At the waters edge - Granada

 

   

Please see the recently released video featuring The Nature Conservancy’s At the Water’s Edge project, which combines unique community and natural infrastructure approaches to build resilient communities in the Caribbean island of Grenada.

 

At the Water’s Edge - About the video

The Nature Conservancy teamed up with local government, community members and partners to strengthen one of Grenville, Grenada’s most powerful allies against climate change – nature itself. The Caribbean fishing town has faced years of erosion caused by the degradation of a coral reef, destruction of mangrove forests and severe weather. In January 2015, the Conservancy piloted innovative hybrid reef structures, the full build-out of which will reduce wave energy, and restoremangroves along the shoreline of Grenville Bay. Watch the video to see as the underwater structures are installed by local fishermen using local materials and hear from community and project leaders. This unique approach to coastal resilience, which combines community engagement with nature-based solutions, is helping Grenville become resilient to the impacts of climate change, while  rebuilding the habitats their economy and culture rely on. You can learn more about this unique project from October’s Nature Conservancy Magazine cover story and check out the video here.

 

Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGZs-JT1NJA&feature=youtu.be

 

 

 

GRID-Arendal Student Internship Programme 2017

GRID-Arendal Student Internship Programme 2017

  GRID-Arendal is currently accepting applications for our internship programme in 2017. The programme offers undergraduate and     graduate students the opportunity to gain practical work experience developing skills under the guidance of experts, working in a multi-cultural international organization. If you are thinking of working on global environment issues, an internship at GRID-Arendal could be an ideal start for you.     In particular students with interest areas like future forward communications technologies, social media, or scientific or topical areas such as marine spatial planning, marine litter, GIS and web mapping, Green Economy or Ecological Economics, sustainable development, climate change vulnerability and adaptation (especially in a mountain environment) or if you have a profound interest in one of GRID-Arendal’s programmes, such as Transboundary Waters, Environmental Crime, Blue Carbon, or Polar and Mountain Environments.   Participants will: Gain practical, professional experience on environmental issues Work full-time, 5 days a week Participate in meetings with colleagues and experts Draft, edit, or contribute to reports, communications, talking points, or other materials prepared by GRID-Arendal Support events, including international and/or multilateral meetings and conferences Internships are approved in the form of signed agreements between GRID-Arendal and a host institution, university, organization, sponsorships etc.   These agreements should specify: obligations of all parties (intern, GRID-Arendal, host institution or sponsor) timeframe GRID-Arendal work programme assignment and general description of work tasks practical and financial responsibilities of all parties (including travel, accommodation) mutual contact information insurances, social security conditions and responsibilities the right to mutual termination notice assessment reporting procedures and outputs during and/or after internship period. Generally, GRID-Arendal offers accommodation, a work programme, a supervisor, and the necessary office space and equipment. Travel and per diem expenses are normally paid by the partner institution/university etc. More

Post Available in Granada

GIZ in Grenada is looking from applications from suitable candidates from the Caribbean  working on climate change mitigation in the cooling sector.

 

The German Agency for Development Cooperation (Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit, GIZ) GmbH (www.giz.de) seeks to employ a 

 

Technical Expert (m/f) for Cooling Systems and Climate Policy/Energy efficiency

 

to support the implementation activities  in Grenada and in the region for the programme “Cool Contributions fighting Climate Change” (C4).

 

Starting date for the successful candidate will be January  1^st, 2017.

The C4 project, financed by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety under the International Climate Initiative (www.international-climate-initiative.com/en/) supports the Government of Grenada in formulating mitigation strategies in the refrigeration, air conditioning and foam (RAC &F) sector and thereby advancing the Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement. The improved framework conditions will encourage the use of energy-efficient RAC&F equipment and environmentally-friendly natural refrigerants and blowing agents. These measures will, in turn, lead to realizing a more climate-friendly RAC&F development pathway.

The successful candidate will work closely, on a day-to-day basis, with the counterparts in the Ministry of Finance and Energy and the Ministry of Education, Human Research Development and the Environment for the implementation of C4 Project. He or she will also need to collaborate with a global team working on the C4 project in GIZ HQ in Germany.

He or she will be working with a focus on:

§ Support of policy and transition processes in Grenada for integrated ozone and climate protection with the following areas:

• Assist national consultant(s) to develop and implement:
  • Inventory on RAC applications in Grenada;
  • System to survey regulated to define mitigation scenarios;
  • Training and information sharing activities in line with national concepts for regulation of F-gases.

§ Support of sector-specific NDC development with the following objectives:

• Analysis of Grenada’s NDCs and a sector specific proposal for F-gas alternatives implemented;
• Evaluation of costs and performance of climate friendly RAC&F technologies;
• Collection and collation of consumption data;
• Identification of key barriers and development and implementation of strategies to overcome these barriers.

 

Qualifications:

·         University degree, ideally in a subject related to climate change mitigation, energy economics, Refrigeration Air Conditioning & Foam RAC&F).

Professional Experience and required competences

·         At least 2 years of professional working experience in public advisory services or in the private sector, with a focus on RAC&F, climate change mitigation and or/ finance, energy or similar fields;

·         experience in project management, change processes, multi-stakeholder coordination across various sectors in Grenada;

·         Economic and technical analysis, experience with public awareness-raising and capacity building activities would be an asset;

·         Excellent communication and networking skills;

·         Very good analytical and writing skills.

