Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD appeal

As small island states continue to grapple with the escalating effects of climate change, Minister of Environment and National Beautification, Green and Blue Economy Adrian Forde has made a compelling plea for the Loss and Damage Fund to be fully operational and adequately financed.

Addressing international delegates at the fifth board meeting of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD), held Tuesday at the Hilton Barbados Resort, Forde underscored the urgent need for meaningful action to support the world’s most vulnerable nations. He reminded attendees that the initiative, inspired by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, is a lifeline for countries like Barbados, which are on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

“The fund is not a luxury—it is a necessity,” Forde declared. “We are here not to talk about abstract futures or theoretical models, but to confront the reality that climate change is an emergency for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).”

The Loss and Damage Fund was created to address the irreversible consequences of climate change in vulnerable regions, particularly SIDS, which contribute the least to global emissions yet suffer disproportionately from their effects.

Forde pointed to the recent passage of Hurricane Beryl as a stark reminder of the stakes involved. Though the storm only grazed the island, it left a trail of destruction in its wake, crippling the local fishing industry.

“Over 90 per cent of our fishing boats were destroyed, more than $200 million in damages, and countless lives upended,” he said. “This is why the fund is not a luxury—it’s a necessity.”

Highlighting the growing frequency and severity of extreme weather events, the minister said that adaptation alone is no longer a sufficient response. “Loss and damage is not something we can adapt our way out of,” he stressed. “This fund must be a core instrument for our long-term survival.”

He also emphasized the importance of the fund being guided by a straightforward, inclusive framework that allows equitable access to financing for affected communities.