iNews Briefs
- The Caribbean is a minute contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, but will be among the most severely impacted.
- We are already experiencing its impacts with more frequent extreme weather events, such as the 2013 rain event in the Eastern Caribbean; the extreme droughts being experienced across the region, with severe consequences in places like Jamaica; the 2005 flooding in Guyana, and Belize in 2010.
- Inaction is VERY costly! An economic analysis focused on just three areas - increased hurricane damages, loss of tourism revenue, and infrastructure damages - that could cost the region US$10.7 billion by 2025. That is more than the combined GDP of OECS member states.
- These risks can be managed by taking 'no regrets' actions - development actions we must take in any event. So we must build our infrastructure to withstand more intense weather events, select crops that can withstand extreme conditions and climate-influenced opportunistic pests, and transform our planning frameworks to improve our resilience.
- Climate change is a fossil energy-related problem; fossil fuel consumption is a major driver of climate change. It also costs the region US$37 million of its foreign exchange earnings and further reduces the potential for economic growth. Employing renewable forms of energy will allow us to tackle two big problems: climate change and economic competitiveness.
Published October 22, 2014
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