 

Languages and Applications:

Fluency in spoken and written English, 

 

Qualified candidates are requested to send their CV to Ms Petra Fraser (petra.fraser@giz.de) before 20/11/2016. All CVs will be dealt with in strict confidentiality.

Building Island Resilience Through Innovative Financing

Real innovation happened in Paris that highlights ways to help vulnerable communities adapt to climate change right now.

 

  At the COP 21 climate talks in Paris, the Government of the Seychelles announced the protection of a vast swath of Indian Ocean that surrounds this island nation off the coast of East Africa. This protection of their natural infrastructure – coral reefs, mangroves and coastal ecosystems which provide a buffer between the sea and their communities – is essential for Seychelles to increase their resilience to the impacts of climate change.     Seychelles’ commitment to a marine spatial plan for its entire exclusive economic zone, the first small island developing state to do so, will help the country plan where to focus their efforts most urgently.     These adaptation measures will be financed by an innovative financial deal, facilitated by The Nature Conservancy and supported by creditors in the Paris Club and South Africa, that restructures the country’s foreign debt. The deal has also brought together private investors and philanthropic foundations, creating a unique public-private-civil society collaboration. This new financial arrangement will ensure that Seychelles is able to fund these adaptation activities well into the future, through the creation of a new independent trust fund.     During a high profile event at COP 21, representatives from Seychelles, investors and supporters discussed what was required to make this happen, the conservation and adaptation benefits that were secured, and the potential for this model to be replicated elsewhere. Following Seychelles’ announcement of this historic debt deal for adaptation, several island nations from the Pacific, Indian Ocean and Caribbean regions have also expressed interest in exploring if such a mechanism could be crafted for them as well.       Watch the video above to learn more about this historic deal, and see how islands are innovating, adapting and helping one another to meet the challenges of climate change. http://bit.ly/2fVAyNn

Belize Waste to Energy / Renewable Energy Fair

“The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) in Partnership with the GIZ, The Japan Caribbean Climate Change Partnership (J-CCCP) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), is hosting Belize’s First B2B Waste to Energy and Renewable Energy Fair at the Belize Biltmore Plaza, in Belize City on the 9th November, 2016.”

 

 

https://caribbeanclimateblog.com/2016/11/03/belizes-first-b2b-waste-to-energy-renewable-energy-fair/

Caribbean Fisherfolk Leaders committed to keeping Fisherfolk Action Learning Group going

                For Immediate Release

 

Caribbean Fisherfolk Leaders committed to keeping Fisherfolk Action Learning Group going

Port of Spain.  October 27, 2016 - Eighteen fisherfolk leaders from sixteen Caribbean countries and the Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations (CNFO) met in Barbados for the Fourth Caribbean Fisherfolk Action Learning Group (FFALG) workshop, from October 19 – 21.  Also, in attendance, were partners from the Fisheries Authorities of Barbados, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Suriname, and the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism, Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies of the University of the West Indies (UWI-CERMES), Caribbean Natural Resources Institute, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and The Nature Conservancy.

 

With this being the final workshop of the FFALG under the Strengthening Caribbean Fisherfolk to Participate in Governance (SCFPG) project, the opportunity was taken to share experiences of the CNFO and its membership on policy influencing, and identify lessons learnt and best practices on participation in policy and decision‐making processes at the national, regional and global levels. The FFALG also carried out an evaluation of the SCFPG project and their own capacity development.

 

Participants from the Fourth Fisherfolk Action Learning Group Workshop, October 19-21, 2016, Barbados

Participants also addressed gender in fisheries, recognising that there was very little information on gender issues in fisheries in the Caribbean and no attention to gender in the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy (CCCFP). The work of the UWI-CERMES led Gender in Fisheries Team (GIFT) was acknowledged by all participants, and support given for their initiative to draft a protocol aimed at recognising gender within the context of the Small-Scale Fisheries Guidelines for consideration under CCCFP.

In terms of the way forward, the fisherfolk leaders agreed that the Action Learning Group was playing a significant role in developing their leadership skills and capacity to influence policy and committed to take ownership and maintain the Group beyond the life of the project.

 

Ms. Vernel Nicholls, President of BARNUFO and newly elected Chair of the CNFO, makes a point during the panel discussions on fisherfolk’ s experience in influencing policy.

Ms. Vernel Nicholls, President of the Barbados National Union of Fisherfolk Organisations (BARNUFO), shared her own experience of the Group, stating “…the Action Learning Group has been a really good experience for us as fisherfolk. It has really done a lot for me in terms of my development. I remember my first meeting with fisherfolk leaders in Grenada representing BARNUFO, I did not have any confidence, in fact, I wanted to crawl under the table.  The Fisherfolk Action Learning Group has helped to build my confidence.”

During this Workshop, the recently registered CNFO, held its first General Assembly, at which it elected a seven person executive, with Ms. Vernel Nicholls as Chair.

The European Union funded Strengthening Caribbean Fisherfolk to Participate in Governanceproject is targeting fisherfolk organisations in the countries of Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Belize, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and Turks and Caicos. The project is aimed at improving the contribution of the small-scale fisheries sector to food security in these countries through building the capacity of regional and national fisherfolk organisation networks to participate in fisheries governance and management. The project comes to an end in December 2016.

