Baku, Azerbaijan – November 12, 2024 – At the margins of the COP29, H.E. President Hilda C. Heine held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA), to discuss advancing climate adaptation for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Verkooijen briefed President Heine on GCA’s work on Africa and potential plans to diversify and expand efforts to SIDS. He highlighted GCA’s role in integrating global expertise on adaptation into climate-resilient project design and implementation, and also announced a new initiative for a SIDS adaptation financing program.
Both President Heine and Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados have agreed to join the GCA Board, supporting efforts to increase attention and investment for climate adaptation in SIDS.
Discussions also included GCA’s next annual report on climate adaptation finance, which will be dedicated to SIDS and launched in early 2025 followed by a virtual summit later on next year to build political leadership and attract increased funding for climate resilience.
President Heine reaffirmed her commitment to collaborate with GCA and global partners to ensure SIDS’ climate adaptation needs are addressed in international forums and financing mechanisms.
