A call for climate justice
Published:Thursday | November 6, 2025 | 12:06 AM
THE EDITOR, Madam:
We, representatives of 43 civil society groups and concerned individuals from across Jamaica, issue this statement in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm that made landfall on Jamaica’s southwest coast on October 28, 2025, and killed 32 persons to date. With sustained winds exceeding 185 miles per hour and record-breaking rainfall, Hurricane Melissa devastated communities across western Jamaica and left destruction in its path in sections of Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
We mourn the loss of life, shelter, livelihoods, and landscape. We stand in solidarity with everyone affected and call for urgent humanitarian assistance to ensure the safety, dignity, and recovery of all impacted communities during this difficult period.
But let us be clear: Hurricane Melissa was not a natural disaster – it was a profound manifestation of climate injustice. Its unprecedented strength and rapid intensification were a direct consequence of global warming caused by fossil fuel dependence, corporate greed, and decades of political inaction. Our communities, those least responsible for this climate crisis, are now paying the highest price.
We call on the Government of Jamaica and global leaders attending COP30 in Belem, Brazil, from November 6- 21, 2025, to act with urgency, courage, clarity, and justice.
We call on the Government of Jamaica to:
• Sign the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty.
• Demand greater action on the 1.5 climate target, which will ensure that small islands survive.
• Demand loss and damage financing that reaches communities quickly in the wake of this terrible disaster.
• Prioritise community-led assistance, planning, and rebuilding.
• Promote innovative, climate-resilient, and just nature-based solutions in rebuilding.
We call on developed countries to:
• End fossil fuel expansion and support a global phase-out of oil, coal, and gas.
• Deliver climate finance that is accessible, transparent, and just.
• Pay your climate debt.
As we rebuild, we must not return to broken systems. This is our moment not only to repair what was lost but to reimagine a more resilient future incorporating robust climate-change adaptation. Jamaica, the Caribbean, and the world must act with courage and solidarity to phase out fossil fuels, prioritise people and planet over profit, and build systems rooted in fairness and justice, bonded by our shared survival.
THERESA RODRIGUEZ-
MOODIE, PHD.
Chief Executive Officer
Jamaica Environment Trust
website: www.jamentrust.org