Regional approach needed to address climate change

A regional approach to addressing climate change is one of the critical factors in building resilient and sustainable Caribbean societies.

This was the view shared by Daphne Kellman, Deputy Perma-nent Secretary (DPS) in Barbados’ Ministry of Environment and Drainage recently, while delivering remarks on the behalf of Dr. Denis Lowe, Barbados’ Minister of Environment and Drainage, at the 2nd Regional Workshop on “Climate Change Modelling and Adaptation in the Caribbean” and the 2nd Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Climate Modelling Group.

From left: Rickardo Ward of Barbados’ Ministry of Environment
and Drainage; Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry,
Daphne Kellman; Head of the Climate Studies Group,
Dr. Michael Taylor; Head of the EU Delegation in Barbados,
Mickael Barfod; and Science Advisor to the CCCCC,
Dr. Ulric Trotz, at the opening.

The joint sessions were held last Friday in the Roy Marshall Teaching Complex of the UWI Cave Hill Campus.

During her address, Kellman remarked that the impacts of a changing climate are extremely cross-cutting and affect major economic and social sectors, such as public health, food security and the provision of energy and disaster management services. As such, inter-sectoral collaboration is required, ongoing and increasing, in response to the need to reasonably predict and to quickly adapt to changing climatic parameters.

“The Government of Barbados regards the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (5Cs) as a key institution to attend to the important role of harmonising the response of the CARICOM Community to the challenge of climate change,” she stated.

Executive Director of the Caribbean Community
Climate Change Centre, Dr. Kenrick Leslie,
making his presentation.

“Accordingly, we view the preparation of the ‘Regional Framework for Achieving Development Resilience to Climate Change’ and the supporting ‘Implementation Plan’, both of which have been endorsed by the CARICOM Heads of Government, as significant milestones in the discharge of this responsibility,” she also commented.

“We note that this perspective is also shared by our international partners, as evidenced by the relationships the Centre has cultivated with bilateral donors such as the European Union and with the Secretariat for the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, among others. The development and execution of this Regional Component to the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) Project of the European Union by the 5Cs, is the latest example of its engagement an international partner in support of facilitating regional action to enhance our resilience to climate change and is entirely consistent with the goals and objectives of the Regional Framework and Implementation Plan,” she also revealed.

The DPS pointed out that the above project was designed to address some of the recognised capacity limitations that are common across the region, including, insufficient development of climate scenarios and climate impact models in the region, limited ability to predict extreme climate related events, insufficient and or limited vulnerability studies conducted in the region and inadequate technical, institutional and financial capacity, to respond appropriately to climate change and position itself to access carbon financing.

Other key officials addressing the forum were His Excellency Mikael Barfod, Head of the European Union Delegation in Barbados; Dr. Michael Taylor, Head of the Climate Studies Group, who spoke on the topic, “The Caribbean Climate Modellers: A Look into the Future of Caribbean Climate”; and Dr. Ulric Trotz, Science Advisor with the CCCCC (Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre).

Participants from across the region also heard from Dr. Kenrick Leslie, Executive Director of the CCCCC, who spoke on the subject of the “Implementation Plan: A Response to Climate Change in the Caribbean”. (RSM)