VI Premier reiterates calls for 'climate justice' for OTs
He made this statement during a discussion organised by the Virgin Islands Voice on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.
The Premier referenced the 49th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which took place in Montego Bay, Jamaica, from July 6 to July 8, 2025, under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister of Jamaica, Dr the Most Honourable Andrew M. Holness.
Premier Wheatley stated, “The five Cs that we mentioned refer to CARICOM’s climate change centre. This organ of CARICOM advocates collectively for climate justice.”
He emphasised that the Virgin Islands contribute very little to greenhouse gas emissions, which are responsible for the greenhouse effect and rising temperatures. As a result, the territory is expected to experience more superstorms and other impacts of climate change.
'Climate Justice'
The Premier further noted that countries like the Virgin Islands are on the frontlines of these impacts. “We feel the effects of rising sea levels and superstorms more than anyone else,” he said, highlighting the need for climate justice and demanding that the world’s largest polluters fulfil their responsibilities.
He added, “As an overseas territory of the UK and an associate member of CARICOM and other organisations, we have been advocating for some level of justice for overseas territories. There is a significant injustice in that we lack access to vital funds, such as the Green Climate Fund, the Adaptation Fund, or the Loss and Damage Fund through the United Nations.”
“Because we do not have access to these funds, we have to explore creative ways to secure climate financing through our Climate Change Trust Fund,” he continued.
The Premier also mentioned advocacy efforts at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), where the Virgin Islands hold a rotating governor’s chair. He argued for a multidimensional vulnerability index, explaining that the CDB typically uses the Gross Domestic Product as the criterion for funding eligibility. “We need a more sophisticated and accurate method to determine eligibility for climate finance,” he concluded.
When Hurricanes Irma and Maria ravaged the Virgin Islands in September 2017, the United Kingdom (UK) offered the VI a loan guarantee instead of a loan or grant.
Although much progress has been made without any significant support from the United Kingdom (UK), some people are still without homes, and even some government buildings have not yet been fully repaired.
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7 Responses to “VI Premier reiterates calls for 'climate justice' for OTs”
Just look around you at the Environmental disaster the VI has become.
Destroyed
Mangrove by pushing out land
Coral by pushing out land and sewage
Land by derelict cars
Sea by derelict boats and cars.
Infrastructure by derelict HOA
Spooners Hill by Excavators
Hillsides by Excavators
Sea Life by Excavators
Roads by Excavators
Road Safery by Scooters
Air by Pockwood Pond
Air by VG Dump
Roads by Water and Sewerage
Beauty by all that litter
Beauty by derelict cars
Beauty by container towns
Plants by Invasive Species
We can't blame any on this on climate change. First we need to help ourselves before blaming it on others and asking for money.
Money for Nothing like always is what is wanted by our politicians.
1. Burning our garbage on the hillside.
2. Disposing of waste oil by burying in in a hole in the ground.
3. Burning diesel fuel to produce electricity (when we could use co-generation to convert our garbage into electricty, like st barths does)
4. Allowing people to import new cars when they have not paid to dispose of their old ones.
5. Pumping raw sewage into the ocean at Slaney hill and other sites
Heres just 5 things we could do better mr Primier.