Launch of CARICOM Environmental and Natural Resources Policy Framework signals renewed commitment to advancing Caribbean sustainability, resilience - COTED Chair

Sir Molwyn Joseph, Chair of the 118th Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), delivered the keynote address at the opening of the meeting in Antigua and Barbuda, 29 April 2025. Sir Molwyn chaired in his capacity as Minister of Health, Wellness, the Environment and Civil Service Affairs of Antigua and Barbuda.

Please read his remarks below:

Excellencies, Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Partners, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Colleagues, Friends,

Good evening.

It is a profound honour to deliver this keynote address as we bring to a close the 12th Council of Ministers of Environmental Sustainability (COM:ES) and open the 118th Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) on Environment and Sustainable Development.

This evening also marks the formal launch of the CARICOM Environmental and Natural Resources Policy Framework, a moment that signals renewed commitment to advancing sustainability and resilience across our Caribbean region.

The theme of this joint occasion—“Regional Cohesion – Addressing the Triple Planetary Crises in an Uncertain World”—is not only timely; it captures the essence of what was discussed throughout today’s ministerial plenary.

Earlier, we engaged in frank, constructive deliberations on the state of the region’s environment, and I wish to reflect on a few points that emerged with clarity and urgency:

• First, the consensus was overwhelming: climate finance remains grossly inadequate and difficult to access, particularly for small states managing overlapping environmental and economic vulnerabilities. There was a clear call for reform of financing mechanisms to ensure accessibility, fairness, and speed.
• Second, we examined the escalating cost of inaction on land degradation, marine pollution, and biodiversity loss. Ministers reaffirmed that environmental degradation is now not just an ecological risk, but a profound threat to national development, health systems, and food security.
• Third, there was recognition that regional coordination must be deepened, particularly between OECS and CARICOM entities, if we are to avoid fragmentation and inefficiency in implementation. The spirit of unity and shared responsibility was evident in every intervention.

I commend all Ministers and technical teams for their insights, their candour, and their commitment. Let us carry that momentum forward—not only into the COTED discussions tomorrow, but into the structures, budgets, and institutions that will bring these priorities to life.

To our development partners and international colleagues, we are grateful that you have joined us this evening—not simply as guests, but as co-creators of Caribbean sustainability.

The policy we launch tonight must be backed by long-term partnerships that provide predictable financing, capacity support, and access to technology. We invite you to stand with us as we operationalize this framework and invest in regional mechanisms such as the Centre of Excellence for Environment and Climate—a space designed to accelerate implementation, expand knowledge, and amplify Caribbean leadership.

Let us also use this moment to reaffirm our collective belief in multilateralism, not as a theoretical ideal, but as a practical mechanism that enables fairness, protects the sovereignty of small states, and supports development aligned with the needs of our people.

Colleagues, tomorrow’s COTED meeting will be decisive. The agenda is ambitious—and it must be met with equal ambition from all of us.

I urge strategic focus and disciplined decision-making as we consider the pathways for marine spatial planning, climate resilience programming, regional trade-environment linkages, and pollution control frameworks. We must move from principle to policy, and from policy to implementation.

Let this evening not only celebrate the adoption of a regional policy. Let it ignite the political will and the regional cohesion needed to make it work—for our ecosystems, our economies, and our children.

With those reflections, I now have the honour of declaring the 118th Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) on Environment and Sustainable Development officially open.

Thank you.