Greening Tobago

The belief is clear – the question is how to get there. There is widespread appeal throughout the Caribbean to turn the region’s islands into green economies where the only footprint is the one left by people in the sand.

One of the big elements of this transformation would be to encourage more use of renewable technology and less consumption of ever-more expensive fossil fuels.

Trinidad and Tobago is one country that could lead the way. Unlike most other island developing states, Trinidad is a major producer and exporter of fossil fuels, mainly natural gas.  The smaller sister Island of Tobago, however, is famed as one of the most pristine Caribbean tourist islands and markets as “Green, Clean and Serene”.  The economic drivers of these two islands are clearly in sharp contrast, but their differences are an opportunity for Trinidad and Tobago to diversify both its economic and energy bases.  Also, the country is in the envious position of being one of the few in the Caribbean that could afford to invest in a large-scale transition to renewable energy as part of its tourism branding for Tobago.  It’s a shift that could present major business opportunities for Trinidad and Tobago in the manufacturing of low-carbon and renewable technologies.

How can it be achieved?

With funding from the British High Commission and the German Embassy, CARIBSAVE carried out a consultation and workshop in Tobago to investigate the idea. The project was called Greening Tobago and it looked at the challenges Tobagonians face in making the switch to renewable energy, power-efficient technology and low-carbon economic growth.

Tobago was chosen as a pilot site because its government is committed to helping its citizens prosper, its authorities are keenly aware of the need to cut emissions of greenhouse gases and it has an abundance of natural sources of renewable energy.

In the first phase of the project, talks with government, non-governmental organisations and business exposed a wealth of ideas for achieving greener development. One of the most promising proposals was to transform Tobago into a “low-carbon tourism destination”, a proposal that could both conserve the limited fossil fuels and be a major marketing pull for tourism.

The ideas from the talks were sent out to involved parties for feedback and suggestions. The results revealed broad support for low-carbon goals as well as major challenges in meeting them. The main barriers were the high initial cost of alternative energy systems, government subsidies for fuel imports, the need for more government leadership in the area and a lack of people with the technical skills to install and maintain renewable energy systems.

The study is one activity in a bigger effort to assist the people of the Caribbean move toward a sustainable future and prosperous green economies.

[vc_message color="alert-info" el_position="last"]

For further information contact: Dr Owen Day, owen.day@caribsave.org

[/vc_message]

[vc_row el_position="last"] [vc_column] [vc_toggle title="PROJECT SUMMARY" open="false" el_position="first last"]

Funded by the British High Commission and the German Embassy, this project focused on addressing the challenges facing Tobagonian stakeholders in adopting renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies, revealing an array of actions that could be taken forward to facilitate greater investments in these areas in pursuit of a green growth low-carbon development pathway and potentially 'carbon-neutral tourism destination' status.

 

[/vc_toggle] [/vc_column] [/vc_row]

MSMEs: Building Climate Resilience (CCCCE-ARK)

[vc_row el_position="first"] [vc_column] [vc_column_text el_position="first"]

For many people living in the Caribbean, the difference is already being felt: climate change and a host of other factors have led to unpredictable weather and the loss or degradation of natural resources, like coastal erosion.  Whether they make their living from the sea, farming, tourism or crafts, residents in coastal communities want to know and understand more about these changes because they affect their lives and livelihoods.

The big question for them is what they can do about it?

The Climate Change, Coastal Community Enterprises, Adaptation, Resilience and Knowledge (CCCCE-ARK – pronounced “sea-ark”) project, is a two-and-a-half-year initiative to help people who operate small-scale businesses tackle the storms of climate change and make their businesses more economically viable and sustainable over time. It involves finding ways to deal with the challenges they face, for example water scarcity, drought, flooding and coastal erosion from storm surge and sea level rise.

Small businesses play a vital role in Caribbean coastal communities and their local economies, providing about 90 percent of all jobs and accounting for roughly 70 percent of the overall economy. They are also some of the most vulnerable to both environmental and economic impacts  – their reliance on natural resources combined with their limited financial means (amongst others), makes it that much harder for them to change their  operations, relocate or rebuild when disaster strikes.

The CCCCE-ARK project will benefit about 1,200 low-income residents and 50 micro- to medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) across eight coastal communities in Jamaica, Belize, Barbados, and the Bahamas. Its goal is to develop adaptation plans for the community as whole, and also for the 50 enterprises participating in the project. Half of these businesses will receive funding and targeted training to put their adaptation strategies into commercial practice. Participants will be selected based on their interest, capacity to learn and ability to influence others in the community.

