Adaptation:Challenges and Opportunities in the Caribbean Region Ajay Mathur Team Leader, Climate Change THE WORLD BANK
The Land and Oceans Have Warmed
Precipitation Patterns Have Changed
Sea Levels Have Risen
The Frequency, Persistence and Magnitude of El-Nino Events Has Increased El Niño years La Niña years The El-Nino phenomena leads to floods and droughts throughout the tropics and subtropics
Climate Change Impacts of Relevance to the Caribbean Region UNFCCC identifies island nations as among the most vulnerable IPCC now forecasts faster warming (0.4 o C in past 30 years, up to 6 o C by 2100) Caribbean would receive from one to one and a half mm less of rain a day by 2100 In a double CO2 atmosphere, sea level rise would be 0.2-0.4 m by 2100 75% of coral reefs monitored by the GCRA show some bleaching There may be a linkage to weather events and intensity of fluctuations
Potential Climate Change Impacts in the Caribbean
CPACC (Caribbean Project on Planning for Adaptation to Climate Change) Objective is to support Caribbean countries in preparing to cope with the adverse effects of global climate change Funded as an enabling activity through GEF (US$ 6.4 million) and executed through the OAS on behalf of participating countries Implemented over a four year period (completed in December 2001)
CPACC Activities Establishment of a sea-level and climate monitoring system that contributes to global and regional assessment of the issues. Establishment of coral reef monitoring protocols. Increased appreciation of climate change issues at the policy-making level and technical support to regional positioning at the Convention. Support to vulnerability assessments Identification of gaps in the policy and regulatory frameworks Creation of a network for regional harmonization of actions to adapt to the impacts of climate change
CPACC Monitoring Activities Largest monitoring network of its kind, it now: documents sea surface temperature, sea level change and archives the information at a regional archiving center integrates information from the Caribbean into global monitoring efforts (GCOS and GLOSS)
Sea Level Monitoring Network for Central America(RONMAC) Caribbean: Sea level and sea surface temperature network (CPACC) BAHAMAS BELIZE JAMAICA ST. KITTS ANTIGUA GUATEMALA EL SALVADOR HONDURAS NICARAGUA ST. LUCIA ST. VINCENT GRENADA DOMINICA BARBADOS TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Non-CPACC/RONMAC Monitoring Site CPACC/RONMAC Monitoring Site GUYANA
. Coral Reef Monitoring for Climate Change Impacts Globally, coral reefs show signs of unprecedented stress A component of CPACC Project is a designed to increase existing knowledge about the extent and sources of coral reef degradation resulting from the impacts of Climate Change. This component is being implemented in the Bahamas, Belize, and Jamaica.
Adaptation Needs will be extensive in the Caribbean Impact on water supplies Saline intrusion Reduced rainfall Will need to adapt agriculture to changes in ecology of the region Impact on coastal zone development Will need to adapt infrastructure, land use planning and tourism Impact on fisheries Will need to adapt to changes in corals, fish-stocks Weather-related costs Will need to adapt infrastructure, tourism Overall impact on long-term development prospects
Mainstreaming Climate Change Issues in National Development Processes (MACC) The project will build capacity to develop Stage II adaptation strategies and measures through the mainstreaming of adaptation into the general planning process and investment decisions of the countries in the region. Project would be co-financed through GEF, the Canadian Climate Change Fund (CCCF) and NOAA, besides local contributions.
MACC Activities Mainstreaming adaptation to climate change in national development planning and public and private investment decisions through: Assisting the water resources planning boards to assess the impact of climate change impacts on freshwater availability Assisting the fisheries departments to understand the impacts of shifting fishing grounds, impact on total stocks and the bleaching and death of coral reefs Improving the understanding of climate change impacts on local agriculture Revamping land use planing and coastal zone management
MACC Activities Expand GCC monitoring and impact assessment as a basis for national and regional level decision making on adaptation Supporting the development of regional agendas on adaptation; Supporting the formulation of specific adaptation measures; Cross-regional Dissemination and Replication