While the voices of all 39 small island developing states were heard at the SIDS4 conference in Antigua and Barbuda, conversations about how policies can equally benefit sub-sovereign and sub-national states were left out. For instance, how does the Tobago House of Assembly access climate justice financing that is being made available to SIDS without politics getting in the way? Well, this is an issue that Island Innovation was trying to highlight, and it hopes that future SIDS conferences can consider paying more attention to these problems.
James Ellsmoor, CEO of Island Innovation, is urging greater attention to the challenges faced by sub-national governments within Small Island Developing States (SIDS) when it comes to accessing climate justice funding.
Ellsmoor highlighted the issue at a recent SIDS conference, pointing out the lack of mechanisms for sub-national entities, like the Tobago House of Assembly, to efficiently access available funding. He emphasized the need for clearer channels to bypass political roadblocks and ensure equitable distribution of climate funds to these local governments.