Climate Finance to Help Clear COVID-Era Arrears and Fund Resilience Projects, PM Says
Prime Minister Gaston Browne says Antigua and Barbuda will lean more heavily on climate finance in 2026, using the emerging funding streams not only for resilience projects but also to eliminate arrears accumulated during the COVID-19 crisis.
Browne made the disclosure during his 2026 Budget Presentation, calling climate finance a “strategic and innovative fiscal tool” that will help the country accelerate development while stabilizing public finances strained over the past five years.
He said the government intends to channel climate-related resources into multiple areas of national development, including resilient housing, renewable energy, climate-smart infrastructure and environmental protection.
But he also noted that the funds would help fill fiscal gaps that emerged during the pandemic, when government revenues contracted sharply and arrears accumulated across several sectors.
According to the Prime Minister, Antigua and Barbuda is positioning itself as a leader among small island developing states pushing for fair access to climate funding.
He said the government will continue negotiating with international partners, financial institutions and climate facilities to secure new financing windows that prioritize adaptation needs.
Browne added that climate-related resources would complement domestic revenue measures and ongoing debt consolidation, helping the government restore fiscal space while protecting vulnerable communities.
He told Parliament that climate resilience remains one of the administration’s top development priorities and that the 2026 Budget includes increased allocations for mitigation, disaster preparedness and community-level adaptation.
The budget debate is scheduled to continue next week.
