Civil society groups demand climate justice in wake of Hurricane Melissa
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Forty-three civil society organisations and individuals across Jamaica have issued a joint statement calling for urgent climate justice measures following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.
The Category 5 storm made landfall on Jamaica’s southwest coast last Tuesday, killing 32 people so far and leaving widespread destruction across western Jamaica before affecting parts of Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. With winds exceeding 185 miles per hour and record rainfall, the hurricane has been described as one of the most powerful storms ever to strike the island.
In their statement, the groups said the disaster underscores the deep inequities of the global climate crisis.
“Hurricane Melissa was not a natural disaster—it was a profound manifestation of climate injustice,” the statement read.
“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.”
The signatories, including representatives from the Jamaica Environment Trust, Jamaicans for Justice, the Jamaica Climate Change Youth Council, National Integrity Action, and BirdLife Jamaica urged both the Government of Jamaica and international leaders to take bold action ahead of the COP30 climate summit in Belem, Brazil, scheduled for November 6–21.
They called on the Jamaican government to sign the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, push for stronger commitments to the 1.5°C target, secure loss and damage financing that reaches affected communities swiftly, and prioritise community-led rebuilding efforts.
Developed countries were urged to phase out fossil fuel expansion, deliver transparent and equitable climate financing, and “pay their climate debt.”
The coalition emphasised that rebuilding efforts must go beyond recovery and toward reimagining a resilient and just future.
“As we rebuild, we must not return to broken systems,” the groups said.
Among the signatories were environmental advocates such as Theresa Rodriguez-Moodie, CEO of the Jamaica Environment Trust; human rights campaigners like Mickel Jackson of Jamaicans for Justice; and academics including Dr. Patricia Northover of UWI Mona.
