Port of Spain, April 4, 2022 – The Caribbean Climate Justice Alliance was launched to amplify the voices of the vulnerable and support a unified and coherent approach by civil society and non-state actors to enhance the effectiveness and impact of calls for climate justice at a virtual regional workshop convened by the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) and Panos Caribbean on March 17-18, 2022.

The launch brought together activists, champions and thought leaders working on various aspects of climate justice – economic, environmental, gender and social justice – from civil society organisations (CSOs), academia, think tanks, creatives and other grassroots networks to create a regional alliance to catalyse action, learning and influence policy and practice. An array of key government, funding and technical agencies also participated in the launch for the alliance to share their insights and perspectives on priorities and foster strategic partnerships moving forward.

Regional Coordinator for Panos Caribbean, Mr. Yves Renard, highlighted what climate justice means in the Caribbean context in his keynote remarks at the launch. “Climate justice has to be a fight against injustice. At the international level, where we as Caribbean islands contribute the least but have to carry the heaviest burden and suffer the largest impact. At the national and local level, it’s about the disproportionate impact on certain communities and livelihoods. It is also intergenerational – if we compromise the future of the next generation, then it is unfair and it has the right to claim justice.”

Mr. Renard also emphasised the importance and value of an alliance, saying, “When we talk about climate justice, the claim for justice has to come from legitimate voices. And that’s why artists are so important, that’s why civil society organisations are so important. That’s why we must give voice to those affected and, of course, to young people.”

The Caribbean Climate Justice Alliance aims to link small and disconnected efforts by CSOs and other non-state actors on climate justice, and to support vulnerable and marginalised groups to advocate for pro-poor, inclusive, environmentally sustainable and climate resilient approaches as part of a just transition in the Caribbean. The participants at the launch also noted the importance, moving forward, of holding governments and their development partners accountable for key commitments related to climate justice and resilience, including under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In terms of next steps, the alliance will work jointly to develop and implement a collective advocacy agenda, setting out the priority areas and actions to promote climate justice in the region. It will also foster collaboration and action among civil society organisations, local communities, academia and other non-state actors and inspire grassroots actions through sharing best practices and lessons via forums and peer exchanges at national, regional and global levels.

The alliance is being convened under the regional project, “Amplifying local voices for a just and resilient COVID- 19 recovery”, which is being led by CANARI in collaboration with Panos Caribbean from 2021 to 2022. The project is funded by a grant from the Open Society Foundations (OSF). It aims to enhance the voices of the most vulnerable in calling for a pro-poor, inclusive, environmentally sustainable and climate resilient approach to COVID-19 economic recovery and development in the Caribbean to ensure fair, equitable and just outcomes.

For more information on the alliance and the regional project, visit: https://canari.org/voices-for-just-resilient- covid-recovery/ __________________________________________________________________________________

About CANARI: The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) is a regional technical non-profit institute which has been working across the Caribbean islands for 30 years. Our mission is to promote and facilitate stakeholder participation in the stewardship of natural resources in the Caribbean. Our work focuses on Biodiversity and Ecosystems, Equity and Justice, Participatory Governance, and Resilience. See here for more information: http://www.canari.org/

About Panos Caribbean: Panos Caribbean is a regional non-profit organisation that works to amplify the voices of the vulnerable, marginalised and excluded, using the media as an advocacy tool. See here for more information: https://panoscaribbean.org/