The Caribbean sits at the convergence of two powerful forces reshaping the global economy: climate change and a rapidly evolving global political and financial architecture. Although Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) contribute less than one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, they are among the world’s most climate‑exposed economies. Extreme weather events can cause damages equivalent to 50 to over 200 percent of GDP, while annual climate adaptation needs are estimated at 5–10 percent of GDP. At the same time, elevated public debt and limited fiscal space continue to constrain investment in health, education, social protection, and resilience.

These vulnerabilities are further compounded by external shocks, including volatile energy and food markets. With Caribbean food import bills exceeding USD6 billion annually, exposure to global disruptions has become a binding constraint on economic stability, sovereign resilience, and long‑term growth. Against this backdrop, the effectiveness of global development finance and multilateral systems in responding to the Region’s climate realities is under increasing scrutiny.

The Breakfast Exchange is designed as a high‑level, candid dialogue bringing together leaders from key institutions shaping climate-responsive governance, including the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). The session offers a rare opportunity to assess how recent shifts in the global financial architecture are—or are not—delivering meaningful outcomes for climate‑vulnerable small states.

Through strategic discussion, the Breakfast Exchange will:

• Examine how global economic dynamics and financing structures shape climate vulnerability and resilience in the Caribbean
• Explore how financing mechanisms, innovation, and policy responses can better support adaptation, food security, and climate resilience
• Identify practical pathways to align global systems more effectively with the development and climate needs of SIDS

Positioned within the broader Annual Meeting programme, the Breakfast Exchange advances dialogue on climate finance reform, multilateral cooperation, and small‑state resilience, helping to bridge global policy ambition with the lived realities of Caribbean countries on the front lines of climate change.