Based in Saint George (Grenada), Dr. Thomas is Grenada’s Ambassador and Special Envoy for Multilateral Environmental Agreements and a former member of the IUCN Council. An expert in Energy Economics, with a focus on power sector efficiency and the use of renewable energy technologies, he has been involved in the design and implementation of energy development for multiple Caribbean economies.
Dr. Thomas has stated that development can be decoupled from environmental degradation, and it can be achieved through both bottom-up and top-down approaches, taking into account the socio-economic reality of the Caribbean. He has been involved in numerous innovative partnerships between private sector and civil society groups, such as the Pure Grenada tourism brand, the coral rehabilitation park, mangrove restoration, the Blue Innovation Institute and the Caribbean Challenge Initiative. His presentation will focus on the Caribbean’s current quest for energy security, partnerships between small island states and the trade offs present in financial and technical cooperation.