CARICOM: Climate Change, A Clear and Present Danger: 1.

5 to Stay Alive
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By S Coward Published 16-Dec-09 Environment/Energy Unrated

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Several areas at risk

CARICOM Secretariat, -- Dec. 16, 2009 -- The global phenomenon called Climate Change has been described by experts and politicians alike as inarguably the greatest environmental phenomenon of our time, and as for its implications for the economic and social landscape, it is perceived as the most demanding challenge facing the world today. In essence, it can be concluded that only the global financial crisis parallels the climate change phenomenon in terms of threats to the worlds stability. Recognizing this, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), at its 14th Conference of Parties (COP14) in Poznan, Poland deemed climate change as not just an environmental issue but rather, one that has significant implications for sustainable development. The Caribbean in general and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in particular, owing to their limited size and proneness to natural hazards and external shocks, are the most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, despite the fact that they contribute very little to cause this catastrophe. This is underscored by the 2007 Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which highlighted the SIDS particular vulnerability in the areas of agriculture, biodiversity, human settlements, tourism, insurance and financial services, water resources and human health. The Hon Stephenson King, Prime Minister of Saint Lucia and lead CARICOM Head of Government for Sustainable Development has tersely worded the Caribbeans reality as any significant adverse effects on even one of the aforementioned sectors or resources, left unattended, will ultimately influence the extent to which we can successfully pursue the goal of sustainable development. CARICOMS response The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), conscious of the need to act quickly and decisively, from as early as 1994, initiated several steps to dealing with the pressing issues of Climate Change, fully recognizing the need to emphasise mitigation and adaptation measures. Arising from the Global Small Island Developing States Conference held in Barbados in 1994, was the unanimous resolve to give priority treatment to the issue of climate change

based on its potential to disrupt severely, the development efforts of SIDS and the low lying coastal states. Subsequently, in that same year, Caribbean governments solicited and received support from the Organisation of American States (OAS) to develop a regional project aimed at building capacity for adaptation to Climate Change. Those efforts gave expression to a series of capacity building projects including the Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Climate Change (CPACC) project, funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF); the ensuing 2001-2004 Adapting to Climate Change in the Caribbean (ACCC) project, funded by Canadian Climate Change Development Fund and the 2004-2007 Mainstreaming Adaptation to Climate Change project also funded by GEF. According to Dr Ken Leslie, Director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), those projects enjoyed a significant measure of success and were, among other things, responsible for the establishment of a CARICOM wide network of monitoring stations; development of regional capacity for coral reef monitoring; vulnerability assessments; economic valuation of environmental services; the articulation of national climate change adaptation policies and implementation plans, and increased public awareness of climate change issues in the Region. Notwithstanding the projects successes however, it was clear that a more permanent strategy was needed to respond more rapidly to the effects of Climate Change in the Caribbean. The birth of the five Cs Dr Ulric Trotz, then Project Manager for the MACC project noted that to facilitate the implementation of a programmatic strategy, the Region would require to, as far as possible indigenise the institutional arrangements for the implementation of Climate Change activities and moreover, place these on a more sustainable footing. This realization germinated the idea of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre a seed which bore fruit in 2004 when the CCCCC was officially opened with a clear mandate to coordinate the regions response to Climate Change. The Centre, in tandem with the CARICOM Secretariat, took its mandate seriously and after five years, under the directorship of Dr Ken Leslie, has much to boast about regarding its work. The battle for survival Despite all the ground work done in the areas of mitigation and adaptation however, the Caribbean still faces a clear and present danger: In what seems like one of earths cruel ironies, the gases that make life possible on earth are the very ones which threaten to destroy our very existence as they continue to heat up the planet rapidly - the effects of what is described as global warming or the green house effect. According to Mr Garfield Barnwell, CARICOM Secretariats Director of Sustainable Development, over the last 100 years, the average temperature of the air near the Earths surface has risen a little less than 1 Celsius, making the earth much warmer than it has been for at least a thousand years. The three hottest years he said, had occurred in the last eight years. Although from a laymans point of view, 1 Celsius does not seem all that

