Dr Carla Barnett, Secretary-General, CARICOM, emphasized collaboration and a “collective regional approach” to achieve success in energy sustainability during her remarks at the Guyana Energy Conference (GEC) 2024 opening ceremony on Monday.
She also highlighted that CARICOM Member States have made progress in pursuing sustainable energy solutions as a matter of policy and that the Region is already experiencing success in critical sectors such as power generation, transport, and infrastructure.
Read Dr Barnett’s speech below.
In our Caribbean region, energy plays a critical role in development, enhancing social well-being and fostering economic stability. However, the Region faces significant challenges to energy security. Hazards, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, affect electricity supply, leaving our communities without electricity and posing significant threats to security and well-being. Many of our Member States are struggling to replace outdated power plants and fragile electric grids. The heavy reliance on imported oil, with its rising costs, exacerbates our energy challenges. This has been made even worse by increasing geopolitical tensions, which have affected prices.
Despite these challenges, or perhaps because of them, CARICOM Member States have made strides in pursuing sustainable energy solutions as a matter of policy. We are seeing progress in key sectors, such as power generation, transport, and infrastructure. It is projected that by 2050, the Region will have transitioned from 19% electrification to 51%, underscoring our commitment to a just, equitable and accelerated transition that leaves no one behind and safeguards our planet for future generations.
CARICOM is actively working towards a more sustainable and resilient energy future by accelerating the deployment of renewable energy resources and fostering partnerships among Member States. The increasing production of hydrocarbons in Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago presents opportunities to enhance regional energy security. It also presents opportunities for increased private and public sector investments in building social, economic, environmental and climate resilience as the world transitions towards clean and renewable sources of energy.
More than that, hydrocarbon producers in CARICOM, as exemplified by Guyana, and CARICOM as a whole are committed to a development trajectory that prioritises net zero emissions in full recognition that we do not contribute in any significant way to climate change, even as we bear the more than proportional impact of climate change.
The principle of the “collective regional approach” within the CARICOM Energy Policy encourages national action while facilitating the exploitation of synergies that provide comparative advantages over individual country strategies. While each country faces unique challenges, opportunities and priorities, regional cooperation on energy leverages the sharing and exchange of critical information and experiences, which are vital to success at the national level.
Implementation of clean and renewable energy sources, along with modern smart grids, can significantly improve the reliability of our energy systems. Accelerating the energy transition and energy system transformation is essential to increase the share of renewable energy, promote the use of cleaner fuels, and bolster resilience. Capacity building and access to emerging technologies will also help develop the energy potential in the Region.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Achieving our vision of a sustainable energy future in the Caribbean requires continued collaboration, integration, and investment. CARICOM’s energy transition is strengthened by cooperative partnerships, including with international development partners who can play a crucial role with support through technical assistance, funding for sustainable energy projects and critically, access to technology.
Urgent action is imperative to ensure energy security and climate resilience, as without these, the Region’s development trajectory is at risk.CARICOM will, therefore, continue to enhance cooperation among Member States, through policy harmonization, regulatory reforms and capacity-building initiatives. This transition is essential to ensure energy security, mitigate the impact of climate change, and foster economic growth and development in the Region.
Conferences such as this that bring together all critical sectors of our economy are very important. I wish this conference much good business.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.