 

About CANARI: The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute is a regional, technical, non-profit organisation which has been working in the islands of the Caribbean for more than 20 years.  Our mission is to promote equitable participation and effective collaboration in managing natural resources critical to development.  Our programmes focus on research, sharing and dissemination of lessons learned, capacity building and fostering regional partnerships.

Connect with us: 

       

Connect with us: 

 

For further information: Please see http://www.canari.org/strengthening-caribbean-fisherfolk-to-participate-in-governance/ or contact Terrence Phillips at CANARI at terrence@canari.org or call: 1-868-626-6062

Submitted on October 27, 2016

 Via: Glispa

 

One Caribbean - One Team - Caribbean / Latin America Disaster Readiness Manual

Workshop Explores Climate-Ocean Linkages Ahead of Third Our Ocean Conference

14 September 2016: On the eve of the opening of the Third Our Ocean Conference, the Division of Environment and Oceanic Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile and the National Geographic Society organized a workshop to consider the theme, "Is the Paris Agreement Good News for the Ocean?” The workshop took place at National Geographic headquarters in Washington, DC, US, on 14 September, immediately prior to the Third Our Ocean Conference, which is also convening in Washington, DC, from 15-16 September. Participants focused on how to build on the momentum generated with the “Because the Ocean” initiative that was announced during the 21st session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 21) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which concluded with the adoption of the Paris Agreement on climate change. The workshop brought together the ocean and climate communities, including representatives from governments, climate change negotiators, scientists and civil society, to identify challenges related to including the ocean in the UNFCCC agenda and to develop an action plan for addressing ocean-related issues through the climate action to take place under the Paris Agreement. Participants also discussed linkages with Sustainable Development Goal 14 (life below water), with Jan Olsson, Ambassador for the Environment and Oceans, Sweden, briefing participants on preparations for the UN High-Level Conference on SDG 14 to be held in June 2017 in New York. He said: the science on climate change and the ocean is understood well enough to act now; action on climate change is necessary to save the ocean; and the high level conference “is an opportunity not to be missed to create a thorough overview of the totality of actions being taken and actions needed to meet our obligations under SDG 14.”   Roundtable discussions considered whether climate change impacts on the ocean should raise the level of climate action ambition, how the ocean could be included in countries' Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and the way forward. Participants noted the value of further scientific research and discussions with policy makers regarding the implications of climate-related impacts on the ocean. Opportunities to spur action to address these linkages through the Paris Agreement, such as its provisions for NDCs and for a global stocktake and facilitative dialogue to take place in 2018, were also discussed. In closing the workshop, Heraldo Muñoz, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chile, said the workshop provided a contribution to achieving the third and final goal of the “Because the Ocean Declaration,” which was to establish a work plan on the ocean under the UNFCCC. He also said the workshop discussions could provide the basis for a second declaration. More

 

Island Invasives Conference 2017

 On behalf of the South Georgia Heritage Trust and the University of Dundee, U.K., Alison Neil (SGHT CEO) and Anthony Martin are delighted to advise you that the third in the series of Island Invasive’s conferences will be held in Dundee, Scotland, in the week 10-14 July 2017. We very much look forward to a great gathering of the island invasives clan, with lots of good presentations, good ideas, good discussions, good food, good music and dancing (yes, even YOU will be unable to resist dancing in a ceilidh) and perhaps a wee dram or two of sublime Scotch whisky.  

   This conference follows two very successful and productive predecessors held in Auckland, New Zealand in 2002 <http://www.hear.org/articles/turningthetide/> and 2010. A successor is long overdue. The sub-title of the 2017 conference is 'Scaling up to meet the challenge' - a reflection of the rapid growth in interest in the field, as well as the escalating size of islands now being freed of damaging invasive species. The Dundee meeting will of course be the first in the series to held in Europe, and indeed the first in the northern hemisphere. In addition to welcoming many guests from the traditional strongholds in the Antipodes, we hope and trust that the venue will allow greater participation than hitherto from within the growing interest groups elsewhere, especially Europe and N. America.    Please view the conference website www.islandinvasives2017.com  that formally announcing the event and allows people to build it in to their 2017 schedule, book accommodation and submit abstracts. Further information about the programme will also follow. The IUCN has kindly offered to publish the proceedings of this conference, just as it did for the others in the series.    Please circulate this to anyone or any group you think may be interested in attending. The task now is to ensure than anyone who may wish to attend is made aware that the place to be in July 2017 is Dundee. More

 

This will be the third in a series of international conferences focussed on invasive alien species (IAS) on islands, their impact and management. It follows those held in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2001 and 2010*. The Dundee conference will therefore be the first such meeting for seven years, and the first to be held in the northern hemisphere. In the context of this meeting, the definition of ‘island’ is broader than just a piece of land surrounded by water. Much the same problems and solutions apply to land surrounded by predator-proof fences, and to unfenced but isolated patches of habitat such as coral reefs.

Awareness of the damaging impact of invasive species is growing rapidly, just as the problem itself is growing. Island flora and fauna tend to be particularly vulnerable to IAS, and many insular endemics have been driven to extinction by these invaders. But, by their very nature, islands may also offer the possibility of long-term refuge and security if alien species can be eradicated or effectively controlled.

