Abstract
As the Small Island Developing States of the Caribbean prepare to take climate change adaptation measures, there is a distinct possibility that the most vulnerable groups, especially the poor, women, indigenous, elderly, and children in rural and coastal communities are at risk of being marginalized. It is necessary to take into consideration the adaptation needs of these groups that are likely to be disproportionately affected due to inherent structural and social disparities. In this paper we focus on the need to ensure inclusion and social equity in adaptation planning as climate change issues disproportionately impact health, settlement, and livelihoods of these vulnerable groups. We also focus on climate change potential impacts on tourism, agriculture and fisheries sectors, which are the major economic drivers of these island states. Based on Caribbean region wide observations, we recommend priority areas including increasing community participation, local initiatives and filling critical socio-economic and livelihood data gaps, which policy makers need to focus on and incorporate in their climate change adaptation plans in order to ensure effective and equitable climate change adaptation
Highlights
As the Small Island Developing States of the Caribbean prepare to take climate change adaptation measures, there is a distinct possibility that the most vulnerable groups, especially the poor, women, indigenous, elderly, and children in rural and coastal communities are at risk of being marginalized
The small island states in Caribbean region will be disproportionately affected by climate change because of their location and greater dependence on sectors such as tourism and agriculture that are highly vulnerable to climate change
The increasing frequency and intensity of hurricanes over the last two decades have been cited as consequences of global warming and the Caribbean has regularly suffered considerable damage from weather events (2008 with 16 named storms to date was another above average storm season recorded as the 4th most costly hurricane season in Caribbean history)
Summary
"The degradation of the global environment continues unabated ... and the effects of climate change are being felt across the globe. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has categorized the region as a global ―hot spot‖ They warn that developing countries can expect to experience adverse climatic impacts and that the risks are high for the so-called Small Island. At least six Caribbean islands — Haiti, Dominican Republic, Dominica, Jamaica, Martinique and Saint Lucia-are ranked in the top forty countries experiencing extreme weather impacts by the 2009 Global Climate Risk Index. These countries’ vulnerability to climate change is partly due to their physical location [3]. Such macro-economic weaknesses have exacerbated existing vulnerabilities to climatic change
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