Hon. Kerryne James, Minister for Climate Resilience, The Environment and Renewable Energy- Grenada, has called for urgent, coordinated action to secure the region’s water future in the face of mounting climate threats. Her call came during a keynote address to high-level policymakers and technical experts and officers from across the six countries at the recently concluded, “Leveraging SDG 6 for Accelerated Water Investments in Caribbean SIDS,” workshop which was held from July 9–10, 2025, in Grenada.
Minister James, who presented via video at the workshop hosted by the Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C), in collaboration with United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the G-CREWS Project, and the Government of Grenada, said “while the Caribbean is renowned for its lush landscapes and frequent rains, it remains a water-stressed region, particularly in terms of storage, access, and infrastructure.”
Minister James’ address also focused on the Caribbean’s implementation of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM), which is at 39% to date, below the global average of 57% reinforces the importance of implementation, explaining that while water doesn’t obey bureaucratic lines or electoral cycles, the need for cross-sectoral planning, strong institutions, and meaningful community involvement exist.
“This is our moment to lead with clarity, courage, and compassion. Let us rise to the water challenge not with fear, but with confidence—knowing that every drop counts, and every citizen counts on us to protect it.”
The Grenadian Minister emphasized the need to accelerate progress, pointing to existing regional success stories and platforms like the Global Water Partnership Caribbean (GWP-C) and the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA) as examples of the power of collaboration and support towards the achievement of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM).
