Bridgetown, Barbados, 24 May 2024 (PAHO/WHO) – From 27-31 May, 22 Caribbean Climate Change and Health Leaders from 13 countries will meet in Barbados to participate in a conference and Summative/Introductory workshop titled: “Sustaining Action for Climate Change and Health in the Caribbean”.
Over the five days, events include the graduation of cohort three of the one-year University of the West Indies (UWI) Climate Change and Health Leaders Fellowship Training Program and the commencement of cohort four. The Fellowship is one aspect of the European Union (EU) funded Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/CARIFORUM Climate Change and Health Project, which runs until 2025.
Welcome remarks will be offered by representatives of the UWI, PAHO and the EU Delegation. The feature presentation will be given by Dr. David Bynoe, National Coordinator of the Global Environmental Facility-Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on the Role of Agri-Environmental Stewardship and Economic Development for Climate Change Adaptation in the Caribbean.
The goal of the Fellowship Program is to develop strong, effective Climate Change leaders implementing the One Health Approach. This approach recognises the shared challenges across the region and the intricate interconnections between the health of people, animals, plants, and their shared environment. The primary objective of this project is to strengthen climate-resilient health systems in the Caribbean region, and the Fellowship plays a crucial role in achieving this goal.