 

Over recent decades, the management and even eradication of island invasives has developed from a concept born of desperation to small scale experimentation, to medium scale trials, to large scale operations where success is almost expected. The scale of response is increasing to meet the escalating challenge. Progress is made largely by learning from the lessons and experience of earlier operations, good and bad. For this, there is no substitute for face-to-face discussion, the discovery of new approaches from posters and spoken presentations, and access to the best people in the business, all gathered in one place.

James Hansen's Bombshell Climate Warning Is Now Part Of The Scientific Canon

Last summer, James Hansen—the pioneer of modern climate science—pieced together a research-based revelation: a little-known feedback cycle between the oceans and massive ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland might have already jump-started an exponential surge of sea levels. 

That would mean huge levels of sea level rise will happen sooner—much sooner than expected. Hansen’s best estimate was 2 to 5 meters (6–15 feet) by the end of the century: five to 10 times faster than mainstream science has heretofore predicted.   The result was so important that Hansen didn’t want to wait. So he called a press conference and distributed a draft of his findings before they could be peer-reviewed—a very nontraditional approach for a study with such far-reaching consequence. Now, after months of intense and uncharacteristically public scrutiny by the scientific community, the findings by Hansen and his 18 co-authors have passed formal peer review and were published Tuesday in the journal Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics.   That’s bad news for those of us rooting for a stable planet. With Hansen’s paper now through peer review, its dire conclusions are difficult to ignore. And the scientific community, many of whom were initially wary of Hansen’s paper when it came out this summer, is starting to take serious note.   In an email to Slate, Ruth Mottram, a climate scientist who was skeptical of the initial draft, calls the final study “considerably improved.” Mottram, who specializes in studying the Greenland ice sheet, said “the scenario they sketch out is implausible, though perhaps not impossible … it’s frankly terrifying." More      

REGISTRATION OPEN: ONLINE COURSE “SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FOR SIDS”

 

Why are energy access, a secure energy supply and energy efficiency so crucial and at the same time so challenging for Small Island Developing States? The online learning course “Sustainable Energy for SIDS”, a key output of the L3EAP project, gives answers to these questions. The interactive online course is taught in English and runs from 26 July until 11 September 2016.

 

Participate free of charge and register here: e-learning.project-l3eap.eu

SIDS DOCK holds first executive council meeting in New York

NEW YORK, USA -- The SIDS DOCK executive council held its first meeting on Thursday, 16 June 2016, chaired by Dr Vince Henderson, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and permanent representative of Dominica to the

United Nations.  NEW YORK, USA -- The SIDS DOCK executive council held its first meeting on Thursday, 16 June 2016, chaired by Dr Vince Henderson, ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary and permanent representative of Dominica to the United Nations.    Other elected members of the Council include vice chairs, Ronnie Jumeau, climate change ambassador, Seychelles, and Sione Foliaki, assistant chief executive officer, Energy Policy Coordination and Management Division, Ministry of Finance, Samoa.    Dr Rhianna M. Neely-Murphy, ministry of environment and housing, The Bahamas, was nominated rapporteur. The meeting was hosted by the Permanent Mission of Barbados to the UN.   The first meeting of the executive council represents an historic moment in “SIDS-SIDS” relations in terms of the urgent need to invest in building climate change resilience in small island developing states (SIDS).    SIDS DOCK is designed as a “DOCKing station,” to connect the energy sector in SIDS with the global market for finance, sustainable energy technologies and with the European Union and the United States carbon markets, and able to trade the avoided carbon emissions in those markets. Estimates place the potential value of the US and EU markets between US$100 to 400 billion annually.   With the entry into force of the SIDS DOCK Treaty, small island developing and low lying states are now vested with a SIDS-appropriate framework to assist member states to mobilise financing in excess of US$20 billion, by 2033, to invest in the transformation of the SIDS energy sector to achieve a 25 percent (2005 baseline) increase in energy efficiency, generation of a minimum of 50 percent of electric power from renewable sources, and a 25 percent decrease in conventional transportation fuel use, in order to increase availability of financial resources to invest in building climate change resilience in SIDS.   The SIDS DOCK treaty was opened for signature in September 2014, in Samoa, at the third UN international conference on SIDS; ratified in September 2015, at the UN, on the margins of the 70th UN General Assembly. The first meeting of the SIDS DOCK Assembly was held in Paris, in December 2015, on the margins of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of Parties meeting (COP 21).    On 3 June 3016, the secretary general of the UN issued a certificate of registration, certifying that the SIDS DOCK treaty was duly registered, signalling that SIDS DOCK was officially open for business. SIDS DOCK business matters will be advised by the global law firm, Squire, Patton, Boggs (SPB), who were officially appointed SIDS DOCK attorneys by the Council. SPB will provide pro bono services to SIDS DOCK.     As mandated by the SIDS DOCK Assembly last December, the Council reviewed documentation adopted by the Assembly, including but not limited to the rules and procedures of the Assembly and Executive Council; selection procedure for the secretary-general; and the SIDS DOCK Secretariat work programme and indicative budget (2016-2020). More

Coral bleaching confirmed on Seychelles' Curieuse island; project aims to prevent further damage

The Seychelles National Park Authority has confirmed reports that corals are starting to turn white in the marine park of Curieuse island and that a project to prevent further damage is about to start.

