Barbados envoy highlights China’s green leadership

As global climate negotiations intensify at the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) now underway in Belém, Brazil, Barbados’ Ambassador to China, Hallam Henry, has hailed China’s progress in green transformation and its leadership in global energy transition.

In an interview with China News Network, Ambassador Henry said China’s determined shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy stands as “a powerful example of what sustained investment and innovation can achieve.” He pointed out that China’s rapid expansion in solar, wind, and hydropower industries has produced some of the world’s top renewable enterprises, offering “valuable lessons for developing nations, including small island states like Barbados.”

Henry noted that for Barbados — a tourism-dependent Caribbean nation — environmental protection is not just a policy choice but an economic necessity. He said Barbados continues to advocate for stronger global climate action, urging developed nations to deliver on their commitments to climate finance, technology transfer, and emission reductions.

The ambassador added that COP30 presents a critical opportunity for renewed cooperation under the Paris Agreement, emphasizing that the world cannot afford to lose momentum in achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “This is the decade for decisive action,” he said, calling for greater solidarity among developing countries to ensure a fair and inclusive transition to clean energy.

China–Barbados Relations Strengthen Through Green Cooperation

Since establishing diplomatic ties in 1977, China and Barbados have deepened collaboration across multiple sectors — from infrastructure to renewable energy, education, and technology. China has supported several sustainable initiatives in Barbados, including the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute’s photovoltaic training center and the Hope Plantation Solar Farm, both key to advancing the island’s clean-energy targets.

Barbados has also joined China in promoting South–South cooperation on climate resilience, particularly through the Belt and Road Initiative’s Green Development Partnership. Ambassador Henry’s remarks come as both countries continue to align their priorities on sustainable growth, climate financing, and global environmental governance, reinforcing a partnership that blends shared values with practical cooperation.