Building a climate resilient power sector in the context of the Caribbean small island developing States’ energy transition. Policy Brief

In Caribbean small island developing States (SIDS), electrical power outages are frequent in the aftermath of major weather events. While local service disruptions often last a few days after these events, nationwide power grid failures lasting several weeks, or months have resulted in enormous social and economic impacts. In 2017, Hurricane Maria left 90 per cent of the population of Dominica without access to electricity for over four months (Commonwealth of Dominica, 2020) and caused a systemwide collapse of Puerto Rico's power grid that took 11 months to be entirely restored (Campbell…

The use of technology and innovative approaches in disaster and risk management: a characterization of Caribbean countries’ experiences

The application of technologies, research, development, promotion of innovative approaches and local knowledge to confront complex issues posed by hazards are important components of managing disaster risks and guiding informed decision-making. Hence commitments to support and enhance access to technologies and to foster innovative approaches to risk reduction, preparedness and resilient recovery are essential requirements for the management of current and future disasters in the Caribbean subregion. Considering the importance of Disaster and Risk Management (DRM), the aim of this study is to …

Where are we now: Science, Technology, Innovation and the Caribbean

This infographic from Study 110 explores the role of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) in driving sustainable development in the Caribbean. While STI is recognized as crucial for progress, the study finds that many Caribbean nations have yet to prioritize it, and existing policies remain underdeveloped. The current driver of change in the region is renewable energy, influenced by factors such as reliance on expensive imported fossil fuels, falling costs of renewable energy technologies, and international commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. To foster STI advancement, the s…

Improving broadband quality and affordability in the Caribbean: Policies to advance digital inclusion in the subregion. Policy Brief

In this digitally transforming world, digital inclusion is becoming increasingly important to social inclusion and sustainable development. Affordable access to broadband is an essential precondition to digital inclusion. Internet quality, as measured by speed and other indicators, is also important, as digital inclusion is ultimately about ensuring equal access to the benefits and opportunities offered by digital technologies and the Internet. This policy brief provides insight into Internet speed and affordability across the Caribbean, and offers some recommendations for policymakers working…

Productive development in open economies

Presentation The countries of the Latin American and Caribbean region have shown a keen and lasting interest in mechanisms of economic development and public policies for its promotion. This is a process in which ECLAC has been involved ever since it was founded over half a century ago. Today, the debate on these issues continues against the backdrop of a globalization process in which the remarkable dynamism of some dimensions -especially its economic, financial and cultural aspects- contrasts with the slow formation of an institutional network capable of coping with the increased interdepend…

América Latina y el Caribe deberá acelerar el paso para lograr el cumplimiento de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible hacia 2030

América Latina y el Caribe deberá acelerar el paso para lograr el cumplimiento de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS) de la Agenda 2030, alertaron hoy los representantes de los 33 países de la región, de agencias de las Naciones Unidas y organismos regionales, multilaterales y de la sociedad civil presentes en la Sexta Reunión del Foro de los Países de América Latina y el Caribe sobre el Desarrollo Sostenible, que finalizó este viernes 28 de abril en la sede central de la CEPAL en Santiago, Chile. Al cierre de la reunión los delegados insistieron en que, si bien nos encontramos en la …

Expertos reiteran importancia de la innovación, el desarrollo tecnológico y la cooperación público-privada para una recuperación verde, inclusiva y sostenible en la región

La innovación, el desarrollo tecnológico y la cooperación público-privada son esenciales para una recuperación verde, inclusiva y sostenible pospandemia del COVID-19, coincidieron hoy expertos reunidos en el Foro Empresarial para los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible en América Latina y el Caribe 2022: Innovación y Cooperación Público-Privada para una Recuperación Inclusiva y Sostenible, quienes subrayaron la importancia de impulsar pactos sociales entre los gobiernos, la sociedad civil y el sector privado con miras a la implementación de la Agenda 2030 en la región. El evento, organizado po…

Policy Issues towards effective Applications of Geospatial Technologies and Data in Disaster Risk Management (DRM)

This workshop is the first of a two-part series and is designed for senior technical officers having responsibilities in selecting and using technologies to support DRM.…

INSTITUTIONS AND OTHER AGENCIES HAVING SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY-RELATED ACTIVITIES IN THE CARIBBEAN SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATES (SIDS): A DESK-BASED REPORT

The outcome documents from the preparatory meetings for the Fourth International Conference on SIDS recognised the purpose of STI in implementing the SIDS sustainable development agendas. These are listed in Box 1 following. Box 1: SIDS Sustainable Development Priorities positioning STI as requirements in implementation and based on the outcome document in preparation for the 4th International Conference on SIDS Ocean Management Line 25. We recognize that an integrated marine ecosystem approach to ocean-related activities is critical to optimize opportunities. …

