Minister for Environment, Rural Modernisation, and Kalinago Upliftment, Honourable Cozier Frederick, represented Dominica and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) at the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Held in Baku, Azerbaijan, COP29 served as a critical platform for addressing the unique challenges Small Island Developing States (SIDS) faced.
During a side event titled “Financing Adaptation for a Just Transition in Developing Countries: Lessons and Challenges to Raise Ambition in Adaptation,” Minister Frederick joined representatives from Uruguay, Brazil, and the Adaptation Fund Board. He emphasized the urgent need for improved climate financing, referencing Hurricane Maria’s catastrophic damage to Dominica in 2017, which amounted to 226% of the nation’s GDP. “We must develop pathways to increase the scale and speed of climate finance for SIDS,” he urged, calling for a doubling of adaptation finances by 2025.
Frederick highlighted the significant shortfall in the Adaptation Fund, which raised only $61 million of its $300 million target. He stressed the need for developed nations to fulfill their commitments, noting that $219 million in proposals from SIDS remain unfunded. Strengthening CARICOM nations’ capacities to access available funds was another key point of his address.
The Minister praised the contributions of regional institutions such as the Caribbean Development Bank and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre. He acknowledged countries like Belize, Jamaica, and Antigua and Barbuda for their successful direct access to the Adaptation Fund. “Our fight against climate change requires increased funding, capacity building, and innovation,” Frederick stated, urging collective action to build resilience for a just and equitable future.
According to the Ministry of Environment, Frederick’s engagement at COP29 reflects Dominica’s unwavering commitment to achieving climate resilience and sustainable development as the nation aims to become the first climate-resilient country in the world.
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