Organization: University of the West Indies (UWI)

Session Lead: Jeremy Collymore

Time: 10:10-11:25

Summary: Climate change-related impacts are currently widely felt among Caribbean States and loss of coastal resources is an emergent reality. The total damages to the region from 148 disasters between the period of 1950-2014 is estimated to be US$52 billion (Acevedo, 2016). Between the years 2000-2017 13 of CDB‚  BMCs experienced high rates of loss and damage from natural hazard events estimated at USD 27bn, more than 50% of losses in the 75-year period reported by Acevedo.

Climate change has therefore understandably been characterized as an existential threat to Caribbean economies and societies. This has spurred a call for action from stakeholders at the political, professional, academic, community, business and development partners’ levels. 

This is being platformed on the value proposition of Caribbean Resilient States. It is recognized that new ways of thinking and working are required, fueled by efforts to apply the outputs from science to drive innovation and social transformation needed to achieve the Resilient State.

The Session will take the form of a panel which share tools and good practices (informed by academic research, national and regional innovation) that promote new ways of thinking and working to advance the idea of resilient Caribbean states.