Experts urge faster implementation to turn COP30 commitments into results across Latin America and the Caribbean
Bridgetown, Barbados - San José, Costa Rica | January 20, 2026. Climate Lead Group (CLG) and SAEDI Consulting hosted the webinar “COP30 Reflections and What They Mean for Climate Action in Latin America and the Caribbean” on January 14th. The regional conversation brought together leading voices to unpack key outcomes from COP30 and what they mean for accelerating climate action across the region.
The virtual panel featured Marcela Jaramillo, Executive Director of the 2050 Pathways Platform; Jairo Quirós, energy systems and climate change specialist and Founder and Project Director at Climate Lead Group (CLG Costa Rica); and Leisa Perch, Founder and Executive Director of SAEDI Consulting (Barbados).
A central message emerged clearly: the region’s biggest challenge is no longer setting new targets; it is delivering on those already agreed. Panelists stressed that Latin America and the Caribbean need implementation roadmaps: step-by-step plans to operationalize Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and adaptation priorities by translating commitments into policies, reforms, and investments. These roadmaps should specify who does what, by when, with measurable milestones and financing aligned to ensure climate commitments become concrete, visible changes on the ground.
“Global conversations are shifting toward implementation: targets are not enough, we need clear pathways, capabilities, and financing to deliver,” said Marcela Jaramillo, underscoring the urgency of accelerating actions with real impact before 2030.
From a sectoral perspective, Jairo Quirós noted that many delays stem from what often sits “between the lines”: enabling infrastructure, regulatory frameworks, and coordination. He highlighted the need to strengthen electricity grids and transmission, modernize rules and processes, and reduce permitting timelines that currently clash with the pace required to meet climate goals. Quirós also emphasized joint planning across the energy and transport sectors, since electrifying mobility increases electricity demand and requires early action on grid capacity and regulatory readiness.
The discussion also reinforced that effective climate action is cross-cutting, it cannot rely on a single sector or isolated measures. Achieving regional goals requires aligning decarbonization with forests and land use (AFOLU), given their role as carbon sinks and resilience enablers, alongside a robust adaptation agenda connected to risk management and territorial planning. Panelists agreed that progress must be guided by a just transition approach, ensuring changes are socially and economically viable and can be sustained over time.
Finally, Leisa Perch stressed that in the Caribbean, advancing implementation depends on simplifying and improving access to climate finance. Financing remains difficult because of a persistent mismatch between what is needed, what is available, and the conditions attached. “A significant share of adaptation finance comes as debt, which limits our ability to invest and meet global commitments,” Perch said.
The webinar closed with a shared conclusion: the region does not need more declarations. It needs difficult, verifiable decisions. Putting implementation at the center means setting priorities, resolving bottlenecks, grids, permits, regulation, and coordination, and aligning finance with what communities need, without deepening vulnerabilities such as debt-driven adaptation. With climate impacts becoming increasingly visible, panelists agreed that success toward 2030 will depend on turning roadmaps into sustained execution, backed by clear metrics and a transition that works for people as well as for the planet.
Watch the full recording here: https://youtu.be/GFxbh4IsekU