much, Mr Barnwell said, It is responsible for the conspicuous increase in storms, floods and raging forest fires we have seen in the last ten years. Mr Barnwell has jolted us to the gravity of the situation by explaining that the the constant rise in sea level, the dangerous impact on human lives from the emission of greenhouse gases, the erosion of natural beaches, and landslides due to deforestation all contribute to natural disasters compounded by the consequential negative effects on agriculture and food production, poverty and human suffering. 1.5 to stay alive The key therefore is to stabilise the earths temperature thus stabilising global warming. The critical question is: How do we do that? Princeton University scientists had identified 15 technologies from wind, solar and nuclear energy to conservation techniques that could stop the escalation of global warming for 50 years. According to the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC, it will cost between 0.2% and 3.0% of global GDP by 2030 to stabilize greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Climate scientists, economists and policy researchers are in agreement that limiting long-term global warming is achievable at a "negligible" cost, and the responsibility for action lies in the hands of politicians. It would appear therefore that what is needed here is the political will to accomplish what is perceived as do-able. We walked on the moon therefore we should be able to solve this conundrum. Road to Copenhagen Faced with this severe threat to the Regions survival and continued development, the Caribbean must now go to the upcoming 15th Meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in December 2009 and place on the conference table a convincing case for, among other key issues, the reduction of GHG emissions to a minimum of 1.5C as an effective means of stabilising global warming. This Conference is of particular significance as it seeks to forge a new climate change agreement to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol which had set legally binding targets for emissions of six major greenhouse gases in industrialised countries during the first commitment period which would see a five percent reduction at the end of 2012, when the Kyoto Protocol expires. Copenhagen is expected to produce a strong and ambitious policy framework that sets a clear overall direction for future global climate change action and to generate significant financial and technological support to enable meaningful actions by developing countries. For CARICOM countries, this conference must settle the perplexing questions of what should be the global target for greenhouse gas emission reductions after 2012 and, who should bear the burden for these reductions. Leading up to this landmark conference, there is also a vigorous debate among Heads of Government as to what should the negotiations package for the Caribbean include; what should be the priority issues and whose interests should be protected; and while there are divergent views on some issues, there is a general agreement on five key issues also implicit in the July 2009 Liliendaal Declaration on Climate Change and Development.

This Declaration, issued by the 30th Conference of the Heads of Government, committed CARICOM Leaders to supporting the position of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) whose negotiations are based on five critical building blocks of Mitigation and Adaptation, Transfer of technology, Financing, a Shared Vision on climate change and most importantly, provisions for long term stabilisation of atmospheric Green House Gas concentrations at levels which would ensure that global average surface temperature increases would be limited to well below 1.5C of pre-industrial levels; Co2 reductions of at least 45 percent by 2020 and reducing green house gas emissions by more than 95 percent of 1990 Co2 levels by 2050. Ambitious targets they are, yet, according to Leon Charles, Lead AOSIS Negotiator, they are critical to the survival and development of the Caribbean. Consequently, CARICOM has thrown its 15-member weight behind the negotiating team and has repeatedly called for one voice on the negotiations. Prime Minister King told a Ministerial Meeting in Saint Lucia in September that there would be no compromising; no give and take, no horse-trading on the issue of reduction targets. In giving weight to Prime Minister Kings statement, Chairman of CARICOM His Excellency Bharrat Jagdeo, President of Guyana recently reminded CARICOM Leaders to use the Liliendaal Declaration as a sound basis in guiding the negotiations, ensuring that the Caribbean speak with one voice, and CARICOM Secretary-General His Excellency Edwin Carrington cautioned the region to be resolute and vigilant in their positions for a New Climate Change Agreement. It is a clarion call to which all policy makers and all peoples of the Caribbean should respond positively. Make no mistake, the Caribbeans negotiators are tough on their stance and while they are willing to be flexible on several issues, some things are non-negotiable. The call for 1.5 to stay alive is one of those non-negotiables. As they make the pilgrimage to Copenhagen to secure a sustainable and environmentally secure future for our Caribbean peoples, we wait for the deal so critical to our livelihood and sustainable development - to be sealed.

CARIBBEAN PLANNING FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE (CPACC) PROJECT

In 1994, Barbados hosted the Global Conference on the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States. The resulting Barbados Programme of Action (BPoA) focused on sustainable development through adaptation to climate change impacts. In response to the BPoA, Caribbean governments approached the Organisation of American States (OAS) to request support for the development of regional projects aimed at building capacity to adapt to climate change. The OAS and CARICOM jointly organised a series of national and regional workshops to facilitate maximum stakeholder consultation on climate change issues. The result was a proposal for the Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Climate Change (CPACC) project, which was submitted for funding to the Global Environment Facility (GEF). CPACC was approved and granted USD $5.6 million. Lasting from 1997 to 2001, CPACC was implemented by the World Bank, executed by the OAS, and overseen by a Project Advisory Committee chaired by CARICOM. Implementation was carried out by a Regional Project Implementation Unit based in Barbados. The goal of the CPACC project was to build capacity in the Caribbean region for the adaptation to climate change impacts, particularly sea level rise. This was accomplished through the completion of vulnerability assessments, adaptation planning, and capacity building activities. Participating countries in CPACC included the majority of CARICOM members. These are: Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent, and Trinidad and Tobago. CPACC consisted of four regional projects and five pilot projects. The regional projects were: 1. 2. 3. 4. Design and establishment of a sea level/climate monitoring network; Establishment of databases and information systems; Inventory of coastal resources; and Use and formulation of initial adaptation policies.

The five pilot projects were: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Coral reef monitoring for climate change (Bahamas, Belize, and Jamaica); Coastal vulnerability and risk assessment (Barbados, Guyana, and Grenada); Economic valuation of coastal and marine resources (Dominica, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago); Formation of economic/regulatory proposals (Antigua and Barbuda, and St Kitts and Nevis); and National communications (St Vincent and the Grenadines).

