Small Island Developing States (including Caribbean states) established the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) to coordinate positions in UN climate negotiations and highlight island vulnerability, helping Caribbean SIDS negotiate as part of a recognized bloc.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted, creating the treaty framework and institutions through which Caribbean SIDS would press for stronger mitigation, adaptation support, and recognition of special vulnerabilities.
The UNFCCC entered into force, formally launching the rules-based negotiating process in which Caribbean SIDS (often via AOSIS) would seek ambitious temperature goals and finance for adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
At the first global SIDS conference in Bridgetown, governments approved the Barbados Programme of Action (BPOA), establishing a comprehensive international agenda for SIDS sustainable development and elevating climate change and sea-level rise as priority concerns.
At the first UNFCCC Conference of the Parties, parties adopted the Berlin Mandate, initiating negotiations toward stronger post‑2000 commitments—an early focal point for AOSIS advocacy on the need for binding action to protect vulnerable islands, including in the Caribbean.
Parties adopted the Kyoto Protocol, the first treaty to set quantified emission limits for developed countries. Caribbean SIDS, negotiating largely through AOSIS, pushed for stronger ambition given disproportionate island risks.
The UN General Assembly convened a special session to review five-year implementation of the BPOA ("SIDS+5"), renewing international attention to SIDS vulnerabilities and reinforcing climate-related priorities relevant to Caribbean SIDS.
The Kyoto Protocol entered into force, operationalizing emissions commitments and market mechanisms. For Caribbean SIDS, Kyoto’s implementation period sharpened demands for deeper cuts and for support to address worsening climate impacts.
At COP15, parties took note of the Copenhagen Accord rather than adopting it as a COP decision. The Accord nonetheless shaped subsequent negotiations, including debates on temperature limits and finance that were central to Caribbean SIDS priorities.
COP16 outcomes (the Cancún Agreements) advanced institutions and frameworks supporting developing countries, including establishing the Green Climate Fund—a major channel Caribbean SIDS would rely on for adaptation and resilience finance.
COP17 adopted the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action, beginning negotiations toward a universal post‑2020 agreement—an opening Caribbean SIDS and AOSIS used to push for a stronger long‑term temperature goal and improved support for vulnerable states.
At COP18/CMP8, parties adopted the package known as the Doha Climate Gateway, including the amendment establishing Kyoto’s second commitment period (2013–2020), while also keeping focus on negotiating the new agreement due in 2015.
COP19 established the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage (WIM) to address climate-related loss and damage in vulnerable developing countries—an issue of high importance to Caribbean SIDS facing intensifying storms and sea-level impacts.
UN Member States adopted the SAMOA Pathway at the Third International Conference on SIDS, reaffirming SIDS as a special case for sustainable development and strengthening links between climate action, disaster risk reduction, and development—key themes for Caribbean negotiators.
COP20 adopted the Lima Call for Climate Action, clarifying how countries would communicate intended contributions (INDCs) for the 2015 agreement—procedurally important for Caribbean SIDS efforts to embed ambition, adaptation, and support in the Paris outcome.
COP21 adopted the Paris Agreement, including the aim to hold warming well below 2°C while pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C—an outcome strongly associated with long-running SIDS and AOSIS advocacy, including by Caribbean SIDS.
The Paris Agreement entered into force, shifting negotiations toward implementation (NDC cycles, transparency, and finance), with Caribbean SIDS continuing to emphasize adaptation, resilience, and loss-and-damage priorities within the UNFCCC process.
Caribbean Small Island Developing States in UN climate negotiations (1990–2020)
