The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) will host The Breakfast Exchange: A Climate Talk on the Global Economy on Thursday, June 4, at 8:00 AM AST, a frank, high-level session designed to confront the most pressing climate challenges facing the Caribbean and other small island developing states (SIDS).

The Caribbean contributes less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions yet faces climate-related damages equivalent to 50–200% of GDP from a single extreme weather event. Against a backdrop of rising debt, mounting food insecurity, and a fragmenting global financial order, the region’s need for meaningful loss and damage compensation, equitable climate justice, and significantly expanded access to climate financing has never been more urgent.

The session reflects CDB’s leadership in advancing climate action as a core pillar of its 10-Year Strategic Plan. Additionally, it signals the Bank’s commitment to advocate for substantive reforms in the international and regional financial architecture on climate financing for small island developing states of the region and beyond. 

“The Caribbean cannot wait for incremental progress. Every year of delay is measured in damaged infrastructure, destroyed homes, devastated farms, obliterated national budgets, and development gains wiped out overnight,” CDB President, Mr. Daniel M. Best, explained. “The global financial architecture was not built with our extreme vulnerability in mind, and that must change. Loss and damage is not a future risk for this region; it is a present reality and climate justice is a debt that is owed.”

The session is structured as a high-level moderated dialogue, led by incisive, evidence-driven questioning designed to define practical pathways to close the climate finance gap and amplify the demands of vulnerable nations in multilateral negotiations. Distinguished speakers include President Best, Ms. Racquel Moses, CEO, Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator & UNFCCC Global Ambassador for SIDS and Mr. Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, Executive Director, Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage. 

The Breakfast Exchange will be streamed live on CDB’s website as well as on the Bank’s LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube channels.