Antigua and Barbuda will send two representatives to the 64th Session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC-64) in Bangkok, Thailand, from March 24 to 27. According to Antigua News Room, Orvin Paige of the Meteorological Department and Arry Simon of the Department of Environment will represent the twin-island nation at the global gathering.
The session arrives at a pivotal moment. Delegates at IPCC-63 in Lima failed to reach consensus on timelines for key climate reports, leaving critical questions unresolved. For small island developing states, that procedural deadlock carries real consequences — directly affecting their capacity to plan, adapt, and protect their populations.
Antigua and Barbuda sits on the frontline of climate change. Rising sea levels endanger coastal communities and the tourism infrastructure that underpins the national economy. More intense hurricanes and erratic rainfall patterns place mounting pressure on already limited resources. Despite contributing minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions, nations like Antigua and Barbuda bear a disproportionate share of the risks.
Access to climate finance remains a pressing concern. Small island developing states frequently struggle to secure funding due to complex application procedures, limited technical capacity, and restrictive eligibility criteria. Even when financing is approved, slow implementation can delay urgent adaptation projects — including coastal protection works, water security systems, and climate-resilient infrastructure.
Discussions at IPCC-64 are also expected to address funding constraints within the IPCC itself, underscoring a broader challenge: without adequate financial support, both global climate science and local adaptation efforts in vulnerable nations risk stalling.
The outcomes of the Bangkok session are expected to inform preparations for COP31. For Antigua and Barbuda, the central objective remains ensuring that decisions made at the global level translate into tangible, accessible support on the ground.
