A Blue Path for the Caribbean: Ocean Sustainability for Prosperity and Resilience

Assessment of the effects and impacts of the Hurricane Matthew: the Bahamas

The passage of Hurricane Matthew through The Bahamas in October 2016 marks the second time in just over a year that the country was affected by a Category 4 hurricane. However, unlike 2015’s Hurricane Joaquin, which affected islands having a relatively low population, Hurricane Matthew’s greatest impact was felt on the country’s population centres of New Providence and Grand Bahama, as well as in the district of North Andros. Damage in these areas was caused by high winds and storm surge associated with the hurricane, and was exacerbated by construction practices and the siting of communities …

Assessment of the effects and impacts caused by Hurricane Irma: the Bahamas 2017

Hurricane Irma was the ninth named hurricane of the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Being an Archipelago in the Caribbean, a great portion of The Bahamas infrastructure is in proximity to the coast, making it particularly vulnerable to tropical storms. Irma directly and primarily affected the southern islands of Inagua, Acklins, Ragged Island and Southern Andros, and affected Bimini and Grand Bahama to the north, while it also caused moderate effects across the country. The effects of hurricane Irma on the population of The Bahamas were moderate. According to the reports prepared by the govern…

Assessment of the effects and impacts of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas

In September 2019 , the world watched as the category 5 Hurricane Dorian rained havoc down on The Bahamas islands of Grand Bahama and Abaco and their communities, erasing any evidence of life in some neighborhoods and leaving behind a trail of heartbreak, sorrow and death. The catastrophic damage to livelihoods and billions of dollars of infrastructure on this archipelago present significant challenges to the preparedness of its tourism -dependent economy and its rescue and recovery capacity. The Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) committed itself to a restoration effort that would be far -r…

The Hummingbird Vol.7 No.8

Policy Brief: Planning for resilience: an integrated approach to tackle climate change in the Caribbean

The Caribbean subregion is exceptionally vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events. Vulnerability is a key multidimensional concept at the heart of resilience building, relating to each country’s multiple spatial and socioeconomic risks and conditions. In fact, due to its geographical location and concentration of population and activities in low-lying coastal areas, the Caribbean is the second most hazard-prone region in the world...Moreover, impacts of extreme weather events on Caribbean small economies are of national proportions. For example, in the hurricane s…

The Hummingbird Vol.7 No.7

ECLAC Reaffirms its Commitment to Supporting Caribbean Countries on Their Path Towards a Sustainable Recovery with Equality

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) ratified its commitment to supporting Caribbean countries on their path towards a sustainable recovery with greater equality after the crisis prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic, during a high-level virtual meeting held with ministers and authorities from more than 10 countries in the subregion. The 7th Council of Ministers on Environmental Sustainability of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) took place this Wednesday, June 24, under the outgoing presidency of Martinique and the incoming presidency of Saint Luci…

CEPAL reafirma compromiso de apoyar a países del Caribe en su camino hacia una recuperación sostenible y con igualdad

La Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL) ratificó su compromiso de apoyar a los países del Caribe en su camino hacia una recuperación sostenible y con mayor igualdad tras la crisis generada por la pandemia del COVID-19, durante una reunión virtual de alto nivel sostenida con ministros y autoridades de más de 10 países de la subregión. El Séptimo Consejo de Ministros sobre Sostenibilidad Ambiental de la Organización de Estados del Caribe Oriental (OECO) se efectuó este miércoles 24 de junio bajo la presidencia saliente de Martinica y la presidencia entrante de Santa Lucía. …

ECLAC Prepares New Study on Innovation in Disaster Risk Mitigation in the Caribbean

Caribbean countries face vulnerabilities that include high exposure to the devastating impact of climate change and natural disasters. At the same time, heavy indebtedness and serious structural and fiscal constraints limit their ability to make adequate investments in climate change adaptation and risk mitigation. As a result, the subregion anticipates with great anxiety the advent of the hurricane season every year which threatens the long-term environmental, economic and social development of Caribbean countries, further compounding their high levels of public debt, limited capacity t…

CEPAL prepara nuevo estudio sobre la innovación en la mitigación de los riesgos de desastres en el Caribe

