Prime Minister Gaston Browne says Antigua and Barbuda is still pushing for stronger access to climate finance, with particular focus on a properly capitalized Loss and Damage Fund for vulnerable Caribbean states.
Speaking after meetings in New York, Browne said Antigua and Barbuda remains in discussion with agencies tied to climate finance and sees room to secure support for resilience projects, housing renewal and wider disaster-preparedness work.
A grant model, not a debt model
The core argument from Browne is that small island states have contributed only a tiny share of global emissions while facing some of the worst consequences of stronger storms and other climate shocks. In that context, he says recovery support should come as accessible grant funding rather than another round of borrowing.
He also renewed calls for international lenders to rely less on narrow income measurements and to pay more attention to vulnerability when deciding which countries qualify for concessional support. That issue has become central for Caribbean governments that can look middle income on paper while still being exposed to repeated weather shocks.
For Antigua and Barbuda, the debate is not abstract. The country's case for climate funding is tied directly to infrastructure resilience, housing protection and the ability to recover faster after major events without loading additional debt onto a small economy.