High-Level Country Representatives To Explore How Climate Change Legislation Can Bolster Climate Finance In The Caribbean

The OPCC is a network of Latin American and Caribbean parliamentarians and governmental technical officers that aims to bolster the region's environmental and climate change legislation. It promotes cooperation among parliamentarians to achieve sustainable, low-carbon economies and enhanced resilience. National legal frameworks in the Caribbean need to evolve to rapidly address the increasing challenges of climate change. OPCC members benefit from participating in this initiative by accessing and sharing expertise with peers from the region, providing a valuable knowledge resource in the process of drafting legislation that is fit for purpose to ensure a just transition in the Caribbean.

The OPCC currently has the participation of 26 parliamentarians from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay, the British Virgin Islands, Curaçao, Montserrat, and Turks and Caicos Islands. For more information, please visit: https://opcc.cepal.org/ 

As small island developing States (SIDS) face the brunt of accelerated climate change and climate inaction, the SIDS4 conference seeks to improve partnerships and solutions for island challenges. The OPCC actively promotes partnerships in the region to share best environmental legislative practices, which can support increasing climate finance in Latin America and the Caribbean.

The 2024 SIDS4 conference takes place from 27 to 30 May 2024 in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, gathering country representatives, civil society, academia, and other major non-governmental stakeholders. Besides addressing challenges, delegates will also discuss how to revitalise SIDS economies, strengthen human capital, harness the power of innovative data and digital technologies, and many other opportunities to bolster sustainable development in the SIDS. The official Conference website is available here

Confirmed Caribbean participants include Dr. the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley, Premier and Minister of Finance of the British Virgin Islands, Hon. Gwendell Mercelina, Member of the Parliament of Curaçao, Hon. Veronica Dorsette-Hector, Parliamentary Secretary of Montserrat, and Hon. Kerryne Z. James, Minister of Climate Resilience, the Environment and Renewable Energy of Grenada. Journalists will be able to engage in the event’s Q&A session and conduct bilateral interviews with speakers. Contact the OPCC media team for interviews and questions before the event.

The most updated provisional programme of the event is available here: https://www.cepal.org/en/events/climate-change-and-environmental-legislation-support-delivery-new-programme-action-sids.

SUMMARY OF EVENT DETAILS

WHAT:

A high-level side event titled Climate Change and Environmental Legislation in Support of the Delivery of the New Programme of Action for SIDS

WHEN:

29 May 2024, 4.00 p.m. – 5.30 p.m. (AST, local time Antigua and Barbuda)

WHERE:

Saint John's, Antigua and Barbuda, American University of Antigua (SIDS4 conference venue, room 9)

ORGANISERS:

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the Government of the British Virgin Islands, the Commission of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and the Parliamentary Observatory on Climate Change and Just Transition (OPCC).

IMPORTANT NOTE:

All media representatives need to be accredited to participate in the SIDS4 Conference. More information is available on https://sdgs.un.org/conferences/sids2024/participate.

This event will not be transmitted online.

MEDIA CONTACTS