Climate Justice in the Caribbean

The concept of climate justice has risen to prominence more and more as the world reels from the effects of the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events brought about by climate change. Rising sea levels, ocean acidification, droughts, changing weather patterns and global warming have collectively resulted in an onslaught of climate catastrophes across the globe that have disastrous effects on lives and livelihoods.

It is this loss and the resulting devastation that have both led to a shift in the collective consciousness of the populations of the global south, including the Caribbean region. According to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the least developed countries of the world are responsible for only approximately 1% of the greenhouse gasses that cause climate change, but are bearing the horrific brunt of the climate crisis. It is this enhanced awareness that has led to a focus on the importance of climate justice, and the role it plays in building Caribbean regional resilience.

According to Yale Climate Connections, the term “climate justice” has come to signify a movement that acknowledges how climate change can have differing social, economic, public health, and other adverse impacts on underprivileged populations. Stakeholders in the fight against climate change are seeking to have these inequities properly addressed by implementing long-term mitigation and adaptation strategies.

A prevailing ethos at the heart of climate justice is that there must be accountability for those who have caused harm, and redress for those who are experiencing harm. This is particularly true in the context of the history of the Caribbean region, a history steeped in the violence and economic exploitation of colonialism. The Prime Minister of Barbados, the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, highlighted this intersection during her speech at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. She stated “We were the ones whose blood, sweat, and tears financed the industrial revolution…are we now to face double jeopardy by having to pay the cost as a result of those greenhouse gasses from the industrial revolution? That is fundamentally unfair.”

UNICEF has established that, in order for climate justice to be meaningfully implemented, there must be representation, inclusion, and protection of the rights of those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Any discussions must prioritise a focus on the general principles of Climate Justice, which can be explored with particular emphasis on Caribbean realities.

There are some categories of Climate Justice that are particularly relevant to the sociohistorical background of the Caribbean region. These include:

Island Innovation’s Caribbean Climate Justice Leaders Academy, funded by Open Society Foundations, aims to address the many regional challenges related to climate change and its impacts by building an inclusive scenario and capacity for young professionals, eligible students, and young community leaders working for a better future for the Caribbean regions, and to enhance the quality of life of its people. Furthermore, by creating a wider network, we will connect the participants to other SIDS climate justice activists and movements that will enable them to expand their future career options and reach.