BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC -Within the coronary heart of the Latin American and Caribbean area the place the colourful cultures and wealthy biodiversity intersect, the United Nations Latin America and Caribbean Local weather Week (LACCW) shall be convened from October 23 to 27, 2023, hosted by the federal government of Panama.
Leaders, activists, policymakers, and consultants from throughout the area will assemble to take inventory of the vital challenges of local weather change forward of the United Nations Local weather Change Convention (COP28) in Dubai.
LACCW requires regional Motion on 4 precedence areas:
- Vitality programs and trade
- Cities, city and rural settlements, infrastructure, and transport
- Land, ocean, meals, and water
- Societies, well being, livelihoods and economies
The implications of local weather change are felt acutely within the 29 Caribbean small island creating states (SIDS) which have skilled report excessive temperatures, with consequent impacts from rising sea ranges, devastating hurricanes, longer dry seasons, and droughts, which have an effect on economies, populations, and livelihoods.
Barbados and the Jap Caribbean SIDS Small Island Improvement States) are among the many smallest and most weak, with small, open economies beset by current exterior shocks such because the 2008 international monetary and 2020 COVID-19 crises.
Caribbean SIDS additionally grapples with many years of unsustainable practices in improvement, manufacturing, and infrastructure which have, over many years, spewed stable waste and effluent air pollution into delicate terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Mixed with local weather results, these threaten the resilience of ecosystems that present frontline safety in coastal areas.
In a 2023 Caribbean survey on SIDS challenges carried out by the UN Division of Financial and Social Affairs (DESA), the best class of reported issues cited have been “adversarial results of local weather change” (15 p.c), adopted by “lack of biodiversity” (11 p.c), and “pure disasters” (8.7 p.c).
Local weather change disproportionately impacts the poorest, most marginalized, and weak communities. Ladies and kids usually lack entry to assets and belongings to deal with disasters. Poverty ranges in Jap Caribbean SIDS common 24.6 p.c, whereas ladies are usually unemployed at larger charges and paid at decrease ranges than males, which will increase their vulnerability.
Most individuals with low incomes are employed within the tourism and agriculture sectors, that are significantly weak to exterior occasions. Small-scale landholders and producers are additionally more and more weak attributable to high-income dependence on degraded agricultural lands and fishing shares.
Defending and empowering these communities to turn out to be extra resilient is crucial by involving them in coordinated catastrophe preparedness and response, early warning programs, and investing in climate-resilient livelihoods and social security nets. This additionally means investing in training and public consciousness, making certain that everybody is aware of their function in turning the tide towards international warming and decreasing the severity of future local weather impacts.
This yr’s LACCW theme is “Constructing a Resilient and Inclusive Future in Latin America and the Caribbean.” The theme is extra apt than ever for reinvigorating the battle towards local weather change and leveraging the facility of the collective to construct a resilient and inclusive future.
The 2023 LACCW will unite a number of establishments and nationwide stakeholders to collect the emotions and core messages for Motion that the area will take to COP28 and the upcoming Fourth Worldwide SIDS Convention in 2024.
Caribbean communities are already experiencing the results of local weather change, and fast Motion should be taken to study, adapt, and put together for these modifications. Infrastructure should be strengthened to resist excessive climate occasions, sustainable agriculture practices adopted, and cities strengthened to be extra local weather resilient.
Mitigation can be very important in combating local weather change. Though the area isn’t amongst those who have traditionally emitted essentially the most greenhouse gases into the environment, we should take proactive steps to scale back our carbon emissions. This includes transitioning to scrub and renewable vitality sources, akin to wind, geothermal, and solar energy, and selling sustainable choices throughout all sectors.
Consequently, entry to local weather finance, particularly for adaptation, is crucial to construct resilience, however sadly, the Caribbean SIDS shouldn’t have ample financing to assist their funding wants.
This must be addressed with utmost precedence, and each the Bridgetown initiative promoted by Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley and the UN Secretary Common’s SDG Stimulus plan present essentially the most wanted financing options.
The UN Jap Caribbean Multi-Nation Sustainable Improvement Cooperation Framework (MSDCF) 2022-2026 gives a strong framework for UN help within the sub-region. For instance, we promote sustainable agriculture and forestry practices and determine appropriate coverage frameworks for sustainable transportation and energy-efficient buildings.
The UN can be working to enhance the resilience of communities by means of strengthening early warning programs, catastrophe preparedness, and responsive social safety mechanisms. Regardless of this useful work, efforts should be scaled up so the sub-region can construct a resilient and inclusive future.
It is a monumental process. Nevertheless, progress may be accelerated by taking small steps to speed up the transition to scrub vitality, leverage pure assets for sustainable options, and shield and empower weak communities.
To fight local weather change successfully, we should come collectively as a area. Local weather change doesn’t respect class, race, borders, or boundaries. It’s a international drawback that requires a collective response.
As we observe LACCW, allow us to be reminded of the great advantages gleaned from f collaborating as international locations and communities to advertise public consciousness, share information, pool assets, and work in direction of widespread targets. By strengthening our collective response, we are able to discover modern options to handle the largest menace to humanity – as we endeavor to protect individuals and the planet.
*Didier Trebucq is the UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the Jap Caribbean. Vincent Sweeney heads the United Nations Setting Programme (UNEP) Caribbean Sub-Regional Workplace.
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