Specific project achievements included:

Establishment of a sea level and climate monitoring system A

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total of 18 monitoring systems, along with the related data management and information networks, were installed in 12 countries. Improved access and availability of data An integrated database for the monitoring of climate change effects was established through the Inventory for Coastal Resources and the institutionalization of coral reef monitoring. Increased appreciation of climate change issues at the policymaking level CPACC enabled more unification among regional parties and better articulation of regional positions for negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCCC) and the Kyoto Protocol. Meeting country needs for expanded vulnerability assessment Pilot vulnerability studies were carried out in Grenada, Guyana, and Barbados. Establishment of coral reef monitoring protocols This resulted in a significant increase in monitoring and early warning capabilities. Articulation of national climate change adaptation policies and implementation plans Such policies and plans were formulated in 11 participating countries. Creation of a network for regional harmonization CPACC developed initial collaborative efforts with a number of existing regional agencies. Partners include PetroTrin of Trinidad and Tobago, as well as key players in the insurance and banking sectors.

Before completion of CPACC, the Caribbean region successfully negotiated a CAD $3.5 million grant from the Canadian Climate Change Development Fund of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). This grant supported CPACCs successor, the Adapting to Climate Change in the Caribbean (ACCC) project.

ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE CARIBBEAN (ACCC) PROJECT

The Adaptation to Climate Change in the Caribbean (ACCC) Project, succeeded the Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Climate Change (CPACC) project. ACCC, which lasted from 2001 to 2004, was overseen by the World Bank, with support provided by CARICOM. This project was designed to sustain activities initiated under CPACC and to address issues of adaptation and capacity building not undertaken by CPACC, thus further built capacity for climate change adaptation in the Caribbean region. ACCC also facilitated the transformation of the Regional Project Implementation Unit (RPIU) originally established through CPACC into a legal regional entity for climate change (the Centre). It did so by providing the resources to develop a comprehensive business plan for the Centre and a strategy to ensure its financial sustainability (as noted below). ACCC had nine components. They were: 1. 2. 3. 4. Project design and business plan development for a regional climate change centre; Public education and outreach; Integration of climate change into a physical planning process using a risk management approach to adaptation to climate change; Strengthening of regional technical capacity, in partnership with the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), the University of the West Indies (Scenario Projection and Establishment of Climate Change Master's Programme), and the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute, in order to enhance association between Caribbean and South Pacific small island States; Integration of adaptation planning in environmental assessments for national and regional development projects; Implementation strategies for adaptation in the water sector; Formulation of adaptation strategies to protect human health; Adaptation strategies for agriculture and food; and Fostering of collaboration/cooperation with non-CARICOM countries.

5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

The outcomes of ACCC included:

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Development and distribution of risk management guidelines for climate change adaptation decision making; Political endorsement (by CARICOM) of the business plan and establishment of the basis of financial self-sustainability for the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC); Development of a guide to assist environmental impact assessment (EIA) practitioners in CARICOM countries to integrate climate change in the EIA process; A draft regional public education and outreach (PEO) strategy; Development and handover to MACC (see below) of the organizations website; Successful launch of a Masters Programme in climate change (the first set of graduates, in 2003, included eight students); Statistically downscaled climate scenarios development for Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Barbados; Staff training and development at the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH) in climate trend analysis in order

to strengthen climate change capacity; Dialogue established with the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Pacific Islands Climate Change Assistance Programme (PICCAP) for collaboration on issues related to climate change; and Implementation of pilot projects on adaptation studies in the water health and agricultural sectors.

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MAINSTREAMING ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE (MACC) PROJECT

The Mainstreaming Adaptation to Climate Change (MACC) project is currently in the implementation stage, as it is scheduled for 2004 to 2007. MACC is implemented by the World Bank, with funding of USD $5 million from GEF. The executing agency is the CARICOM Secretariat located in Georgetown, Guyana. In-kind participants include the Government of Canada and the Government of the United States of America through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The projects main objective is to mainstream climate change adaptation strategies into the sustainable development agendas of the small island and low-lying states of CARICOM. MACC will adopt a learning-by-doing approach to capacity building, consolidating the achievements of CPACC and ACCC. It will build on the progress achieved in these past projects by furthering institutional capacity, strengthening the knowledge base, and deepening awareness and participation. The participating countries are: Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent, and Trinidad and Tobago. MACC has five major components. 1. These components are:

2. 3. 4. 5.

Building capacity to identify climate change risks Among other things, this will include strengthening networks to monitor impacts on regional climate, downscaling global climate models, and developing impact scenarios; Building capacity to reduce vulnerability to climate change; Building capacity to effectively access and utilize resources to minimize the costs of climate change; Public education and outreach; and Project management.

As MACC seeks to build capacity in a cost-effective way, the expected outcomes of this project include a full set of deliverables that will be monitored and evaluated. This will contribute to the long-term sustainability of project activities and objectives, since participant countries will be able to benefit from the project even when it is completed. Additionally, the capacity to formulate a regional addenda and adaptation strategy to climate change will be developed at the regional level. Outcomes fall under three general themes, including: The mainstreaming of adaptation to climate change into national and sectoral planning and policies through the use of climate models developed and customized through the project;

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A strong public education and outreach (PEO) program and a comprehensive communications strategy including all stakeholders in the Caribbean mass media; and The creation of an environment conducive to the implementation of measures for adaptation to climate change.