  The Seychelles archipelago of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean experienced massive coral bleaching by the El Niño phenomenon in 1998. A similar El Niño has occurred this year, bringing above-average temperatures to the region. “We did a quick assessment and found that the situation is more alarming than in 1998 when there was the El Niño incidence,” said Allen Cedras, an official of the Marine Park Authority. Coral bleaching, which causes a loss of natural colours in coral, was observed in all types of corals, from rocky shores to reefs areas in the marine protected area of 14.7 square kilometres. Curieuse is 15 minutes from Praslin, Seychelles' second-most populated island.    Cedras told SNA that bleaching, caused by an increase in the sea temperature, has affected between 60 percent to 90 percent of coral in the Curieuse Marine Park. He said the problem could become even worse. With an aim to save the coral, a two-year pilot project is about to start and will include corals grown in an underwater nursery around the island and then transplanted. The UN is providing $360,000 under an Ecosystem-Based Adaptation to Climate Change (EBA) project. Divers who are part of the pilot project were recently seen collecting fragments of different corals in shallow areas of the marine park. “Over 9,000 fragments of corals will be transported in the first test,” said the project coordinator, Jude Bijoux, adding that these are carefully selected in shallow areas where they do not show signs of bleaching. The fragments are then grown in the nursery off Anse Papaie beach of Curieuse on ropes and meshed cages before being transplanted to the two sites. “One site is off the coast of Praslin in the Amitie area and the other overlooks the beach of Mandarin, off the coast of Curieuse,” say Bijoux. Coral-growing or coral-nursery projects are not new to the 115 islands archipelago. Such coral replanting exercise have been undertaken at Amitie on Praslin, by Nature Seychelles and at Petite Anse bay in the south of the main island, Mahe. The recent changes in the weather bringing more rain is giving the corals a temporary respite. “We are lucky now we are having some rain and the weather is changing, cooling the waters and preventing further damage,” said Cedras, the Seychelles' National Park Authority officer. Cedras said some corals are more resilient than others and the team is trying to find out why. “There are many reasons why one can be currents cooling the water in some areas or some polyps are more tolerant. We have a team right now working on gathering more precise information.” Meanwhile, Curieuse, which was a former leper colony, has a response plan to emergencies, which according to Cedras, will be initiated to try and contain the coral bleaching.  A national park since 1979, Curieuse has the second most number of coco-de-mer trees in Seychelles. The coco-de-mer is the largest nut in the world. Curieuse is an important tourist island but also plays host to an international voluntary programme under the Global Vision International (GVI). The latter is involved in collecting data on several species on the island including its extensive population of land tortoises and sea turtles. Curieuse is also a research centre for other international groups such as Earthwatch. Read More

Steering Committee on Partnerships for Small Island Developing States

Steering Committee on Partnerships for Small Island Developing States

“As we embark on this new phase in our journey together, we are hopeful that this venture will go beyond partnerships and find root in supporting SIDS and their special challenges within the broader development system”, said Ambassador Ahmed Sareer, Permanent Representative of Maldives and co-chair of the Steering Committee. His fellow co-chair, Ambassador Sebastiano Cardi, Permanent Representative of Italy, said that “the Steering Committee, and the partnership framework that we will oversee, was first brought to life in the SAMOA Pathway. Indeed, the concept of the partnership framework was a cornerstone of that document, and it is something that set that Pathway apart from other intergovernmental agreements”   The Third International Conference on SIDS was one of the first to have the theme dedicated to “partnerships”. The overarching theme of "The sustainable development of small island developing States through genuine and durable partnerships" lead to commitments of over 300 partnerships to support the effort for SIDS’ sustainable development. “Partnerships” has been recognized as an effective means of implementation in pursuing sustainable development and brought much attention by many Member States and other stakeholders.   The Samoa Pathway made a number of specific calls to the United Nations system and to the international community. Paragraph 101 called for preparation of recommendations for a SIDS Partnership Framework to monitor and ensure the full implementation of pledges and commitments through partnerships for SIDS. In response to the mandate, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS), working under the guidance of AOSIS, prepared a set of recommendations in close consultation with Member States. Last December, during the 70th session of the General Assembly, Member States formally established the SIDS Partnership Framework. The GA resolution (70/202) requested the Secretariat to assist in setting up a Steering Committee on partnerships for SIDS with a view to supporting the follow-up of existing, and promote and advocate for the launch of new, SIDS partnerships. The co-chairs of the Steering Committee, Maldives and Italy, were appointed by the President of the General Assembly.   The first Steering Committee meeting was facilitated by the Co-Chairs of the Steering Committee, Permanent Representative of Maldives, Ambassador Sareer, and Permanent Representative of Italy, Ambassador Cardi. The Under-Secretary-General of UN-DESA, Mr. Wu Hongbo, and the Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for UN-OHRLLS, Mr. Gyan Acharya, were also present and made remarks at the opening session. Ambassador Ahmed Sareer noted that the implementation of the SAMOA Pathway, and of the more than 300 partnerships announced at the Third International Conference on SIDS, will be critical, and he expressed the hope that the Steering Committee could address not only partnerships but all aspects of the Samoa Pathway implementation.    Mr. Wu Hongbo emphasized that many partnerships are making encouraging progress, including those involving the private sector, and that the reporting template and upgraded platform that UN-DESA has developed will help to encourage and track further progress. Mr. Gyan Acharya stressed that the Steering Committee could serve as a model for partnership follow up in other contexts as well and that UN-OHRLLS will be particularly active in advancing the engagement of the private sector through their Global Business Network, which should be linked to the platform overseen by the Steering Committee.   At this meeting, the Steering Committee approved its working methods, and UN-DESA presented a standardized reporting template for SIDS partnerships. The Working Methods highlights that the Committee should meet quarterly and that entities of the UN System, international and regional organizations, major group and other stakeholders may be invited by the Co-Chairs on behalf of, and in consultation with the Steering Committee, to contribute, as appropriate. UN-DESA is working closely with the Co-Chairs in finalizing the reporting template and upgrading the online platform for the SIDS partnerships to regularly report on their progress made.   Many Member States emphasized crucial links between the Samoa Pathway implementation and 2030 Agenda implementation, and many noted that the Steering Committee could offer valuable lessons to partnerships in the 2030 context as well as the Samoa partnerships. The Steering Committee will identify gaps and lessons learned in partnerships, and Member States hoped that the partnership framework could be scaled up and applied more broadly in the coming years. H.E. Aliioaiga Feturi Elisaia, Permanent Representative of Samoa to the United Nations said “Samoa views the Steering Committee as a “catalyst” to reach out and to advocate to potential partners both public and private, as a “magnet” to attract and bring them in to appreciate SIDS challenges, and as “glue” to ensure that they work together cohesively and cooperatively for the attainment of SIDS development needs”.   In closing, Ambassador Sebastiano Cardi, Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN and co-chair of the Steering Committee, concluded the meeting with some final thoughts: the Steering Committee can be a catalyst for action in implementation of partnerships and the SAMOA Pathway in general.     http://www.sids2014.org/index.php?page=view&type=12&nr=192&menu=1601

