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Climate Change To Top CARICOM Discussions

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – As CARICOM heads prepare to meet in just a few days, climate change tops the agenda, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell.

Published

5 months ago

July 26, 2024

Delvardo Emmanuel

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – As CARICOM heads prepare to meet in just a few days, climate change tops the agenda, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell.

The urgent focus follows the devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl, which recently ravaged Grenada, the host country along with St. Vincent and The Grenadines, parts of Jamaica, and Barbados.

The widespread destruction has forced some governments to implement swift changes in response.

St. Vincent and The Grenadines estimate Hurricane Beryl caused up to $200 million in damage. The storm became a major hurricane in under 48 hours marking an early historic event in the Atlantic season.

The Bahamas faced its own crisis in 2019 with Hurricane Dorian, which devastated Abaco and Grand Bahama, leaving a significant death toll and a challenging recovery.

Despite the creation of a loss and damage fund at COP27 to aid the most affected countries, Mitchell reports small island states are disappointed with the fund’s effectiveness.