Minister Advocates for SIDS Ahead of Bonn Climate Talks

Ahead of UN SB64 in Bonn, SIDS Call for Equity, International Ambition, and Ease of Economic Barriers to Build Resilience

At an AOSIS forum ahead of the critical UN Climate Change negotiations in Bonn, the Honourable Minister Michael Joseph of Antigua and Barbuda highlighted the need for ambition acceleration and capacity-building support for SIDS to access climate finance and implement vital climate projects.

Small island developing states (SIDS) are rallying ahead of the pivotal United Nations Bonn Climate Change Conference, with key country leaders and negotiators participating in the “New Tools to Save 1.5°C” forum hosted on Wednesday 27^th May by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). The featured speaker was the Honourable Michael Joseph, Minister of Health, Wellness, Environment and Civil Service Affairs of Antigua and Barbuda, who delivered a clear call: wealthier and high-emitting countries must increase ambition on emissions reductions and expand accessible climate finance.

He noted this is imperative for SIDS to survive, rebuild, and thrive despite disproportionate exposure and repeated climate shocks.

Speaking to the international audience, Minister Joseph noted that the continuous toll of responding to climate change impacts has a profound impact on the sustainable development of the most vulnerable countries and called for a revamp of the global financial architecture. Antigua and Barbuda is classified as “high income” yet remainshighly vulnerable and often ineligible for official development assistance, leading to a vicious debt and recovery cycle. 

“We contribute the least to emissions, but our exposure is one of the highest,” Minister Joseph noted. “A hurricane throws our economies back for decades. Our countries deserve the right to same level of sustainability as everyone else.”

Antigua and Barbuda serves as a model for Caribbean SIDS, having recently increased accreditation and becoming eligible for up to $250 million in grants and loans via the Green Climate Fund. However, Minister Joseph noted the significant constraint of lack of capacity on the ground, leading to an implementation bottleneck.

“Antigua and Barbuda has proven that SIDS can access certain climate finance, but actually receiving and rolling out the funds remains a challenge due to our capacity limitations,” Minister Joseph stated. “It’s a lot easier for larger countries. For SIDS, we need long term investment in capacity building. We must also look at the unique circumstances of each country and tailor solutions to our specific needs as smaller or larger islands. We all need to build resilience, and the only way we can do this is through financial mechanisms which evolve to effectively support the most vulnerable.”

“The widening gap between NDC commitments and real-world action on issues such as climate finance, capacity building, and technology must be directly addressed,” said Ambassador Ilana Seid, Chair of AOSIS. “At Bonn, AOSIS is determined to ensure that the special circumstances of SIDS and the implementation barriers specific to us, are clearly recognised.”

Honourable Michael Joseph, Minister of Health, Wellness, Environment and Civil Service Affairs, Antigua and Barbuda

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