Los países caribeños enfrentan vulnerabilidades que incluyen la alta exposición al impacto devastador del cambio climático y de desastres naturales. Al mismo tiempo, su alto nivel de endeudamiento y graves nudos estructurales y fiscales limitan su capacidad de invertir de manera adecuada en la adaptación al cambio climático y la mitigación de riesgos. Por ende, todos los años la subregión espera con gran ansiedad el comienzo de la temporada de huracanes que amenaza el desarrollo ambiental, económico y social de largo plazo de los países caribeños y exacerba aún más sus altos niveles de deuda p…

A CEPAL prepara novo estudo sobre inovação na mitigação dos riscos de desastres no Caribe

Os países caribenhos enfrentam vulnerabilidades que incluem a alta exposição ao impacto devastador da mudança climática e de desastres naturais. Ao mesmo tempo, seu alto nível de endividamento e graves problemas estruturais e fiscais limitam sua capacidade de investir de maneira adequada na adaptação à mudança climática e mitigação de riscos. Assim, todos os anos a sub-região espera com grande ansiedade o começo da temporada de furacões que ameaça o desenvolvimento ambiental, econômico e social de longo prazo dos países caribenhos e exacerba ainda mais seus altos níveis de dívida pública, sua …

The climate emergency in Latin America and the Caribbean: The path ahead – resignation or action?

This book presents the results of more than a decade of work carried out by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) on the economics of climate change. It analyses the conclusive global data and the impact of climate change in the region, examining sectors such as agriculture, health, transport and energy. In particular, it addresses the effects of climate change on the two most vulnerable subregions, Central America and the Caribbean, and gives an account of the agreements reached in the region to tackle the problem of global warming. The book discusses the advance…

La emergencia del cambio climático en América Latina y el Caribe: ¿seguimos esperando la catástrofe o pasamos a la acción?

En este libro se presentan los resultados de más de un decenio de trabajo realizado en la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL) con relación a la economía del cambio climático. Se analizan los datos concluyentes a nivel mundial y el impacto del cambio climático en la región, examinando sectores como la agricultura, la salud, el transporte y la energía. En particular, se abordan los efectos del cambio climático en las dos subregiones más vulnerables, Centroamérica y el Caribe, y se hace un recuento de los acuerdos logrados en la región para enfrentar el problema del calenta…

To Confront the Climate Change Emergency and Rethink the Post-COVID Recovery, We Must Urgently Move Towards a New, More Sustainable and Egalitarian Development Pattern

The environmental impact of the prevailing development pattern endangers the well-being of much of humankind and, in some cases, its survival. That is why it is necessary to make deep transformations in the development paradigm and in the investments that make it possible, according to a new book published today by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). The publication – entitled The climate emergency in Latin America and the Caribbean: The path ahead – resignation or action? – was presented at a virtual conference by Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC’s Executive Secretary. A…

Para enfrentar la emergencia del cambio climático y repensar la recuperación post COVID es urgente avanzar hacia un nuevo estilo de desarrollo más sostenible e igualitario

El impacto ambiental del estilo de desarrollo imperante hace que peligre el bienestar de buena parte de la humanidad y, en algunos casos, la supervivencia. Por ello, se requiere hacer transformaciones profundas en el paradigma de desarrollo y en las inversiones que lo hacen posible, señala un nuevo libro publicado hoy por la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL). La publicación La emergencia del cambio climático en América Latina y el Caribe: ¿seguimos esperando la catástrofe o pasamos a la acción? fue presentada en una conferencia virtual por Alicia Bárcena, Secretaria Ej…

Para enfrentar a emergência da mudança climática e repensar a recuperação pós-COVID, é urgente avançar rumo a um estilo de desenvolvimento mais sustentável e igualitário

O impacto ambiental do estilo de desenvolvimento vigente ameaça o bem-estar de boa parte da humanidade e, em alguns casos, a sua sobrevivência. Por isso, é preciso introduzir transformações profundas no paradigma de desenvolvimento e nos investimentos que o possibilitam, assinala um novo livro publicado pela Comissão Econômica para a América Latina e o Caribe (CEPAL). A publicação A emergência da mudança climática na América Latina e no Caribe: seguimos esperando a catástrofe ou passamos à ação? foi apresentada numa conferência virtual por Alicia Bárcena, Secretária Executiva da CEPAL. António…

The climate emergency in Latin America and the Caribbean. The path ahead – resignation or action?

La emergencia del cambio climático en América Latina y el Caribe ¿Seguimos esperando la catástrofe o pasamos a la acción?

The Hummingbird Vol.7 No.6