Best practices will be shared from community to community, and country to country through several exchanges. For example, Bahamian fishermen, who have already well-established sustainable fishing practices designed to counter coral bleaching, will travel to Barbados to share their experience with fishermen there. Conditions will vary from business to business and place to place but the underlying holistic approach promises benefits for the wider MSME community.

This project is just the start of what is hoped will be a broader venture showing other communities and businesses throughout the region how the model can be expanded and applied to their situation.  Case studies and videos of the lessons learned from the process will be made available so that others too, can find a way to adapt their businesses to thrive in the future – despite a changing climate.

The project is the first climate change adaptation project being funded by the Multilateral Investment Facility of the Inter-American Development Bank.

[/vc_column_text] [vc_message color="alert-info" el_position="last"]

For further information contact: Judi Clarke,  judi.clarke@caribsave.org

[/vc_message] [/vc_column] [/vc_row] [vc_row el_position="last"] [vc_column] [vc_toggle title="PROJECT SUMMARY" open="false" el_position="first last"]

The Climate Change, Coastal Community Enterprises, Adaptation, Resilience and Knowledge project, or CCCCE-ARK, is a two and a half year-long initiative being funded by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the purpose of the project is to ensure that 50 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) across 8 coastal communities in Jamaica, Belize, Barbados, and the Bahamas are more resilient to changes in climate. More specifically, it is anticipated that 1,200 low income individuals will benefit from capacity building workshops on climate change and adaptation, and 50 MSMEs including fishermen, tourism operators, and craftsmen will receive training in climate change adaptation. 25 MSMEs will receive additional training to incorporate climate change into their business plans, and funding to launch initiatives. The indirect beneficiaries will be: 3,000 low-income individuals, family members and friends of project participants, who will indirectly gain knowledge about potential climate change impacts, business adaptation alternatives, and potential alternative income-generating activities.

The project consists of four primary components: (1) the development of Community Adaptation Plans; (2) implementation of Community Adaptation Plans through training; (3) the development and implementation of detailed MSME Adaptation Plans; and (4) dissemination, monitoring, and evaluation of results. Along with the community and MSME adaptation plans, other project outputs will include an inventory of MSMEs and local stakeholders in coastal communities; climate change training of coastal MSMEs; creation of knowledge networks between selected coastal communities; funded and implemented MSME adaptation strategies; and knowledge products, including video, radio, and written case studies.

This project will demonstrate a model that can be continued and expanded after project completion. The knowledge and learning products generated, such as videos, audio and reports will summarise the lessons learned from this early MSME adaptation project. At the end of the project, beneficiary coastal communities and MSMEs will understand the risks presented by changing climate, allowing them to have developed appropriate adaptation and response strategies for their homes and businesses, and to share lessons with each other and other non-target vulnerable coastal communities.

[/vc_toggle]
[vc_cta_button title="DOWNLOAD" href="http://intasave-caribsave.intasave.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/09/C-ARK-Project-Brief-4pp.pdf" color="btn-info" size="wpb_regularsize" icon="none" target="_blank" position="cta_align_right" call_text="Download the C-ARK Project Brief (PDF)"] [vc_cta_button title="DOWNLOAD" href="http://intasave-caribsave.intasave.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/09/C-ARK-6pp-Project-Summary.pdf" color="btn-info" size="wpb_regularsize" icon="none" target="_blank" position="cta_align_right" call_text="Download the C-ARK Project Summary (PDF)"]
[/vc_column] [/vc_row]

Management of Caribbean Climate Change Research Projects

CARIBSAVE’s wealth of expertise puts it not only at the forefront of work in climate change in the Caribbean, but also at the centre of efforts to conduct climate research in the Caribbean.

In November 2011, The CARIBSAVE Partnership was selected by the Climate Development Knowledge Network, as the managing partner of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in an initiative to support climate change research in the Caribbean and to help decision-makers design and deliver climate-compatible development.

Through a process of inviting research proposals and rigorously evaluating them against a set of criteria, CARIBSAVE and an international expert panel selected five research projects to receive a total of US$480,000 in funding from the UK’s Department for International Development and the Netherlands’ Directorate-General for International Cooperation.  These are:

1. "Participatory research to enhance climate change policy and institutions in the Caribbean: ARIA tool pilot” being implemented by the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute.


2. "Assessing the potential impacts of climate change on Belize’s water resources” being implemented by the Environmental Research Institute of the University of Belize.


3. “Climate Change and inland flooding in Jamaica, risk and adaptation measures for vulnerable communities” being implemented by the Department of  Geography and  Geology, Mona Campus, University of the West Indies.


