Days before the Atlantic hurricane season opened with the earliest ever Category 4 hurricane in recorded history, climate change analysts at Climate Analytics Caribbean’s Midpoint to COP event warn that countries must pick up the pace on global climate action progress to avoid catastrophic consequences.
Panelists Reyad Mohammed, Environmental Education Officer, Environmental Management Authority (EMA); Derval Barzey (host), Founder & Host of The Climate Conscious Podcast; Ryan Bachoo, Lead Editor, Newsgathering – Guardian Media, Ltd.; Rueanna Haynes, Director – Climate Analytics Caribbean; Sasha Jattansingh, Loss and Damage Expert – Climate Analytics Caribbean; Carlon Mendoza, Climate Policy Advisor, Climate Justice – Climate Analytics Caribbean.
Trinidad and Tobago, 1st July, 2024
Hurricane Beryl embarked on a historic course on June 30th as it began its descent on several Caribbean islands, marking the earliest Category 4 storm ever recorded in the Atlantic hurricane season and hammering islands such as Grenada, Barbados and St. Lucia. For climate change analysts, this is a devastating reality which they have been predicting for decades. At the Climate Analytics Caribbean “Midpoint to COP” event, Director Rueanna Haynes lamented the slow progress of countries to implement the necessary action to limit global warming and avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
Climate change impacts such as increased sea temperatures contribute to hurricanes strengthening at a more rapid rate. Countries involved in United Nations climate change negotiations entered into the Paris Agreement, committing to actions aimed at limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, yet at the world’s current increased warming level of approximately 1.36°C, we are already seeing devastating impacts. Small island developing states in the Caribbean are particularly vulnerable.
“We don’t need to convince anyone here that we are in a critical moment regarding the level of impact of climate change,” said Ms. Haynes. “This means that the global process cannot fail – it must not fail and must rise to the occasion. The process that established the Paris Agreement absolutely needs to deliver.”
The Climate Analytics Caribbean team had recently returned from supporting small islands’ negotiations at the Bonn Climate Conference (SB60) which was held at the World Conference Center and United Nations Campus in Bonn, Germany. Ms. Haynes shared her conclusions, with insights on the issues Caribbean countries must effectively address to ensure a strong outcome at this year’s pivotal climate summit, COP29.
“There has been some limited progress, but it doesn’t go far or fast enough, and all of this is fueling a sense of despair around prospects to actually be able to reach the 1.5 limit,” she stated. “We cannot risk the very real consequences of dialing back on our commitments.”
“At COP29, Climate Finance will be the big issue notably the New Collective Quantified Goal – a new figure to replace the previous $100 billion goal. The NCQG is major for the Caribbean as it is hoped that it will actually address the needs of developing countries from climate change. This finance is what will support the agreements that we made last year at COP28, including advancing a fair and inclusive, green economy via the Just Transition.”
Haynes also noted that negotiators will be pushing for progress in the implementation of last year’s Global Stocktake outcome, including solidifying the global transition away from fossil fuels, tripling of renewable energy, doubling of energy efficiency, and reduction of methane by 2030. She also shared that there will likely be significant political attention on carbon markets, which are being considered by some as an innovative source of financing and an opportunity to incentivize private sector, while others remain skeptical of their utility.
Other panelists contributing to the remarkably engaging discussion included Mr. Reyad Mohammed, Environmental Education Officer, Environmental Management Authority (EMA); Ryan Bachoo, Lead Editor, Newsgathering – Guardian Media, Ltd.; Sasha Jattansingh, Loss and Damage Expert – Climate Analytics Caribbean; Carlon Mendoza, Climate Policy Advisor, Climate Justice – Climate Analytics Caribbean. The event was hosted by Derval Barzey (host), Founder & Host of The Climate Conscious Podcast.
Acclaimed journalist, Mr. Ryan Bachoo, echoed Ms. Haynes’ comments on the central role Climate Finance will play at COP29.
“Caribbean media needs to be talking about Climate Finance – this concerns us directly. We often see commentaries about small island developing states “wanting” money from developed nations, but our circumstances prevent us from accessing adequate funds. We need associated action. We also need more financial support for civil society organisations who do essential work on the ground.”
Mr. Reyad Mohammed inspired the audience with a powerful message.
“We speak about futures and what could happen – and it is the current generation and next generation of youth that will be caught in the climate crisis. There is a need for behavioral and cultural change in the Caribbean. Climate education needs to be woven into the education fabric. We must incorporate the terms into traditional subjects so that people are sensitized to it from young. As one island standing up, its noble and brave but when the people of the Caribbean come together, we are truly powerful.”