Belize Joins Ten Island Challenge

Belize Joins Ten Island Challenge to Transition to 100% Renewable Energy

The islands of the Caribbean are some of the most beautiful places on Earth, which is why they are among the most popular tourist destinations. But those same island nations also suffer from some of the highest electricity prices in the world, a factor that fuels poverty, helps grow their national debts and blocks their ability to plan for sustainable development. Because relatively little of that electricity comes from renewable sources, these countries spend large portion of their GDP importing fossil fuels, money that could otherwise be spent growing their economies. And while these islands don’t contribute significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions, they suffer an outsized impact from climate change, with rising sea levels, hotter temperatures and extreme weather events such as hurricanes. That’s why Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson’s climate group the Carbon War Room (CWR), now partnered with Amory Lovins’ think tank the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), created the Ten Island Challenge to encourage these nations to tap into their abundant supply of sun and wind. The challenge was kicked off last year at the Creating Climate Wealth Islands Summit to start collecting commitments from the islands, with CWR and RMI working with them to set ambitious renewable energy goals, develop plans to do so and build the infrastructure and resource capacity to execute those plans.    Aruba was the first nation to join the challenge. Its government worked with the two organizations to create the Smart Growth Pathways, and it has committed to transitioning from fossil fuels by 2020. St. Lucia, Grenada, the British Virgin Islands, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, and San Andres and Providencia have already joined the challenge and are working to transition their economies away from fossil fuels. More

SE4All Highlights Plans for Implementing SDG 7

25 March 2016: The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General (SRSG) for Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All), Rachel Kyte, highlighted challenges to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 (Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all).

Briefing UN Member States and civil society, she also provided an update on the SE4All initiative's plans for supporting implementation of the Goal.

Kyte emphasized that Goal 7 has three “pillars,” addressing energy poverty, technological advancement, and investment in energy efficiency. Stressing the interlinked nature of the Goal, she said the first pillar, addressing energy poverty, is essential to leaving no one behind, noting that the electricity access gap undermines education, productivity and economic growth, while the gap in access to clean cooking fuels is detrimental to health and gender inequality. On technological advancement, Kyte noted the past decade's reductions in the cost and complexity of renewable energy, which makes on-shore wind, solar photo voltaic, and other technologies more competitive with fossil-based energy sources. On energy efficiency, she said greater investment has made it possible to provide basic electricity services using much less power.

Despite this positive progress, Kyte warned that global economic trends have slowed the momentum for electrification, renewables, efficiency and clean cooking. She said the global energy transition is not taking place at a sufficient pace to meet the temperature goal set out in the Paris Agreement on climate change, or the broader development goals expressed in the 2030 Agenda.

Kyte also stressed that the financial needs to achieve SDG 7, which are estimated at over US$1 trillion annually, will need to come from both private and public sectors. She highlighted the importance of small-scale, private investments to develop renewable energy in many African countries.

On the role of the SE4All initiative in supporting the achievement of SDG 7, Kyte said the Forum's 2017 meeting will assess progress and provide substance for the High-level Political Forum on sustainable development (HLPF) and the UN system as a whole in its review of progress towards the SDGs. In the meantime, SE4All is developing a framework for addressing challenges faced by Member States in achieving SDG 7. Member States will have opportunities to provide input on this framework throughout May 2016, Kyte said, and the SE4All Advisory Board will consider the framework at its meeting, on 15-16 June 2016. [Event Webcast] [SE4All Website]

 

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This Caribbean Island Just Went 100% Renewable - Via Winston Connolly

Bonaire (pop. 14,500), a small island off the coast of Venezuela, is famous for its beautiful marine reefs, which are visited by 70,000 tourists every year.

