By Kimberly Ramkhalawan
March 4, 2022
Mitigating the impact climate change continues to have on to region is said to be moving at a slow rate, while not enough has been done for the implementation of policies that facilitate a speedier rollout. This was the focus of the March 2022 edition of the Central Bank of Barbados’ Caribbean Economic Forum, “Building Resilience Against Climate Change.”
Within recent years, the frequency of hurricanes in the Caribbean, and other natural disasters followed by floods now become something Professor Michael Taylor, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the West Indies, Mona calls ‘compounded hazards’.
Climate is already changing and it has been in stark and drastic ways, all which he says can be summed in the word unfamiliar, a new climate era marred by strange happenings adding by temperature changes have been drastic, with high temps being recorded throughout the Caribbean when compared to what was experienced 50 years ago.
Cletus Springer, Chairman Designate of the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) attributes the slow progress and advancement of responding to climate changes, has to do with financing to the specific issue in the region. He says currently the average project take three to four years for approval, a timeframe he says does not speak to an urgency in mitigating the damages resulting from the evolving effects from climate change. He calls for the funding and resources to be used within the region a little more creatively as too many projects while started, often lack a deep enough consideration of climate change effects. But is there a roadmap to change the culture and views of climate change in the Caribbean, to which Springer replied yes. Springer says while continuous work is being done with mainstream climate change, action is needed now.
The forum also featured panelist Rueanna Haynes, Director of Climate Analytics Caribbean who says there has been a lot of work done at the research and government regional level, and says what is needed is to see more implementation of policies, as it needs to accelerate its responses to the point where the region is at this time, a true climate crisis.
Reducing our greenhouse gas emissions that lead to global warming , accelerate in our adaptation to help our island states to adapt to the impacts the region already experiences, such as rise in sea level, Considering the impacts that we are already facing are moving at a much rapid pace, rise in sea level resulting in loss of coastal spaces, stronger hurricanes, the varying rainfall seen at different seasons of the year which cause unprecedented floods during the Caribbean’s typical dry weather season that impact the agro-sector, are all areas where climate change is felt.
She added that we also need to accelerate how we deal with loss and damage.
Haynes cited the recent power blackout experienced by Trinidad and Tobago in recent weeks, as a plausible reason that got people thinking about renewable sources of energy rather than depending on the traditional electricity generated from fossil fuels. She added that there was a need for government to get more of a forward thinking on matters as such and not wait for a disaster to occur before consideration is given. Haynes noted that this will have to addressed at the policy and legislative level for it to see the effective change needed in an urgent manner, a move that requires governments to take that the opportunity at hand to turn this corner on transforming its dependence on fossil fuel.
Her concern lies also with the burden of climate change being placed on the shoulders of the state having to take the lead in guiding not only policy despite having quite vibrant private sectors in the region. Even where finance is available, she says the policies are not there for creating the kind of impacts needed.
However, Springer rose the issue of not enough being done to protect our coastal lines, as more and more hotels continue to build along the shores, while sargassum seaweed also continues to take over.
He however notes that the Caribbean Natural Resources has been working with fisheries to assist in adaptation with the changes happening in our seas affecting the fish harvested, as fish kills continue to be a problem with the rise in water temperatures. Apart from that, a lot is being done to explain what is happening to the fish in the Caribbean, while providing resilience support to those who depend on the fishing sector for their livelihoods.
Springer noted, while the answer to what is being done to mitigate climate change in the region is no short answer, what is needed is a holistic society approach, with all hands-on deck, from policy reform to financing, and a greater understanding by the public on their impact on the environment.