In a landmark moment for Caribbean and small island state engagement in global climate governance, the Dominican Republic has secured the chairmanship of the 64th session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 64), a core subsidiary body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This appointment marks an unprecedented milestone in the country’s decades-long participation in international climate diplomacy.
The critical leadership role will be filled by Dr. Carol Franco, a seasoned technical advisor to the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. A leading specialist in ecosystem services, climate adaptation and nature-based solutions, Dr. Franco will steer all technical discussions and multilateral negotiations for the UNFCCC body during the upcoming session to be held in Bonn, Germany.
International climate policy observers and Dominican officials alike frame the appointment as a formal international recognition of the Dominican Republic’s expanding leadership and growing technical proficiency in global climate negotiations. As one of the UNFCCC’s two primary permanent subsidiary bodies, SBSTA carries a foundational responsibility: it provides evidence-based scientific, technical and methodological guidance on a full spectrum of core climate issues, ranging from adaptation and greenhouse gas mitigation to technology development, climate action transparency, and global climate research collaboration.
Dominican Environment Minister Paíno Henríquez emphasized that the designation underscores the country’s long-standing commitment to centering science-driven solutions in climate action, while also amplifying the nation’s voice in shaping the future of international climate governance. Henríquez added that the appointment also serves as a global acknowledgment of the Dominican Republic’s skilled technical workforce and the meaningful contributions national experts have already made to global efforts to counter the accelerating climate crisis.
As the official national focal point for UNFCCC engagement, the Dominican Ministry of Environment will lead the country’s delegation to not just SBSTA 64, but also the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31), scheduled to take place this November in Antalya, Türkiye. Throughout both events, the Dominican delegation will prioritize advancing action on a set of core priorities aligned with the needs of climate-vulnerable small island developing states: scaled-up climate adaptation, sufficient and accessible climate finance, robust action transparency frameworks, equitable technology transfer to developing nations, targeted capacity building support, and full implementation of national Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
Senior Dominican officials note that holding the SBSTA 64 presidency further solidifies the country’s active presence in global climate governance forums and reinforces its ongoing commitment to advancing collaborative, inclusive international solutions to the shared challenge of climate change.