PERTH, AUSTRALIA — 20th October 2026 — Prime Minister the Right Honourable Gaston Browne today renewed his call for urgent international action to address the devastating effects of climate change on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), during his participation in the Global Citizen NOW Summit in Perth, Western Australia.
Prime Minister Browne Calls
The Prime Minister participated in a high-level fireside discussion under the theme “The Cost of Complacency,”moderated by Professor Gordon Flake, Founding Chief Executive Officer of the Perth USAsia Centre at the University of Western Australia.
The discussion focused on the human and economic consequences of climate inaction, the urgent need for affordable development financing, and opportunities for stronger Commonwealth leadership as Antigua and Barbuda prepares to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November.
Prime Minister Browne emphasised that climate change represents an immediate and existential threat to the survival, sovereignty and economic development of small island nations.
Drawing on Antigua and Barbuda’s experience, he recalled the devastation caused by Hurricane Irma in 2017, which damaged or destroyed approximately 95 percent of properties in Barbuda and forced the evacuation of the island’s entire population.
The disaster resulted in recovery needs estimated at US$222 million, representing approximately 20 percent of Antigua and Barbuda’s gross domestic product.
He contrasted these devastating losses with the Caribbean’s negligible contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions, underscoring the fundamental injustice confronting vulnerable island nations.
The Prime Minister argued that while financial assistance can rebuild infrastructure, it cannot fully compensate for lives lost, communities displaced, ancestral lands destroyed or cultural heritage threatened by rising seas.
He maintained that climate justice requires the world’s major emitters and international financial institutions to acknowledge their responsibilities and provide meaningful support to countries bearing the greatest consequences of climate change.
Prime Minister Browne also called for international declarations, legal achievements and development frameworks to be translated into tangible assistance for vulnerable populations.
He highlighted Antigua and Barbuda’s leadership in hosting the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States in 2024, which produced the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS), a ten-year framework for resilient prosperity.
He also underscored the importance of the Multidimensional Vulnerability Index, which recognises that national income alone does not adequately reflect a country’s exposure to climate disasters and external economic shocks.
The Prime Minister advocated the incorporation of the index into decisions concerning concessional financing, debt relief and development assistance, arguing that international financial institutions must adopt a more equitable approach to supporting vulnerable economies.
He also referenced the landmark advisory opinion delivered by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, following the initiative advanced by Antigua and Barbuda and Tuvalu through the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law.
Prime Minister Browne stressed that these diplomatic and legal achievements must lead to stronger emissions reductions, greater investment in renewable energy and more affordable financing for resilient infrastructure.
He reiterated that small island states are seeking fairness rather than charity, and that international assistance must be proactive rather than confined to disaster recovery.
With Antigua and Barbuda preparing to host CHOGM from November 1–4, Prime Minister Browne outlined his vision for a more effective Commonwealth capable of influencing global decisions on climate finance, debt, trade and sustainable development.
He observed that the Commonwealth, comprising 56 countries and approximately 2.7 billion people, possesses considerable collective influence that should be used to advance the interests of its members, particularly the most vulnerable.
As incoming Commonwealth Chair-in-Office, the Prime Minister identified affordable development financing, renewable energy, electrification, expanded trade and greater opportunities for young people among his priorities.
He acknowledged the longstanding climate advocacy of His Majesty King Charles III and expressed his intention to work with the King, Commonwealth leaders and international partners to mobilise investment and strengthen cooperation.
The Prime Minister emphasised that the upcoming CHOGM in Antigua and Barbuda presents an important opportunity to demonstrate the Commonwealth’s relevance through practical initiatives and measurable development outcomes.
Looking ahead to COP31, Prime Minister Browne urged Australia, Türkiye and the wider international community to ensure that the forthcoming climate negotiations deliver concrete results.
He called for renewed commitment to limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and for stronger consideration of the unique challenges confronting Caribbean and Pacific island states.
The Prime Minister maintained that the success of international climate negotiations must ultimately be measured by their ability to protect vulnerable communities, mobilise investment and strengthen the resilience of countries facing increasingly severe climate-related threats.
In a forceful concluding appeal, Prime Minister Browne challenged the international community to move beyond expressions of concern and translate its commitments into immediate, measurable action. He called on developed countries, major emitters, international financial institutions and private investors to accelerate emissions reductions, unlock affordable climate financing and invest in the infrastructure and renewable energy systems needed to safeguard vulnerable nations.
He stressed that the world can no longer afford to treat the survival of small island states as a secondary consideration in international negotiations. The consequences of further delay, he warned, will be measured not simply in economic losses, but in displaced populations, destroyed communities and the irreversible loss of national heritage and livelihoods.
Prime Minister Browne urged world leaders to make CHOGM 2026 and COP31 turning points in the global response to climate change, with commitments backed by financing, clear implementation plans and accountability for results. He reinforced the message that the future of small island nations must not depend on the willingness of the international community to respond after disaster strikes, but on its determination to prevent avoidable devastation today.
His participation in Global Citizen NOW reaffirmed Antigua and Barbuda’s commitment to championing the interests of vulnerable nations and advancing a global climate agenda founded on justice, shared responsibility and decisive action
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