Jamaica Urges Action at COP30 After Hurricane Melissa's Devastation

Jamaica's climate disaster fund covered only 5% of the $10 billion cost of Hurricane Melissa. The island seeks urgent financial aid at the COP30 climate summit, rejecting debt-inducing loans. Jamaica emphasizes its minimal role in climate change and highlights the need for robust adaptation funding.

In a grim reality check on climate preparedness, Jamaica's hard-built reserves for tackling climate-driven disasters proved insufficient against the overwhelming $10 billion wreckage from Hurricane Melissa. The catastrophic storm, a Category 5 when it struck, left the country with a staggering monetary gap that the current $500 million stockpile could barely dent.

Speaking at the COP30 climate summit held in Belem, Brazil, Jamaican cabinet minister Matthew Samuda spotlighted the island nation's plight and appealed for grants and investments from wealthier nations. Jamaica seeks to avert the burden of commercial loans amidst increasingly harsh climate repercussions like extensive storms, droughts, and rising sea levels.

The financial toll from the hurricane dwarfs previous crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, as Melissa wiped out infrastructure like roads, bridges, and water supplies. This cataclysm prompted urgent calls for ambitious funding commitments at COP30, with demands underscoring the need for at least $310 billion annually by 2035 to support developing nations in mitigating climate extremes.

(With inputs from agencies.)