Policy Brief: an assessment of the economic and social impacts of climate change on the coastal and marine sector in the Caribbean

Caribbean policymakers are faced with special challenges from climate change and these are related to the uncertainties inherent in future climate projections and the complex linkages among climate change, physical and biological systems and socioeconomic sectors. The impacts of climate change threaten development in the Caribbean and may well erode previous gains in development as evidenced by the increased incidence of climate migrants internationally. This brief which is based on a recent study conducted by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (LC/CAR/L.395)1 provides…

An assessment of fiscal and regulatory barriers to deployment of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies in Curaçao

The current energy systems within Curaçao depend primarily on high cost, imported fossil fuels, and typically constitute power sectors that are characterized by small, inefficient generation plants which result in high energy prices. As a consequence of its dependence on external fuel supplies, Curaçao is extremely vulnerable to international oil price shocks, which can impact on economic planning and foreign direct investment within their industrial sectors. The ability of the successive governments to source capital for economic stimulation and social investment is therefore significantly ch…

An assessment of the economic and social impacts of climate change on the Coastal and Marine Sector in the Caribbean

Climate change poses special challenges for Caribbean decision makers related to the uncertainties inherent in future climate projections and the complex linkages between climate change, physical and biological systems, and socioeconomic sectors. At present, however, the Caribbean subregion lacks the adaptive capacity needed to address these challenges. The present report assesses the economic and social impacts of climate change on the coastal and marine sector in the Caribbean until 2050. It aims both to provide Caribbean decision makers with cutting edge information on the vulnerability to …

Economistas de América Latina y la Unión Europea intercambian visiones sobre el futuro de ambas regiones

Ver galería de fotos (21 de enero, 2013) Connotados economistas de América Latina y Europa se dieron cita en la sede de la Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL) en Santiago, Chile, para debatir sobre las oportunidades y los desafíos que presenta la relación birregional en el actual escenario de turbulencias internacionales. El evento se realiza en el marco de la I Cumbre de la Comunidad de Estados Latinoamericanos y Caribeños y la Unión Europea (CELAC-UE), que reunirá a representantes de 60 países los días 26 y 27 de enero en la capital chilena. El Foro Económico América L…

An assessment of the economic and social impacts of climate change on the agriculture sector in the Caribbean

The main objective of the present study was to determine the value of impacts due to climate change on the agricultural sector in the Caribbean under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Emissions Scenarios A2 and B2 scenarios. More specifically, the study aimed to evaluate the direction and magnitude of the potential impacts of climate change on aggregate agricultural output and other key agricultural indicators. Further, the study forecast changes in income for agricultural output for key subsectors under the A2 and B2 scenarios, from 2011 to 2050. It analysed the …

ECLAC and GIZ Signed Contract to Implement Joint Programme on Sustainable Development

See photo gallery (3 October 2012) Today, the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Alicia Bárcena, and the Director of the South America Department of the German Agency for International Cooperation (or GIZ, because of its name in German), Sabine Müller, signed the contract to implement the cooperation programme known as "Promoting low-carbon development and social cohesion in Latin America and the Caribbean". The ceremony was also attended by Jürgen Klenk, Resident Director of GIZ in Chile. The programme was agreed by ECLAC and the …

An assessment of the economic and social impacts of climate change on the tourism sector in the Caribbean

There are significant, fundamental changes taking place in global air and sea surface temperatures and sea levels. The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change noted that many of the warmest years on the instrumental record of global surface temperatures have occurred within the last twelve years, i.e. 1995-2006 (IPCC, 2007). The Caribbean tourism product is particularly vulnerable to climate change. On the demand side, mitigation measures in other countries – for example, measures to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels – could have implications for airfares…

Evaluation of development account project 08/09 AO(6B) Strengthening the capacity of government officials to adapt to possible scenarios of disasters associated with extreme events: analysis for adaptation and disaster risk reduction policies

The carbon footprint of ECLAC subregional headquarters for the Caribbean: Moving towards a climate neutral strategy

A modelling framework for assessing the economic impact of climate change in the Caribbean

The eclac-Climate Impacts Assessment Model (CIAM) is a modelling platform that has been created to assess the economic consequences of climate change in the Caribbean. The model can be freely accessed, downloaded and even modified. The version available is a full-fledged model which can readily be used to conduct simulation exercises. This paper provides a general description of the model and an illustrative simulation exercise. Our results from this exercise highlight the fact that the Caribbean is a highly vulnerable region where climate change is expected to generate sizeable and negative e…