Signed at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, Global Citizen, the Sustainable Markets Initiative and Octopus energy have formed the Eastern Caribbean Alliance to help the region's transition.

Small island states face frontline impacts of climate change and reliance on imported fossil fuels, underscoring the need to shift to renewables and electric transport. This alliance forms Part of the latest moves in Octopus’ emerging markets activity, where it’s building Sierra Leone’s first wind farm with Idris Elba to deliver low-cost reliable energy for Sherbro Island.

Dr Didacus Jules, director general of the OECS, said: "For the OECS, this partnership represents an important opportunity to accelerate a clean energy transition that is affordable, resilient, and responsive to the needs of our people. The people of our Member States cannot continue to bear the economic burden of high energy costs and dependence on imported fossil fuels.”

Meanwhile, current Prime Minister Andy Burnham has pledged £40m over three years for green energy and critical infrastructure schemes in the West Indies. The funding should help the Caribbean’s transition to clean energy both direct capital funding for infrastructure and technical assistance to help mobilise wider private sector investments.

Overall, the summit will prioritise public-private partnerships to unlock climate finance for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Other major climate announcements at the event include:

• A $202m Commonwealth Nature Initiative to protect 30 per cent of the world's lands and oceans by 2030.
• A $70m Canadian package including funding for climate-resilient infrastructure and sustainable growth across the Caribbean.

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