CARIBBEAN—The Prime Minister of Jamaica, The Most Honorable Andrew Holness, President of the Inter-American Development Bank, Luis Alberto Moreno, Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson and World Bank Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean, Jorge Familiar announced the launch of the Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator.
The Accelerator’s ambitious goal is to work with this unprecedented group of partners to make the Caribbean the world’s first climate-smart zone. The Coalition behind the Accelerator has grown to 26 countries covering a region of 1 million square miles and over 40 million people. Eight Times Olympic Gold Medal Winner Usain Bolt, an Ambassador of the Accelerator, announced the Caribbean Accelerator’s $50,000 “Speed Award” recognizing leading countries, businesses and individuals working towards a climate smart zone.
The Inter-American Development Bank announced that it will partner with the Accelerator to program and implement the $1 billion in funds that it pledged at President Macron’s Paris One Planet summit.
Global music superstar Sean Paul was announced with Bolt as Accelerator Ambassadors. They will be promoting the Accelerator’s call for climate-smart action in the region and globally.
Speaking at the event, Sir Richard Branson said: “Our goal is ambitious and bold: we are creating the world’s first climate-smart zone. We have a vision of a Caribbean which is greener, stronger and more resilient than ever before—built on innovation, powered by clean, sustainable energy and accelerated by public and private investment.”
