CMCFeature-ENVIRONMENT-United Action towards a greener, secure future.

In the heart of the Latin American and Caribbean region where the vibrant cultures and rich biodiversity intersect, the United Nations Latin America and Caribbean Climate Week (LACCW) will be convened from October 23 to 27, 2023 hosted by the government of Panama.

Leaders, activists, policymakers and experts from across the region will assemble to take stock on the critical challenges of climate change ahead of United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai.

Didier Trebucq

LACCW is a call to regional action on four priority areas: i) energy systems and industry; ii) cities, urban and rural settlements, infrastructure and transport; iii) land, ocean, food and water; and iv) societies, health, livelihoods and economies.

The consequences of climate change are felt acutely in the 29 Caribbean small island developing states (SIDS) that have experienced record high temperatures, with consequent impacts from rising sea levels, devastating hurricanes, longer dry seasons and droughts, which affect economies, populations and livelihoods.

Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean SIDS Small Island Development States) are among the smallest and most vulnerable, with small, open economies that have been beset by recent external shocks such as the 2008 global financial and 2020 COVID-19 crises.

Caribbean SIDS also grapple with decades of unsustainable practices in development, production and infrastructure that have, over decades, spewed solid waste and effluent pollution into sensitive terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Combined with climate effects, these threaten the resilience of ecosystems which provide frontline protection in coastal areas.

In a 2023 Caribbean survey on SIDS challenges conducted by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), the highest category of reported concerns cited were 'adverse effects of climate change' (15 per cent), followed by 'loss of biodiversity' (11 per cent), and 'natural disasters' (8.7 per cent).

Climate change disproportionately affects the poorest, most marginalized, and vulnerable communities. Women and children often lack access to resources and assets to cope with disasters. Poverty levels in Eastern Caribbean SIDS average 24.6 per cent while women tend to be unemployed at higher rates and paid at lower levels than men, which increases their vulnerability.

Most of the poor are employed in tourism and agriculture - sectors that are particularly vulnerable to external events. Small-scale...