CPDC: More international assistance necessary

THE Caribbean Policy Development Centre (CPDC) is calling for greater international attention and support to be given to the vulnerability of the region to natural disasters, given the implications for already fragile economies and social cohesion.

This comes in wake of the recent weather events in the Windward Islands which threaten to undermine the hard-fought development gains of these countries, and in light of predictions that climate change and environmental degradation will exacerbate the vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

According to the CPDC Executive Co-ordinator, Shantal Munro-Knight, the events which occurred have deeper, longer term implications which the region must address frontally. “When people think of natural disasters, they think of typhoons and the impact of major hurricanes and earthquakes. While this is understandable given the visibility of these events, for us in the region the reality is even starker, small events can over time pose major setbacks for economies and societies already struggling with sluggish economic growth and social fragility. The long-term impact on our economies will reverberate for years to come. We must get the international community to recognise that this is our constant reality.”

While some progress has been made as a result of international commitments, much more is required. The CPDC believes that as the global community moves ahead with developing a new agreed development framework to replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), very specific
attention should be given to recognising the vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Moreover, the CPDC recommends that the region use the upcoming 3rd International Conference on SIDS scheduled for Apia, Samoa this year, to press the call for greater rec-ognition of SIDS vulnerability in international processes, differentiated treatment in respect of obligations and greater resources to help the region implement adaptation measures. Importantly, the region must also draw attention to the growing negative impact that climate change will continue to play on the sustainable human development across the region.

“The issue of climate change and natural disasters must be treated as issues of major national concern. They must become part of the overarching conceptual framework, within which we frame our growth and development strategies.”