4. "Identifying opportunities for climate compatible tourism development in Belize” being implemented by the World Wildlife Fund Belize.


5. “Climate Impacts and Resilience in Caribbean Agriculture: Assessing the consequences of climate change on cocoa and tomato production in Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica”  - being jointly implemented by the Department of Geography and Geology, Mona Campus and the Department of Life Sciences, St. Augustine Campus, both of the University of the West Indies.

The range of outcomes from this two-year initiative will include case studies of activities which are compatible with climate change, planning and practice in a range of countries and contexts as well as academic peer-reviewed papers.

[vc_message color="alert-info" el_position="last"]

For more information contact: Judi Clarke, judi.clarke@caribsave.org

[/vc_message]

[vc_row el_position="last"] [vc_column] [vc_toggle title="PROJECT SUMMARY" open="false" el_position="first last"]

In progress...

[/vc_toggle] [/vc_column] [/vc_row]

Loss & Damage from Slow Onset Events in SIDS

The changes may be gradual but the dangers are potent and real. Sea level rise, higher temperatures, ocean acidification, desertification and salinity, all associated with climate change, take a long time to appear but deserve immediate attention.

There is much that can be done to minimise these “slow onset” events but for many small island developing states the solutions are out of reach – their already limited resources are focused on defending their economies and communities from the damage of extreme weather events and responding to economic, environmental and social losses when they happen.

CARIBSAVE’s 2013 study “Assessing and Addressing Loss and Damage from Slow Onset Events in Small Island Developing States and Vulnerable Countries”, gives vulnerable countries an overview of the pragmatic and realistic responses they can make to slow onset events and the help that’s available to implement them. This project is funded by: the United Nations Development Programme, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States.

Slow onset events are complex and interconnected, and can have a lasting impact across a population, from the way people earn a living to the best place to build an airport. The responses can range from drafting better building practices for more efficient water use and retrofitting hospitals for greater ventilation, to cultivating lower-impact food production.

There are many international mechanisms to help smaller countries cope with climate change but most don’t specifically address the longer-term phenomena. However, many of these schemes have elements that can be repurposed for adaptation to slow onset events. Funding and technical support is available under programmes like the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism and the Hyogo Framework for Action.

There are also ways that smaller island states can prepare now for inevitable losses in the future. In some cases, for example, it will be unfeasible to protect very low-lying and very small islands from sea level rise, so plans have to be put in place now to relocate people living in those areas. Countries can start preparing for those unavoidable losses by building up reserve funds or securing loans when interest rates are lower. Some form of insurance scheme specifically for slow onset events would also go a long way in preventing financial setbacks, as yet one does not exist.

It is clear that the benefits of avoiding slow onset losses outweigh the costs of repairing damage once it is done. For many small island developing states, action is required now, before the costs become prohibitive.

[vc_row el_position="last"] [vc_column] [vc_message color="alert-info" el_position="first last"]

For further information contact: Dr. Murray Simpson, author, murray.simpson@caribsave.org

[/vc_message] [vc_separator]
[vc_cta_button title="DOWNLOAD" href="http://intasave-caribsave.intasave.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2013/09/Loss-Damage_Interim_Key_Points-Short_Summary-Nov2012.pdf" color="btn-info" size="wpb_regularsize" icon="none" target="_blank" position="cta_align_right" call_text="Download the Interim Key Points Short Summary (PDF)"] [/vc_column] [/vc_row]

Tourism Sector in Barbados

At a few degrees above the equator, Barbados is perfectly positioned as a tropical paradise.

The sun, surf and coral sand beaches are an easy sell that draws more than half a million visitors to the island each year. This could all change if what is now seen as a sunny, relaxing clime becomes too hot for comfort or if the beaches disappear under rising sea levels.

These changes are some of the possibilities CARIBSAVE detailed in its 2010 economic assessment on the impacts of climate change on the tourism sector in Barbados.  A report commissioned by United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Tourism is the mainstay of Barbados’ economy and the industry is expected to grow in the country and throughout the region. The sector contributes about 12 percent directly to the economy and employs more than 13,000 people.  And its real impact is much wider, touching the water, energy and agriculture sectors, to name a few. Therefore, any threat to the industry as a whole presents grave dangers to the jobs and livelihoods of people working throughout the tourism chain.

And climate change presents such threats. Sea levels are rising, temperatures are increasing and rainfall patterns are shifting.

