COP30 in Brazil saw Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda make a powerful call for climate justice. Speaking for small island nations, he stressed the urgent need for global action to confront the climate crisis. Prime Minister Browne warned that the world has already reached a critical temperature rise of 1.5°C, a threshold that must not be crossed.

He urged nations to act with honesty and courage, pointing out that small island states like Antigua and Barbuda face climate change as a daily reality. Browne spoke about recent hurricanes that devastated parts of the Caribbean, highlighting the loss and damage caused by inaction. He declared that climate finance should be seen as a matter of justice, not charity.

The Prime Minister called for a major shift in how the world’s economy works—one focused on survival and protecting the planet. He also praised Brazil for hosting COP30 in the Amazon, the “lungs of the Earth,” and welcomed new efforts to protect tropical forests. Browne ended his speech by urging leaders to transform promises into real climate action.

See for on COP30 conference here: https://unfccc.int/cop30