Hurricane Beryl has caused devastation on Union Island in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines in July 2024. Photo: WFP/Fedel Mansour

Virgin Islands (VI) Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) says the still active Hurricane Beryl which ravaged the region has highlighted that the territory is facing a dangerous era for climate change. Photo: HoA/Youtube

The Premier at the time speaking during the other Business segment of the continuation of the Thirteenth Sitting of the First Session of the Fifth House of Assembly, July 4, 2024.

“It's something that we need to pay attention to. Obviously, we've been criticized for traveling... but a lot of the travel, including the recent Small Island Development States Conference (SIDS) Including COP 28 that we went to..” he said the fight is fighting for climate financing.

“We are fighting a battle as a small island developing state to have the United Nations,  the United Kingdom and all of those persons who are signed on to the various charters… fighting for them to acknowledge that as overseas territories who have been excluded from climate finance, based on our statuses as overseas territories and also based on our GDP… [it] doesn’t mean that you are resilient to the impacts of climate change.”

The Premier said with the presence of Beryl several years later, the VI is still trying to complete its recovery in a very active hurricane season, which can increase its vulnerability should there be another impact.

UN petitioned for Climate Justice 

The Premier has also has petitioned the UN C-24 Committee for what he called "climate justice" for countries that remain vulnerable to Climate Change, using heavy rains and landslides in the VI as an example. 

The Premier, speaking during his June 10, 2024, delivery at the Special Committee on Decolonisation (C-24), said the Virgin Islands recently experienced torrential rains that caused severe flash floods and landslides. This, he said, resulted in local infrastructure being impacted.

“We are very vulnerable at this time, which is just at the beginning of what is forecasted to be a very active Atlantic hurricane season. Madam Chair, this is the new reality of a warmer planet, climate change is an existential threat to the existence of Small Island Development States like the British Virgin Islands.”

He reminded the C-24 that at the Fourth International SIDS Conference in Antigua and Barbuda, he called on the international community to consider the vulnerability of the [British] Virgin Islands and other Associate Members of the United Nations Regional Commissions when determining eligibility for climate finance.