ORANJESTAD - The first Caribbean Climate and Energy Conference (CCEC), jointly organized by Aruba and the Netherlands, has yielded several concrete results, including cooperation agreements for more sustainable and affordable energy in Aruba, Sint Maarten, and Curaçao, the establishment of a new four-country dialogue, and a roadmap for the transition within the Kingdom. Challenges have also been identified and will be addressed in preparation for the next CCEC.
The conference took place in Aruba with the aim of bringing (is)lands together to encourage collaboration between islands and exchange knowledge and best practices regarding the issues that islands face due to climate change.
Minister Jetten (Climate and Energy): Islands are on the front line of climate change and rightly feel abandoned due to a lack of assistance and climate action from larger and more prosperous countries. It is therefore high time for increased attention and support for islands in addressing the problems caused by climate change. However, there is not enough time remaining to reinvent the wheel on every island. That is why, through the organization of the inaugural Caribbean Climate and Energy Conference, I wanted to seek and strengthen cooperation between islands. Only through this can we address climate issues on islands quickly enough.
Collaboration
The first day of the CCEC focused on the (is)lands within the Kingdom, including a roundtable discussion with the six islands, chaired by Minister Jetten and Prime Minister Wever-Croes of Aruba. It was agreed upon that a roadmap will be developed for the entire Kingdom regarding climate and energy transitions. Additionally, the four countries within the Kingdom (Netherlands, Curaçao, Aruba, and Sint Maarten) will enhance their collaboration within a newly established four-country dialogue on climate and energy. This builds upon the cooperation that started in preparation for the previous United Nations climate conference in Egypt (COP27), with a joint Kingdom approach for UN climate conferences.
Affordability
Minister Jetten, together with Prime Minister Wever-Croes of Aruba and Prime Minister Jacobs of Sint Maarten, signed collaboration agreements in the field of sustainable energy. The ambition is to swiftly implement more sustainable energy projects on the islands, leveraging Dutch knowledge and expertise, so that the people of Aruba and Sint Maarten can benefit from clean and affordable energy. A similar collaboration agreement will also be signed with Curaçao during Minister Jetten's visit to the island next Monday.
International
Days two and three of the conference had an international focus. Representatives from islands in the Caribbean region and island states in the Pacific engaged in discussions with relevant stakeholders such as UN organizations, knowledge institutions, and financial institutions. The topics of conversation included justice in climate transition, climate-resilient ecosystems, and climate finance - themes that are particularly relevant to islands.
During these discussions, several issues were identified as barriers to climate action on islands. These include a lack of capacity to develop and implement climate plans, limited or insufficient access to up-to-date and reliable data, and a lack of capacity and expertise to navigate complex procedures for accessing financing. The government intends to address these points in collaboration with the islands in the lead-up to the next CCEC.
