Elizabeth Morgan | Global Sustainable Island Summit – building SIDS resilience

HURRICANE SEASON, June-November 2025, is here. Last year, several countries in the Caribbean region were dealing with Hurricane Beryl, a Category 5 hurricane in June. So, for the small island developing states (SIDS) of the Caribbean region, issues of sustainability, resilience, and climate change are of critical importance. It was noted in The Gleaner article of Saturday, June 7, that the CARICOM region is seeking to strengthen partnership with the European Union in disaster mitigation in areas such as weather forecasting. The region may not be able to rely on the US’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

It may be recalled that in May 2024, Antigua and Barbuda hosted the 4th UN Conference on SIDS on sustainable development. This was covered in this column on May 29, 2024 under the title, ‘The 4th International Conference on SIDS – More action, not just promises’.

To show that sustainable development and climate change, including building resilience, is still high on the regional agenda, St Kitts and Nevis hosted the annual Global Sustainable Island Summit, May 27-29, in partnership with Island Innovation and others. This was St Kitts and Nevis’ third meeting on the environment and climate change. In March, the island federation hosted the Green Climate Fund Regional Dialogue with the Caribbean, which focused on climate financing, and in April, hosted the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean Summit which also addressed environment issues. SIDS, which are at great risk from climate change, facing sea level rise, scorching heat, and more powerful hurricanes, it seems, are endeavouring to be proactive.

THE GLOBAL ISLAND SUMMIT

It is reported that the summit had participants from 50 countries and regional and international organisations, but the level of attendance is not clear though this conference is called a summit. It focused on the various issues affecting the SIDS in particular resulting from the 4th UN SIDS Conference and COP29 on Climate Change. The issues included food, water and energy security, sustainable tourism, climate mobility, and safeguarding the cultural heritage. There was a youth forum preceding the meeting. This would be good exposure for youth from St Kitts/Nevis.

St Kitts/Nevis seemed to use the opportunity of this meeting to focus on its Sustainable Island State Agenda, which it released. The agenda is a roadmap to 2040 and is built around seven pillars for sustainable transformation which are water security, energy transition, food security, sustainable industry, sustainable settlements, circular economy (extending the life cycle of products), social protection, and health. There is also the aim to develop geothermal energy in Nevis. Prime Minister Dr Terrance Drew is aiming to position St Kitts/Nevis as “the world’s first sustainable island state”.

CARICOM CLIMATE CHANGE COORDINATION

CARICOM, as a region, has had success in climate change coordination for participation in international meetings working as a group and with the 39 member Alliance of Small Island States. The UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) will be held in Belem, Brazil, November 10-21. Regardless of the position taken by the United States on the issues of sustainable development and climate change, these issues remain a reality for other countries, especially SIDS.

Meetings like the Global Sustainable Island Summit provide another opportunity to address issues which are critical to the region arising from climate change. Climate finance is a very important issue for the region.

Others have noted that other environmental issues, such as protection of fauna and flora, arising from the Conference on Bio-diversity, have to be merged. These issues fall under the United Nations organisations and agreements. All issues are linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which actually should be the umbrella under which all environment and development issues are coordinated.

For the countries of CARICOM, building resilience to deal with natural disasters, particularly hurricanes and tropical storms, must be a priority. Beryl, a Category 5 hurricane in June 2024, was very early in the season. St Kitts and Nevis had its brush with Tropical Storm Ernesto in 2024 and with Hurricane Irma in 2017. These powerful hurricanes can do extensive damage to island economies.

We pray and hope that all of us will be spared from any catastrophic damage this year. Our preparations have to be serious, continuous and creative. Sustainable development and building resilience cannot just be our wish, talking points. Conferences cannot be tourism activities. CARICOM, as a region, must be intentional about building resilience.

Elizabeth Morgan is a specialist in international trade policy and international politics. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com