Bonaire

What many of the tourists don't realize is that the majority of the electricity powering their needs comes from renewable energy. Yet for the residents of Bonaire, the switch from fossil-fueled to renewable energy systems has made a world of difference.

Like many Caribbean islands, Bonaire originally relied on diesel fuel to generate electricity for residents, with a peak demand of 11 megawatts (MW). This fuel had to be shipped in from other nations, resulting in high electricity prices for Bonaire residents, along with uncertainty about when and how much prices might increase with changing fuel costs.

In 2004, everything changed when a fire destroyed the existing diesel power plant. Although tragic, the situation provided an opportunity for Bonaire to consider what kind of new electricity system to build. Temporary diesel generators were rented to provide power for the short term. Meanwhile, the government and local utility began working together to create a plan that would allow Bonaire to reach a goal of generating 100 percent of its electricity from renewable sources.

Bonaire's Electricity System Transformation

The result is a transformed electricity system on Bonaire. The island is now home to 12 wind turbines with a total of 11 MW of wind power capacity, which contribute up to 90 percent of the island's electricity at times of peak wind, and 40-45 percent of its annual electricity on average.

Battery storage (6 MWh) is included in order to take advantage of available power in times of excess wind, and provide that stored electricity in times of low wind. The battery also boosts the reliability of the overall system—it is capable of providing 3 MW for over two minutes, allowing time for additional generation to be started when there is a sudden drop in wind.

The Bonaire system also includes 14 MW of diesel generation, five total generators, which provide the necessary power to meet the load when there is not enough wind power available. The generators are equipped to run on both traditional diesel as well as biodiesel. The next steps in the island's energy transformation involve using local algae resources, grown in the large salt flats on the island, to create biofuel, which can then be used in the existing generators. This will allow Bonaire to operate a 100 percent renewable electricity system—with on average 40–45 percent from wind and 55-60 percent from biodiesel.

The new electricity system led to more reliable electricity, more employment opportunities, reduced dependence on oil (and its fluctuating prices), and a reduction in electricity bills. Bonaire residents currently pay $0.22/kWh for electricity, much lower than prices on other nearby Caribbean islands, which are often $0.36/kWh or above.

When oil prices spiked in 2008, while Bonaire was still using temporary diesel generators before making its transition to renewables, electricity prices on the island reached $0.50/kWh. The new electricity system also created jobs for the construction and ongoing operation of the wind farm, and for research and development of algae production capabilities and conversion to biofuel. Additional employment opportunities will be created for continuing algae production and operation of the biodiesel plant.

The success of the updated electricity system on Bonaire provides an important example to other nearby islands of the opportunity to achieve high levels of renewable energy penetration.

http://www.businessinsider.com/bonaire-goes-renewable-energy-2015-1

 

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Caribbean Green Economy Project

Within the Caribbean, there is a growing awareness of the need for a new economic paradigm for inclusive and sustainable development, in order to deliver solutions for the most pressing challenges which are made worse by international economic and environmental crises.

In the backdrop of the limited diversification of the countries’ economies and their dependence on natural resources, green economy offers a viable option to increase competitiveness and resilience of the region’s economies and merge prosperity and growth for all with sustainability.

"I commit my Government to working assiduously with the Social Partnership to ensure that the measures indentified in Barbados’ Green Economy Scoping Study, which can contribute to a more prosperous and environmentally sensitive Barbados, will be implemented expeditiously" said Freundel J. Stuart, Prime Minister of Barbados.

“We see a green economy not only as the area of renewable energy, but we see the green economy as a means of providing new opportunities for our people in St. Kitts,” said Earl Asim Martin, Deputy Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis.

"We are also showing that it is possible to create a better, environmentally sustainable national economy without compromising our citizens’ legitimate aspirations for increased prosperity," said Bharrat Jagdeo, Former Prime Minister of Guyana

Effective green economy strategies and programmes must address barriers to change that affect the whole Caribbean region. In searching for alternatives to “business-as-usual”, emphasis should be placed on redirecting investments and creating economic incentives that lead to sustainable development and poverty eradication.

UNEP, in cooperation with the CARICOM Secretariat and with financial support of the European Union, is supporting the region through a Caribbean Green Economy Initiative.

The outcomes of project, as well as the experiences and lessons learned during its implementation should offer ideas and opportunities for scaling up green economy transition in other countries and regions especially in island states in the Pacific, Africa and elsewhere.

Please download the project flyer on green economy in the Caribbean here.

 

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CARICOM's Commercialization of energy efficiency programs and projects in the Caribbean.

As part of its mandate to promote resilient energy matrices region-wide, CARICOM has identified the promotion of investment into energy efficiency programs and projects as a priority action item.

On April 5th at 10.00am EST, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat and New Energy Events will co-host a webinar focused on new approaches to the commercialization of energy efficiency programs and projects in the Caribbean.

Confirmed panelists:

Jacob Corvidae, Manager, Rocky Mountain Institute

Kelly Tomblin, President & CEO, Jamaica Public Service Co.

