Nassau, August 16 (RHC) -- Cuba's Prime Minister Manuel Marrero ratified on Tuesday in the Bahamas his country's willingness to fight climate change, during the first Regional Meeting of Heads of Government of the Caribbean, in preparation for the upcoming United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP27), which will take place in November in Egypt.

Cuba defends the principle that a better world is possible, he said at the meeting held in the Bahamian capital until August 18, according to the Office of the Presidency of Cuba on Twitter.

During his intervention in the Mitigation panel, he said that the current climate crisis requires more ambitious commitments from all states, first and foremost, the developed ones.

"It is essential to end the irrational production and consumption patterns of capitalism," he said.

Likewise, Marrero informed that in September 2020, Cuba presented an update of its Nationally Determined Contribution, with more ambitious commitments until 2030 that include increasing electricity generation with renewable sources by up to 24 percent and increasing forest coverage by 33 percent.

He said that despite the severe limitations derived from the blockade imposed by the United States, the Caribbean island had made progress.

"However, the achievement of higher goals also depends on the availability of the necessary resources to support national efforts," he added.

At the meeting, the Cuban prime minister conveyed greetings from President Miguel Díaz-Canel and thanked the statements of support received from the Caribbean Community and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, given the incident that occurred at the supertanker base in the city of Matanzas.

The first day is organized into several panels on Mitigation, with emphasis on energy security and sustainability, and carbon markets.

It also includes topics related to Adaptation to the impacts of climate change.

Marrero arrived the day before in Nassau and was received by the Bahamas Minister of Health, Michael Darville, whom he thanked for the warm welcome and ratified the willingness to expand bilateral cooperation ties.