Planning, Economic Affairs and Development Minister Kennedy Swaratsingh, who also has responsibility for the environment, joined the Trinidad and Tobago delegation as Head of Delegation at the United Nations Climate Change Conference or the 30th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change, COP30, in Belém, Brazil on November 18th, 2025.
Having arrived for the High Level Segment of COP 30, which featured statements from Prime Ministers and various Ministers and leaders from all over the world, Minister Swaratsingh delivered Trinidad and Tobago’s National Statement immediately upon his arrival.
Minister Swaratsingh and the Trinidad and Tobago delegation also participated in a meeting of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), which is spearheading climate change negotiations for the Caribbean, Pacific, African Indian and South China Sea regions. Priority areas include achieving enhanced international support for capacity building and a new adaptation finance goal to ensure our islands receive the necessary financial support to build resilience.
The 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 30) is taking place in Belém, Brazil, from November 10 to 21, 2025. As the first Conference of the Parties (COP) held in the Amazon. It will highlight the connections between climate, biodiversity, food systems and the rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
Minister Swaratsingh’s national statement on behalf of Trinidad and Tobago is below:
Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates,
As a small island developing state, Trinidad and Tobago stands on the frontline of the climate crisis. The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and shifting rainfall patterns continue to threaten our people, our ecosystems, and our national development. For Trinidad and Tobago, the climate challenge is not an abstract, but it is a daily reality that demands our urgent and sustained global action; one for which the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago remains steadfast in adopting a strategic and coordinated approach to confront and manage its impacts.
Trinidad and Tobago remains firmly committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with our Nationally Determined Contributions. As part of our efforts, we are advancing initiatives to promote the use of electric vehicles within the public sector, expanding the uptake of solar water heaters for household use, and encouraging the transition towards cleaner energy sources such as green hydrogen. We are also exploring opportunities to participate in emerging carbon markets as a means of mobilising investment in low carbon development while supporting national decarbonisation efforts.
Our transition towards a low carbon and climate resilient future must also be fair and just and one that is equitable, inclusive, and leaves no one behind. Trinidad and Tobago is taking concrete steps to protect workers and vulnerable communities, foster new sustainable economic opportunities, and align national development with environmental stewardship. Delivering this transformation requires stronger international cooperation, grounded in trust, equity, and shared responsibility and Trinidad and Tobago will look towards opportunities in this area.
At the same time, adaptation remains essential to protect our people, infrastructure, and ecosystems. We continue to strengthen resilience through the implementation of our National Adaptation Plan, integrating climate considerations into every facet of national planning.
However, Trinidad and Tobago recognises that ambition alone is not enough and implementation must now take centre stage as echoed by many Parties here at COP30. We must now move beyond negotiations and decisions to real, on the ground implementation that delivers measurable results, build resilient communities, restores ecosystems, and strengthens livelihoods.
To make this possible, climate finance remains fundamental. It is our hope that developed countries continue to honour their commitments as matter of equity and global responsibility. Predictable, accessible, and adequate finance is critical to bridge the gap between ambition and implementation and remains the key tool in the fight against climate change.
In concluding, I would like to reaffirm Trinidad and Tobago’s commitment to the Paris Agreement and to working collectively towards an inclusive and action-oriented outcome at COP30; one that transforms promises into progress and ensures a safer, more resilient planet for all.
Thank you.