ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGES FACED BY CARIBBEAN SIDS THROUGH A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT LENS

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1 ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGES FACED BY CARIBBEAN SIDS THROUGH A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT LENS Marlene Attzs, PhD Deputy Coordinator, Sustainable Economic Development Unit (SEDU) Department of Economics, UWI St. Augustine UNESCO Future Forum, July 8 th 2010, Port of Spain, Trinidad

2 Environmental and Climate Change Challenges (E&CC) Socio-Economic dimension Current socio-economic status of Caribbean economies Environmental dimension Existing Environmental challenges Climate change projections Policy prescriptions for meeting the E&CC for the achievement of SD in Caribbean SIDS

3 Socio-economic and environmental overview of Caribbean Economies The services sector specifically tourism - accounts for upwards of 30% of GDP in most Caribbean countries Agriculture and Manufacturing contribute less to GDP As a consequence of (2) above most inputs for the tourism industry are imported Most Caribbean economies running at least double deficits fiscal and current account

4 Socio-economic and environmental overview of Caribbean Economies Global financial crisis posed socio-economic challenges for a number of Caribbean economies Remittances Guy, Jam, Haiti Tourism receipts Bah, Bar, StL, SVG, SKN Environmental impacts of natural events Haiti Storms 200, Earthquake January 2010 Grenada 2004, 2005 Guyana and Suriname Floods of 2005 Jamaica 2004, 2005, OECS Countries -

5 Caribbean economies: External and Domestic Debt as a % of GDP

6 Environmental Overview of Caribbean economies and socioeconomic consequences Between 1990 and 2008, 165 natural hazard events in the Caribbean - (16) countries 61% were windstorm-related events hurricanes, floods and tropical storms. Haiti, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica were the countries that were most affected by these natural disasters over the period having each experienced 49, 34 and 21 natural events, respectively.

7 Environmental Overview of Caribbean economies and socioeconomic consequences Total damage to the region (direct damage and indirect losses) from natural disasters was estimated to be 136 billion USD over the period The total direct and indirect economic impact of natural disasters in the Caribbean between 1990 and 2008 was $63 billion USD The total infrastructural damage from natural disasters was approximately $12 billion USD The social costs of disasters was $57 billion USD Damage to the environment from disasters was $3.5 billion USD

8 Summary socioeconomic and environmental data for Caribbean SIDS Country Unemployment Rate (% of labour force) Estimated Poverty Levels (% of population) CO 2 emissions (metric tons per capita) PM10 Emissions (2006) Forest area (% of land area) Total Ecological Footprint Total Water Footprint of consumption (m 3 /person/ yr) ANTB BAH BAR ,355 BEL ,646 DOM GRE GUY ,113 Haiti JAM ,016 SKN n.a StL SVG SUR ,234 TNT ,039

9 9 Reasons to address climate change It would be prudent for the property/casualty industry to act as if that theory (global warming) is correct. Failure to act would leave the industry and its policy holders vulnerable to truly disastrous consequences. (Swiss Re, 1990).

10 10 Reasons to address climate change Sustainable Development climate change considered one of the greatest challenges to sustainable development Anticipated negative impacts on economic sustainability, environmental sustainability, human health, food security, natural resources and physical infrastructure.

11 11 Projected climate change impacts on the Caribbean In 2011 the precipitation rate is likely to increase by 1 mm/ day in the Atlantic Sea region including the Turks and Caicos and Bahamas region which is likely to experience an increase by as much as 2 mm /day. The rest of the region shows that there are no expected changes in the precipitation rate when compared to that of

12 12 SECTORAL VULNERABILTY Agriculture Food security Human health Impact of health care costs, availability. Impact on productivity loss of workdays. Impact on income generation Human settlements Flooding impacts from rising sea levels; health implications; socio-economic impact

13 13 SECTORAL VULNERABILTY Coastal zones Sea level rise; flooding coastal erosion and consequent negative implications for tourism sector Water resources Temperature increase loss of surface water; decreased rainfall decrease in availability of surface water

14 Population densities - people per km2

15 Statistics thru gender lens Female employment in services sector (incl tourism) as a share of total female employment ranges between 73% in St. Lucia to 94% in the Bahamas. Barbados, Belize, Trinidad and Tobago Jamaica hover at 78-84%

16 16 Climate Change and Sustainable Development Sustainable Development meets the needs of present generations without compromising ability of future generations to meet their own needs Economic Efficiency Economic Growth (what is the engine for us) and what might be the impact of CC on this engine Social Efficiency Reductions in poverty, vulnerabilities, inequalities Environmental Management Reductions in GHG Emissions Reductions in environmental degradation Greening at macro and micro levels

17 ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGES FACED BY CARIBBEAN SIDS Data, data, data Public Education and participation including involvement of civil society, academia Interdisciplinary research for addressing climate and environmental challenges Climate Change adaptation and mitigation and environmental management benefits as Regional Public Goods