Consequently, the report specifically investigated the diverse effects global climatic shifts are likely to have on the island and its tourism-driven economy. The main issues that emerged were damage to coral reefs, destruction of land and property due to sea level rise and “tourist mobility” - travellers heading elsewhere as the destination becomes less attractive.

The researchers also looked at a range of options the island and its people could invest in, to offset the potentially devastating losses. The options offered relatively high benefits compared to the costs involved and would be straightforward to implement. They included better reef monitoring systems to provide early warnings of bleaching events and artificial reefs for encouraging the growth of coral and fish habitat.  Both would protect the marine ecosystem and thereby the beaches.

Tourism is at the heart of the Barbadian economy and central to the challenges shaped by climate change. Similarly, CARIBSAVE is at the heart of efforts to ensure that Barbados retains its natural beauty and ability to sustain itself as an island tourism destination.

[vc_row el_position="last"] [vc_column] [vc_message color="alert-info" el_position="first last"]

For further information contact: Dr. Murray Simpson, lead author of the study, murray.simpson@caribsave.org

[/vc_message] [/vc_column] [/vc_row]

Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Impacts in the Caribbean & Pacific

The island communities of the Caribbean and Pacific contribute less than 1 percent to global greenhouse gas emissions but these countries are expected to be among the earliest and hardest-hit by climate change in the coming decades.

Their relative isolation, small land masses, concentrated coastal infrastructure and populations, small economies and dependency on natural resources makes them particularly exposed to extreme events and climate change impacts. These threats are compounded by a lack of technical expertise and finance.

But just how big are those threats and where are they likely to be felt the most? The United Nations Development Programme and funding bodies in Britain and Australia commissioned CARIBSAVE to catalogue those threats and impacts in a comprehensive study of the Caribbean, with added analysis for the Pacific islands.

The report was divided into two major phases. In the first, high-resolution climate models were overlaid on the Caribbean region to map likely sea level rises if average global temperatures were to increase by 1.5 degrees Celsius and 2 degrees Celsius. The results gave a clear overview of the potential effects on vital resources like coral reefs and water supplies.

In the second phase, CARIBSAVE researchers quantified the cost of those upheavals to key sectors of the economy, putting a price on replacing lost environmental benefits like fresh drinking water. It drove home the need to bind detailed climate modeling into the decision-making process and to refine the ways these islands calculate the damage bill.

The reports revealed that the type of impacts of each scenario would be largely the same for all of the island communities but the scale of the fallout would vary dramatically. For example, a larger share of the population and infrastructure of Antigua and Belize would be susceptible to flooding from storm surges than in other places because of their proximity to the coast.

Decision-makers and many members of the general public are well aware that climate change threatens to transform their lives but there is little effective they can do without this kind of granular analysis. These reports not only provide the data and projections, they contain a raft of recommendations that all can use as a springboard for adaptation.

There is no doubt that the impact of sea level rises will affect every aspect of island communities. Unless there is targeted protection for life along coasts and careful planning of future infrastructure, island communities in the Caribbean and the Pacific will struggle to adapt to the tide of environmental change.

[vc_message color="alert-info" el_position="last"]

For further information contact: admin@caribsave.org

[/vc_message]

[vc_row el_position="last"] [vc_column] [vc_toggle title="PROJECT SUMMARY" open="false" el_position="first last"]

PHASE ONE: AN OVERVIEW OF MODELLING CLIMATE CHANGE: IMPACTS IN THE CARIBBEAN WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE PACIFIC REGION

This report, commissioned by the UNDP Sub-Regional Office for Barbados and the OCES and the UK Department for International Development (DFID) with support from Australia’s International Climate Change Adaptation Initiative; presented an overview for all CARICOM Member States of the risks from climate change, with a section on common threats of climate change for the Pacific island countries. It focused on climate change projections for the Caribbean region under +1.5°C and +2°C global warming scenarios, the implications of ice sheet melt for global sea level rise (SLR), the projections and implications of SLR for the Caribbean region, evaluation of the differential impacts of +1.5°C and +2°C on coral reefs, water resources and agriculture in the Caribbean, with additional analysis for the Pacific Islands.

