Santo Domingo.- The Director of Strategic Communication for the Presidency, Félix Reyna, confirmed that President Luis Abinader will not attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30), scheduled from November 6 to 21 in Belém, Brazil, as he will remain in the Dominican Republic to focus on domestic matters. Reyna noted that the country will still have official representation at the summit, though he did not specify who will lead the delegation.
The announcement follows earlier plans for President Abinader to attend the event with a large delegation to highlight the vulnerability of Caribbean island nations, which contribute minimally to global pollution but face severe consequences from climate change. Abinader recently emphasized that the Caribbean produces only 0.01% of global emissions yet suffers about 20% of the damage caused by climate-related disasters.
The president underscored that Caribbean nations have met previous commitments to reduce emissions and continue to experience worsening storms and rainfall, which threaten lives and economies. He also reaffirmed that the Dominican Republic’s stance on climate issues aligns with the collective position of CARICOM member states.
