The following is the address delivered by the Hon. Deputy Governor, Mr. Stanley Reid:
Salutations
This two day event is viewed as a collaborative event, the objective of which is to integrate climate change considerations into the Comprehensive Disaster Management Country Work Programme for Anguilla. Disaster Risk Reduction should be a significant part of any Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme and Anguilla is no exception in this regard. We are therefore grateful to CDEMA for funding this event. What is the link between climate change and disaster risk reduction and by extension Comprehensive Disaster Management?
Climate change is generally considered to mean – the alteration of the world’s climate caused by human beings through the burning of fossil fuels, the clearing of forests and other practices resulting in increased concentrations of green house gases in the atmosphere.
It is generally accepted that climate change mitigation and adaptation and disaster risk reduction share common goals; the primary one being to reduce the vulnerability of communities, thereby assisting in the achievement of sustainable development. Sustainable development is expected to reflect a harmonious relationship between economic, social and environmental issues.
Too often, there is the very real risk that when considering developmental issues primary consideration will be given to economic concerns, with little or no regard for social and environmental issues. This is something that must be guarded against, particularly in the current economic climate where the desire to grow the economy might lead one to conclude that the economy should be grown at any and all costs.
Climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction issues speak primarily to environmental issues. Environmental issues, depending on how they are addressed, can however ultimately have a social impact leading to the erosion of the very economy every country seeks to develop. An indication of how climate change is likely to affect key sectors might prove instructive.
It is anticipated that as a result of climate change, drought affected areas are likely to become more widely distributed, while the frequency of heavier precipitation events is likely to increase, resulting in higher flood risks in other areas. We are already conscious of the negative effects of drought and flooding. Consider the consequences if these were to escalate in various areas. Too little or too much water negatively impacts societies. The increase in temperature resulting from climate change and the frequency of droughts and floods will likely negatively impact crop production. Society will again be negatively impacted as the number of people at risk increases. This will lead to higher levels of displacement and migration and the social ills that are usually associated with such.
We now come to an effect of climate change that those of us who make our homes and/or our livelihoods here in Anguilla should be able to more readily relate to. Climate change is likely to result in sea level rising and in oceans becoming more acidic. The industries, settlements and societies most vulnerable to climate change are generally those located in coastal areas, and those whose economies are closely linked with climate sensitive resources. Imagine the impacts of climate change on our tourist industry, if no efforts are made to enhance Anguilla’s capacity to respond to the effects of climate change. This coupled with the negative impact on any efforts to obtain self sufficiency in the areas of agriculture and fishing would be highly detrimental.
If projected changes in climate occur they are likely to negatively impact the health status of millions of people. Increased deaths, disease and injury can be expected as a result of heatwaves, floods, storms, fires and droughts. Greater demands on health care systems will increase the vulnerability of public health and development goals.
To reduce the risk of natural hazards negatively impacting communities, mitigation measures must be employed. A natural hazard by itself is unlikely to cause disasters in a community which has prepared well for that eventuality. It is generally the combination of a vulnerable and ill-prepared community and a hazard event that results in a disaster. Climate change can affect disaster risks in two ways. As alluded to earlier climate change is likely to result in an increase in weather and climate hazards. Further the effects of climate change on communities, as described earlier, are likely to result in the increased vulnerability of communities to natural hazards. As a result of ecosystem degradation, reduced availability of water and food and negative impacts on livelihood, communities are less able to engage in mitigation measures to reduce the negative impacts of natural hazards.
While it is accepted that it is impossible to be absolutely certain about the nature and extent of the disaster related effects of climate change, it is accepted that there is sufficient information to merit concern throughout the world and particularly among the more vulnerable communities, such as the islands of the Caribbean. In these circumstances this two-day collaboration for the Climate Smarting of the Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Country Work Programme (CS-CWP) is to be welcomed and lauded. Obviously Anguilla proposes to take the implications of climate change seriously and is seeking through the integration of climate change considerations into Anguilla’s Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) Country Work Programme, to mainstream climate change considerations into the implementation of disaster risk reduction in Anguilla.
The documentation of our concerns and aspirations is however only the first step in reducing the risks of natural hazards. I end where I started. In our bid for economic growth we must not lose sight of the whole. The whole in this instance is to achieve sustainable development which sees a harmonious relationship between economic growth, social development and the preservation of the environment. Developers, government officials (elected and appointed), land owners and those of us simply seeking employment must be conscious that the realisation of what appears to be an answer to our financial woes, if not properly managed, might be short-lived and lead ultimately to the destruction of our society and our environment; the pillars on which our tourism industry is built. Consideration of environmental and social issues in tandem with economic considerations is very likely to ensure the growth of our economy in circumstances which ensure the overall sustainable development of our island.
I therefore commend this event to you as an initial step which seeks to reflect climate change considerations as a concrete part of Anguilla’s Comprehensive Disaster Management Country Work Programme. We look forward to the future realisation of the work programme, through action on the part of all stakeholders to ensure the sustainable development of Anguilla.
Thank you.
