(CMC) – Grenada has called on the Organization of American States (OAS) to establish a permanent mechanism for resource mobilisation and allocation in the Americas as part of the case for climate justice.
“We must make the case for climate justice. We must make every effort to establish in and through … a permanent mechanism for resource mobilisation and allocation in the Americas,” Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell said, as he addressed the Protocolary Session of the Permanent Council of the OAS on Wednesday.
“We look to this body, to our multilateral institutions, and to the global community, not only for solidarity but for action, decisive, tangible action that recognizes the disproportionate impact that climate change is having on our nations,” Mitchell said, providing the Council with an update about the status of Grenada following the devastation of the island by Hurricane Beryl on July 1.
Mitchell said that the financial resources promised to small island developing states (SIDS), to victims of the adverse impact of climate change, must materialise, and must be tailored to meet the unique needs of small islands.
“Our people cannot wait, and the time for bold, transformative solutions is now. This is certainly not too much to ask. As a nation, we have done little to contribute to the causes of climate change, yet we find ourselves disproportionately affected by its consequences,” he said as he made a call for climate justice and reform in climate finance.
“This is the very essence of the call for climate justice. We are here, calling on the developed nations and financial institutions that control the levers of global capital to understand that the challenges we face in Grenada, and across the Caribbean, require a fundamental shift in the way climate finance is structured,” Mitchell told the Council.
“We have heard the promises of climate funding, but the reality is that these funds remain largely inaccessible for small nations like ours. We need a system that delivers—one that is agile, responsive, and reflects the urgency of the moment.”
Mitchell said the mechanisms that deliver climate finance must be reformed to ensure that resources flow directly to where they are needed most.
“We are not asking for handouts; we are demanding the right to safeguard the future of our people and our nations,” said Mitchell, who is the current chairman of the 15-member regional integration movement, (CARICOM).
Referring to Grenada as an example, he said that the island’s agricultural sector, which is a lifeline for thousands of people in his country, was severely impacted by Hurricane Beryl and rebuilding this sector requires more than just aid, as necessary as that is.
“It requires investment in climate-smart agriculture, in sustainable practices, and in the foundational assets upon which the resilience of our people can see the light of day.”
Mitchell said that while the multilateral institutions and international partners, such as the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the OAS, have a crucial role to play in supporting small islands resilience efforts, there is need for more than just financial resources.
“We need innovation, technology, and the sharing of expertise to build our capacities, strengthen our productivity, and engender growth sustainability,” he told the OAS Council.