Below are the outputs for Phase I:

An Overview of Modelling Climate Change: Impacts in the Caribbean Region with contribution from the Pacific Islands: Full Document | DOWNLOAD

An Overview of Modelling Climate Change: Impacts in the Caribbean Region with contribution from the Pacific Islands: Summary Document | DOWNLOAD

An Overview of Modelling Climate Change: Impacts in the Caribbean Region with contribution from the Pacific Islands: Key Points Document | DOWNLOAD

---

PHASE TWO: QUANTIFICATION AND MAGNITUDE OF LOSSES AND DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE: MODELLING THE TRANSFORMATIONAL IMPACTS AND COSTS OF SEA LEVEL RISE IN THE CARIBBEAN

This report, commissioned by the UNDP Sub-Regional Office for Barbados and the OCES, builds on the scientific foundations of Phase I and focuses on the recommendations, prioritised by the CARICOM Task Force on Climate Change and Development to be undertaken as soon as possible: (1) improving climate change modelling for making informed decisions, and (2) improving predictions of impacts on key sectors and assessing adaptation measures. Specifically, this report provides a detailed and vigorous assessment of the losses and damages associated with sea level rise impacts on the population, ecosystems and key economic sectors in CARICOM nations.

Below are the outputs for Phase II:

Quantification and Magnitude of Losses and Damages Resulting from the Impacts of Climate Change: Modelling the Transformational Impacts and Costs of Sea Level Rise in the Caribbean: Full Document | DOWNLOAD

Quantification and Magnitude of Losses and Damages Resulting from the Impacts of Climate Change: Modelling the Transformational Impacts and Costs of Sea Level Rise in the Caribbean: Summary Document | DOWNLOAD

Quantification and Magnitude of Losses and Damages Resulting from the Impacts of Climate Change: Modelling the Transformational Impacts and Costs of Sea Level Rise in the Caribbean: Key Points and Summary for Policy Makers | DOWNLOAD

 

[/vc_toggle] [/vc_column] [/vc_row]

Barbados - Second National Communication

Barbados has been a signatory to the world’s key climate change convention for two decades - signing up is just the start. Each country that commits to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) must prepare detailed reports on how they are putting the agreement into practice.

These reports, or National Communications, describe the range of socio-economic factors that influence a country’s vulnerability and capacity to adapt to climate change, from education and technology to financial resources and public awareness. In addition, the report provides an inventory of greenhouse gas emission sources and describes the efforts under way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It’s a highly demanding technical assessment and requires the skills and experience of expert researchers.

In 2011, Barbados’ Ministry of Environment and Drainage enlisted consultancy Environment Gain Ltd (Engain) from the UK – who then partnered with CARIBSAVE – to prepare the country’s Second National Communication report on progress made towards the convention’s goals.

The report draws on a wide range of public and private sources for data and information to ensure that the final document has the thoroughness the topic deserves. CARIBSAVE is responsible for reporting on how Barbados can adapt to the impacts of climate change and cut emissions to minimise environmental shifts.

Because of their international profile, these documents are some of the most important tools communities have to bring national climate change concerns to the attention of international policymakers and help identify where a country needs assistance. The documents are also the main reference point for national-level stakeholders interested in climate change.

[vc_message color="alert-info" el_position="last"]

For further information contact: admin@caribsave.org

[/vc_message]

[vc_row el_position="last"] [vc_column] [vc_toggle title="PROJECT SUMMARY" open="false" el_position="first last"]

Barbados ratified the UNFCCC on 23 March 1994 and the Kyoto Protocol on 7 August 2000. Parties to the UNFCCC must submit national reports on their implementation of the Convention to the Conference of the Parties. Barbados submitted its First National Communication (FNC) Report in November 2001 with the aid of technical and financial support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The report included information on national circumstances, vulnerability assessment, financial resources and transfer of technology, and education, training and public awareness. This project will result in the submission of the Second National Communication in 2013.

The Ministry of Environment and Drainage (MED) of the Government of Barbados secured the services of Environmental Gain Ltd (Engain) to produce a Second National Communication (SNC) that will provide a greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory for Barbados and information on the mitigation of, and adaptation to, expected climate change impacts in the country. Engain have partnered with Aether of the UK and The CARIBSAVE Partnership to complete this important report.

The project consists of six (6) main components:

• National Circumstances


• GHG Inventory


• Programmes on Adaptation


• Mitigation Measures


• Other Gaps


• Constraints/Gaps

Compilation of the report requires the collation of data and information from a large number of organisations, both public and private, to ensure the SNC provides the best possible information. In addition, reporting on and assessing climate change mitigation options and adaptation strategies will require the active involvement of a wide number of people and organisations, and this activity should continue after the compilation of the SNC.

The National Communications are one of the most important tools for bringing climate change concerns to the attention of policy makers at the national level through highlighting and disseminating climate change concerns. Climate change is a complex issue, which has inevitable consequences for all spheres of the environment and subsequently the economy.

 

[/vc_toggle] [/vc_column] [/vc_row]