Building Climate resilienT SIDS

BARBADOS and the entire Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Community contribute less than 1 per cent of Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment and Drainage, Edison Alleyne, believes that in the grand scheme of things, this is insignificant in terms of influencing the Global Climate System.

According to him, SIDS involvement in GHG mitigation actions must therefore be viewed in the context of being good global stewards, as well as contributing to the resolution of a problem that is inimical to their livelihoods.

“The ancillary economic benefits associated with a reduction of the reliance on fossil fuels as the sole energy source, and the improved environmental and public health gains, are, in their own right, sufficient justification for all SIDS to formulate and purse low-carbon pathways to their future development.”

Alleyne was at the time addressing a stakeholder dialogue on Barbados’ Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), hosted by his Ministry at Savannah Hotel, yesterday.

Representatives from various public and private sector agencies were reacquainted with the contents of Barbados’s NDC to the UNFCCC; presented and discussed the outcome of the 21st UNFCCC Conference of the Parties and its national implications with respect to the NDC; and began dialogue on the preparation of an implementation plan.

The PS explained that the adaptation challenge to build resilience to climate change is a far more complex and sufficient issue. He went on to highlight that Barbados’ NDC identified agriculture, fisheries, tourism, water, human health, coastal resources and human settlement as its most vulnerable sectors.

“It is therefore expected that these will be addressed as priority areas for adaption action, though not to the exclusion of others,” he stressed.

“Barbados’ NDC provides the world with an indication of the areas of importance to us, the targets we have set for ourselves, as well as the international support required for delivery. The architecture for delivery of such support is mature in some areas, whilst others are being developed in the context of the provisions contained in the Paris Agreement.

“However, the context to which we are able to hold true to our commitment remains a function of our domestic interest, commitment and perseverance. It is in this context that this dialogue must be viewed as the initial stages of a programme to build capacity amongst a wide stakeholder base, not only to deliver on our NDC obligations, but perhaps, more importantly so, to modernise our development planning and implementation practice, such that it fortifies our resilience to climate change,” Alleyne added. (TL)