CARIBBEAN-Caribbean “climate talks” highlight plans for just Transition.

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC—Germany has launched the “German-Caribbean Climate Talks” here amid concerns that temperatures in the Caribbean continue to reach record-breaking highs and that the impacts of climate change are becoming an increasingly prominent concern for regional governments.

The German Embassy here said that the “German—Caribbean Climate Talks” on Monday focused on a Just Transition in the Caribbean and was facilitated by Climate Analytics Caribbean.

The Trinidad-based Climate Analytics Caribbean aims to significantly augment the scientifically informed, knowledge-based resources that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in the region require to counter the effects of climate change effectively.

Trinidad and Tobago’s lead climate change negotiator, Kishan Kumarsingh, who represented Planning and Development Minister Pennelope Beckles, said the government has developed a Just Transition policy to allow a smooth and inclusive shift to low-carbon development while diversifying and generating opportunities for the workforce.

The policy has been submitted to the Cabinet for approval.

“Trinidad and Tobago faces the dual challenge of transitioning towards low-carbon development, including through an energy transition, while safeguarding the livelihoods of those reliant on traditional industries, particularly in a nation where the energy sector has long been a cornerstone of the economy,” said Kumarsingh.

German Ambassador Dr. Christophe Eick, also the Special Envoy for Climate Issues in the Caribbean, noted that the Caribbean is bearing the brunt of climate change.

“Germany is convinced that transition to a greener economy is both necessary and irreversible,” he said.

“This is why we are investing in this Transition not only at home but also in many regions of the world, including the Caribbean. One of the priority areas of our regional technical cooperation in the Caribbean, carried out by GIZ experts, is to assist smaller island economies in transforming their energy and transport sectors,” he added.

Director of Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean, UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Diane Quarless, and Rueanna Haynes, Director of Climate Analytics Caribbean, also addressed the conference with Haynes noting that there was no obligatory or one-size-fits-all approach to Just Transition.

“Just Transition has experienced a significant evolution in international climate change negotiations. We’re not dealing with a global discussion that seeks to dictate countries’ pathways to have this just and equitable Transition.

“It acknowledges that each country will take a different approach in line with its sustainable development priorities. We also note that these pathways should include social protection to mitigate the potential negative impacts of the Transition. These are fundamental principles agreed in the context of the Just Transition discussion at the international level,” Haynes added.