What's happening in the Caribbean

OECS Strategic Plan on Human Mobility in the Context of Climate Change, OECS, 28 April, 2020
It is projected that climate change impacts will mainly lead to movement of people within their own countries, or regionally. Therefore, developing and implementing national and regional approaches to address human mobility in the context of climate change should be key objectives for the OECS Commission and the OECS Member States.

Earth Today | UN Chief Calls Attention To Climate Change Amid Virus Fight, The Gleaner, 23 April 2020
UNITED NATIONS Secretary General António Guterres has called the world’s attention back to climate change, even as countries work feverishly to save lives in the face of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Coronavirus crisis underscores small islands’ climate vulnerability, Climate Home News, 17 April 2020
The pandemic is a new setback for island states already suffering from climate change and storms such as Cyclone Harold and Hurricane Dorian.

 

Recent Publications on Climate Change and the Caribbean

Peer-reviewed publications that explore regionally relevant aspects of climate change are critical. Here are recent scientific publications that focus on the Caribbean:

Communicating marine climate change impacts in the Caribbean and Pacific regions

Geographies of vulnerability: a research note on human system adaptations to climate change in the Caribbean

Adaptation, Official Development Assistance, and Institution Building: The Case of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre

The enhancement of resilience to disasters and climate change in the Caribbean through the modernization of the energy sector

An Inter-Comparison of the Holiday Climate Index (HCI:Beach) and the Tourism Climate Index (TCI) to Explain Canadian Tourism Arrivals to the Caribbean

Major 2017 Hurricanes and their Cumulative Impacts on Coastal Waters of the USA and the Caribbean

 

Face to a name

Dr Adelle Thomas
Regional Scientist

I work as the Regional Scientist for the Caribbean for the IMPACT project. As a human-environment geographer, I am interested in the particular vulnerabilities and adaptation potentials for small island developing states and have worked for several years on intersections between climate change adaptation, environmental protection and development. My past experiences in conducting policy-relevant research along with translating scientific information for use in policy and project development are beneficial inachieving IMPACTS goal of strengtheningthe interface between science and policy to enable access to climate finance and implement concrete projects.

Based at the University of The Bahamas, I interact closely with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre to tailor the goals of the project for the region. I believe that maintaining a presence in the Caribbean allows for the development of relationships with policymakers and researchersand identification ofpriority areas that IMPACT can assist in addressing.

 

Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre

Our partner organisation in the Caribbean Region is the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC). Through its role as a Centre of Excellence, the CCCCC will support the people of the Caribbean as they address the impact of climate variability and change on all aspects of economic development, through the provision of timely forecasts and analyses of potentially hazardous impacts of both natural and man-induced climatic changes on the environment, and the development of special programmes which create opportunities for sustainable development.

“The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre coordinates the Caribbean region’s response to climate change, working on effective solutions and projects to combat the environmental impacts of climate change. The Centre is pleased to work with Climate Analytics to develop and implement IMPACT as it focuses on strengthening the connections between policy/project development and scientific assessments of climate impacts, vulnerability and adaptation. As a regional implementing entity for the Green Climate Fund, the Centre is committed to supporting countries in the Caribbean to access funding and implement climate action, another key goal of IMPACT and a significant need for this highly vulnerable region.”
Carlos Fuller, International and Regional Liaison Officer

 

Featuring

Adaptation Actions - Interactive Map Tool

During the inception phase of IMPACT, our stakeholders identified a need for a consolidated database of adaptation actions that have taken place in the region. By taking stock of adaptation plans, policies, projects and strategies in the region, IMPACT researchers developed this database, and created an interactive Climate Adaptation Map.

 

Project activities

IPCC report on oceans and ice workshop, Belize

The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, Climate Analytics, and Charles and Associates held a workshop in Belize City, Belize, on 29-30 July 2019 to review the draft IPCC Special Report on Oceans and the Cryosphere (SROCC). A total of 17 participants attended, including representatives from eight Caribbean SIDS and from the University of the West Indies (UWI), reviewing the report and discussing pertinent issues for the region. Participants stressed the importance of the meeting for strengthening coordination among Caribbean SIDS on IPCC matters as well as the need to support regional scientists to become IPCC authors. Participants also discussed lessons learned from the IPCC 1.5°C Special Report.

Learn more about the workshops organised under IMPACT.

 

Regional Climate Change Researchers

There is a well-established, but informal, network of climate change researchers in the Caribbean. While these researchers conduct and publish important work, there is limited awareness of their research. To address this gap, we have developing a database of regional researchers to facilitate collaboration between researchers and policymakers and to publicise regional research. The database can then be expanded into a central network of all climate change researchers in the region, which would facilitate collaboration and potentially lead to increased opportunities to apply for funding and work on large scale projects.

The database is hosted by the CCCCC:

 

Peer-Reviewed Regional Literature Database

Academic databases and search engines often filter results by number of citations which can make it difficult to easily identify regionally relevant work. Having a curated database makes peer-reviewed literature on the region more accessible for use by researchers and policy-makers.
Together with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), we have developed a database of relevant literature that increases accessibility and visibility of publications about the region. The database makes it easier to find relevant publications and also increases the profile of research about the region in non-academic and non-policy settings.

The database has been integrated into the CCCCC Clearinghouse

 

Blog Caribbean

Coronavirus underscores small islands' climate vulnerability

The coronavirus pandemic is a new setback for island states already suffering from climate change and storms such as Cyclone Harold and Hurricane Dorian. They are also preparing for the next season… What are the implications for the efficacy of coronavirus measures as well as for the economic resources available to respond to the pandemic?  
17 April 2020

Relevant recent publications

Loss and damage costing and financing mechanisms: Caribbean outlookBriefing papers

Loss and damage refers to impacts of climate change that occur despite adaptation and mitigation efforts. This brief provides a background on loss and damage, its importance for the Caribbean, tools and methodologies to determine costs of loss and damage, and potential innovative financing mechanisms. The region has seen an increase in the number of recorded weather and climate hazards and resultant impacts on biophysical and human systems. As global temperatures continue to increase, Caribbean SIDS face significant levels of both economic and non-economic loss and damage.  
2018, April
 

Debt for Climate Swaps: Caribbean OutlookBriefing papers

Caribbean SIDS are among the most heavily indebted per capita developing countries in the world and are also highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Public debt significantly restricts capacity and fiscal space to build resilience to climate change and thus undermines debt sustainability and economic growth. Caribbean SIDS are tasked with addressing low and stagnated growth, high public debt and vulnerabilities to climate change impacts. This briefing looks at how debt for climate swaps may provide an avenue for SIDS to address debt challenges while also increasing resilience to climate change.  
2018, April
 

Tropical Cyclones: Impacts, the link to Climate Change and AdaptationBriefing papers

Following the string of high intensity tropical cyclones in the Atlantic basin in 2017 and the devastating impacts on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), a number of questions have been raised about linkages between these cyclones and climate change. This briefing provides clarity on scientifically-supported connections between existing tropical cyclones and climate change. The briefing also summarises how climate change may affect tropical cyclones at increased global mean temperatures in the future and provides a summary of the observed socio-economic impacts of these extreme events on SIDS.  
2017, November