In a definitive foreign policy declaration, Antigua and Barbuda has positioned the urgent pursuit of climate justice at the apex of its international diplomatic agenda. The nation’s leadership asserts that addressing the disproportionate impact of climate change on vulnerable island states is not merely an environmental concern but a fundamental issue of global equity and human rights.
This strategic pivot reflects the existential threat posed by rising sea levels, intensifying hurricanes, and coral reef degradation to the nation’s economic stability and territorial integrity. The policy framework emphasizes that developed nations, as the largest historical contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, bear a moral and financial responsibility to support mitigation and adaptation efforts in the developing world.
Consequently, Antigua and Barbuda’s diplomatic corps will prioritize advocating for accessible climate financing, technology transfer agreements, and legally binding international commitments to loss and damage compensation within forums such as the United Nations and the Commonwealth. This reorientation signifies a broader shift among small island developing states (SIDS) from climate vulnerability to proactive, vocal leadership in global environmental negotiations, demanding accountability and urgent action from the international community.