OACPS member states are demanding a shift from loan-based climate financing to grants and direct support for countries bearing the greatest climate impacts despite contributing little to global emissions.
The Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) is pushing for reforms in global climate financing, arguing that vulnerable countries should not be forced into further debt to recover from climate-related disasters.
The position emerged during the 65th OACPS Parliamentary Assembly in Brussels, where delegates agreed to make climate justice and equitable financing central to their discussions with the European Union (EU).
Uganda’s Deputy Speaker of Parliament and OACPS Parliamentary Assembly President, Thomas Tayebwa, who chaired the meeting, urged member states to speak with one voice in demanding that countries responsible for the largest share of global emissions take greater responsibility for addressing climate change.
He said African, Caribbean and Pacific countries were suffering severe climate-related consequences despite contributing relatively little to global greenhouse gas emissions.
“The ones who are emitting a lot are not feeling the impact, as we are, who are emitting less. If you look at the OACPS countries, in total, we don't emit more than, on average, more than 6%. But the impact is huge on us,” Tayebwa told delegates.
He cited rising sea levels, coastal erosion and destruction of coral reefs in the Caribbean, alongside drought, hunger and famine in Africa. He also highlighted the increasingly difficult conditions confronting Pacific countries.
Tayebwa acknowledged that European countries were also experiencing the effects of global warming but said OACPS members needed to strengthen their engagement with the EU and other international partners.
He called for the principle that major polluters should pay for climate damage to translate into practical financing commitments rather than remain a political declaration.
Climate finance burdened by loans
The financing challenge was further examined by Dr James Murombedzi, former head of the Africa Climate Policy Centre at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
In a presentation titled Financing Climate Resilience Without Deepening Debt, Murombedzi warned that the heavy reliance on loans in climate financing was worsening the financial difficulties of countries already struggling with climate-related losses.
He said low-income countries continued to experience substantial economic and social losses from climate shocks despite making limited contributions to global emissions. However, the funding available to help them adapt remained inadequate.
Murombedzi argued that loan-based financing was unsuitable for countries that require significant resources to protect communities, infrastructure and livelihoods but have limited capacity to take on additional debt.
He recommended prioritising grants for adaptation projects that do not generate direct revenue, while reserving loans for affordable investments capable of generating income to support repayment.
He also called for direct financing for Loss and Damage to help affected countries respond to emergencies, recover and rebuild after climate disasters.
Rather than focusing only on preventing future risks, he said financing arrangements should also address the immediate needs of countries already experiencing climate-related destruction.
Among his other proposals was expanding pre-arranged disaster financing mechanisms to ensure resources are available when emergencies occur.
He also recommended including climate-resilient debt clauses in loan agreements. Such provisions would allow countries to temporarily suspend repayments when severe climate events strike.
Murombedzi further called for simpler application procedures to enable developing countries to access climate finance directly, alongside increased investment in public goods such as food security and early-warning systems.
OACPS urged to strengthen climate negotiations
Beyond financing, Murombedzi challenged OACPS member states to improve their coordination and participation in international climate negotiations, particularly the annual United Nations climate conferences known as the Conference of the Parties (COP).
He said the organisation lacked a sufficiently coordinated presence to develop common negotiating positions and provide technical support to its members during international discussions.
“I’m not sure that there is any organised presence of OACPS to support, to provide inputs into those negotiating processes, but also to provide support at the negotiations themselves,” he said.
He observed that OACPS delegations were often smaller and less adequately resourced than those representing wealthier countries, limiting their ability to conduct research, generate data and influence negotiations.
“We have the smallest delegations, sometimes the least skilled, and also the least resourced,” he said.
Member states call for changes to global financial system
Delegates from several member states reinforced the call for reforms, arguing that the international financial system does not adequately recognise the vulnerability of countries repeatedly affected by climate disasters.
Dwight Sutherland, representing Barbados, said climate change posed an immediate threat to the economic stability of small island developing states.
He said the challenge extended beyond environmental protection to the ability of these countries to finance development and recover from disasters.
Sutherland called for support for the Bridgetown Initiative, which seeks to reform international financial arrangements and improve access to affordable financing for climate-vulnerable countries.
“The Bridgetown Initiative seeks to reform the international financial architecture so that climate-vulnerable countries can respond to shocks, invest in resilience, and finance their development on affordable terms,” he said.
Chad's representative, David Houdeingar Ngarimaden, pointed to the shrinking size of Lake Chad as an illustration of the environmental changes affecting communities dependent on natural resources.
“I will also mention the case of Lake Chad, whose area was 25,000 km² a few years ago.
With the climate shock, we are now at 2,500 km²,” he said.
Mauritius representative Mohamed Ehsan Juman highlighted the widening gap between the resources available for climate adaptation and the funding developing countries require.
“The recent report of the United Nations Environment Programme provides for an annual deficit in financing for adaptation to climate change of 272 billion euros by 2035,” Juman said.
Jamaica's representative, Heroy Clarke, questioned the use of loans to finance recovery from climate disasters, citing Hurricane Melissa, which devastated Jamaica in 2025.
He argued that countries should not be expected to borrow and pay interest to rebuild after climate-related destruction, particularly when they have contributed little to the problem.
“Loans for Loss and Damage are morally and economically indefensible. You cannot lend a country money to recover from a harm it did not cause, then charge interest on its suffering,” Clarke said.
The discussions place climate finance reform, debt sustainability and stronger representation in international negotiations among the key issues OACPS members want addressed in their engagement with the European Union.