Review of selected areas of research on the Caribbean subregion in the 2000s: identifying the main gaps

This study has been prepared to assist the French Development Agency (AFD), as part of the implementation of its Framework for Action Regional Caribbean, to identify the main development issues of the Caribbean region and areas of future research. The study focuses on the state of the research in the Caribbean region and proposes areas for future collaboration between the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the AFD. The areas of enquiry cover economic, social and cultural, environmental and international relations, with an emphasis on public policy. The study al…

Technical Issues towards effective Applications of Geospatial Technologies and Data in support of Disaster Risk Management (DRM)

This workshop is the second of a two-part series and is designed for technical officers responsible for GIS and application developers supporting DRM.…

Reducing emissions from the energy sector for a more resilient and low-carbon post-pandemic recovery in Latin America and the Caribbean

Economic crises are not new, but the way countries respond to and seek to build back from their effects is an ever-evolving process. In the present context, the strategies adopted by Latin American and Caribbean countries to recover from the dramatic impacts of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic are marked by an urgent need to also address the climate crisis. This publication examines the synergies and linkages between post-COVID-19 crisis recovery approaches stemming from a sustainable energy transition in Latin America and the Caribbean. The study aims to identify recovery strategie…

Report of the twenty-ninth session of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean

Para lograr un desarrollo sostenible se requiere igualar para crecer y crecer para igualar: Alicia Bárcena, en la semana de América Latina y el Caribe en Francia y en el Foro OCDE

La Secretaria Ejecutiva de la CEPAL, Alicia Bárcena, llamó a igualar para crecer y crecer para igualar con el fin de avanzar hacia un nuevo estilo de desarrollo más inclusivo y sostenible, y a la construcción de renovados pactos sociales que permitan cambiar los actuales patrones de crecimiento y producción, y combatir las crecientes desigualdades en la región, durante varios eventos de alto nivel dedicados a América Latina y el Caribe que se realizan esta semana en París. La alta funcionaria de las Naciones Unidas se encuentra en Francia para participar en el 10⁰ Foro Económico Internacional …

Science, technology and innovation for sustainable development: Lessons from the Caribbean’s energy transition

Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) is important in advancing sustainable development across the globe. One approach available to countries to promote their sustainable development agendas is the advancement of STI to support the adoption of renewable energy technologies. The continued reliance on fossil fuels in the Caribbean is one of the factors hindering the rate at which countries within the subregion are developing. Taking this into account, this study assesses whether the advancement of STI is driving the energy transition in the Caribbean subregion and draws lessons on how STI can…

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…

Performance indicators associated with low-carbon energy technologies in Brazil: Evidence for an energy big push

Today, Brazil and many countries around the world are seeking to stimulate economic recovery and improve people’s quality of life. In this context, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) of the United Nations has been developing the Big Push for Sustainability, a renewed approach to support the efforts of the countries of the region to design more sustainable development models, by coordinating policies to promote investments that will transform existing models. The ECLAC office in Brasilia and the Center for Strategic Studies and Management (CGEE), in conjunction …

Foros web: “Los desafíos de vivir la 4ta revolución tecnológica y el futuro de las políticas sociales en el marco de la Agenda 2030”

De manera acelerada, las sociedades del mundo se están transformando en el marco de la expansión del Internet, los dispositivos inteligentes (y sus aplicaciones informáticas), la robotización, la automatización, la nanotecnología, la biotecnología, las tecnologías verdes, las impresoras 3D, la realidad virtual (y también la aumentada) y otros inventos e innovaciones. En el presente, se detectan cambios no solo en los procesos productivos, sino también en muchas otras esferas de la vida cotidiana. En el futuro, estas alteraciones podrían ser mucho más diversas y profundas. A través …

Caribbean in Brief: an information document for Caribbean Small Island Developing States

This brief is intended to provide general information on the upcoming United Nations Ocean Conference on scaling up ocean actions based on science and innovation for the implementation of Agenda 2030 - Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14), with a view to stimulating more active, engaged participation of the Caribbean in the discussions. The United Nations Ocean Conference will be co-chaired by Kenya and Portugal, and hosted by the Government of Portugal in Lisbon, during 2021. The objective of this conference is consistent with the 2017 UN General Assembly proclamation on the Decade of Oce…

Overview of energy innovation investments in Brazil: data for an energy big push

Today, Brazil and many countries around the world are seeking to stimulate economic recovery and improve people’s quality of life. In this context, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) of the United Nations has been developing the Big Push for Sustainability, a renewed approach to support the efforts of the countries of the region to design more sustainable development models, by coordinating policies to promote investments that will transform existing models. The ECLAC office in Brasilia and the Center for Strategic Studies and Management (CGEE), in conjunction …