Dr. Devon Gardner, Programme Manager, Energy, CARICOM

Joseph Williams, Sustainable Energy Advisor, Caribbean Development Bank

Despite the obvious potential for investment in energy efficiency across the Caribbean, the markets are yet to take off in any meaningful way. The unavailability of sustainable and affordable financing is widely recognized as the most significant hurdle to commercialization. The webinar will explore an emerging alignment of stakeholders around energy efficiency investments, and examine a number of innovative approaches to financing.

Topics will include:

• How do we introduce investment in energy efficiency into the mainstream?

• How do regional utilities look at investment in EE initiatives from a long-term ROI perspective? How can we align economic incentives to motivate utilities to invest in EE?

• What can we learn from the experience of other markets and other utilities? Hawaii, for example?

• What is the Integrated Utility Service (IUS) model? What can we learn from the initial experience in Fort Collins?

• How might utility-centric EE programs align with public sector and multilateral objectives and with what implication for the financing of EE programs?

• How do we de-risk EE investment?

• What are the opportunity costs associated with the inability of the current "market will deliver" philosophy to tap the regional EE potential?

• What are the key stakeholders - utilities, utility regulators, governments, multilaterals and private investors - prepared to do in order to deliver clean, efficient, reliable and cost-effective energy services to end-users? More

Register Now!

 

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Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency inaugurated in Barbados

BRIDGETOWN, 28 October 2015 - The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) was today inaugurated during a ceremony held in the capital of Barbados.

This follows the decision of the 36th Regular meeting of the heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to establish the centre as a regional implementation hub, with Barbados as the host country. The regional centre was developed and promoted by the CARICOM Secretariat in close partnership with the Small Island Developing States Sustainable Energy and Climate Resilience Initiative (SIDS DOCK) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO).

Financial support is being provided by the governments of Austria and Germany. CCREEE will be part of a wider network of regional sustainable energy centres for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in Africa, the Caribbean, Pacific and Indian Ocean. Freundel Stuart, Prime Minister of Barbados and Chairman of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM, stressed that the urgent establishment of the centre was in line with the region’s strategic goals and focus on sustainable development. Confirming his country’s support for the centre, he added that “the CCREEE will act as a regional hub and think-tank for sustainable energy issues and activities in the region”.

Ambassador Irwin LaRocque, Secretary-General, Caribbean Community (CARICOM), said: “The centre’s main role will be to assist CARICOM Member States in implementing the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Roadmap and Strategy (C-SERMS), as well as their respective national energy strategies and targets. The centre is an important contribution of CARICOM to the upcoming Climate Summit in Paris.”

Ambassador Vince Henderson, Chairman of SIDS DOCK, added: “We consider CCREEE and the wider network of centres for Small Island Developing States to be an essential contribution to make the Sustainable Energy for All initiative a reality for our economies and societies. The centres are expected to cooperate closely on the SIDS-SIDS energy agenda and will form not only a strong advocacy, but also a strong cooperation group.”

Pradeep Monga, UNIDO Director and Special Representative of the Director General on Energy, called “CCREEE a critical mechanism for up-scaling national efforts, particularly in the areas of project execution, capacity development, and knowledge and data management, as well as investment and business promotion, within the sustainable energy sector”.Ambassador Mikael Barfod, Delegation of the European Union to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, highlighted the creation of CCREEE as a major milestone and pledged support for the initiative.

According to Martin Ledolter, Managing Director of the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), “the centre will empower local people within the Caribbean to benefit from the growing global sustainable energy markets and participate in the emerging opportunities for south-south and north-south technology and knowledge transfer”.

The inauguration of CCREEE will also be part of the Caribbean Energy Week, which will be observed across the region from 8 to 14 November under the theme “EmPOWERING our Sustainable Development”.” More

 

 

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TEDx University College of the Cayman Islands

Did you get a chance to see Shonda Rhimes (Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, etc.) doing her TED talk on Monday evening? If not, you can catch her online at:http://www.ted.com/talks/shonda_rhimes_my_year_of_saying_yes_to_everything

Her talk entitled “My year of saying yes to everything” was absolutely inspiring.

But that’s what TED is about, as you already know if you were one of the 124 people who registered for this past Tuesday’s simulcast at UCCI of the big TED 2016 event in Vancouver, Canada.

However, nothing beats the thrill of seeing live speakers, engaging with them face-to-face, and discussing those great ideas with other TED event attendees.

Of course, the cheapest admission ticket for TED 2016 in Vancouver was US$8500. (Not an admission price that just anyone can afford in these challenging economic times.)

So, keep in mind that just next month, on March 19^th, you can experience the same excitement of live speakers and great ideas at TEDxUCCI 2016. The theme this year is FutureVision…and it will undoubtedly be the most insightful TEDx ever for investigating the many pressing issues facing Cayman and the world.

From 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., you’ll hear great talks on topics including conservation, energy use and production, the ocean’s potential, heath, technical literacy, economic and social sustainability, creative professions, and dealing effectively with today’s complex world. There will also be a new production by the UCCI theatre arts students and great food prepared by UCCI’s Hospitality students.

Nick Robson of the Cayman Institute shall be presenting a talk entitled Predicting The Future. Come out and be entertained and hopefully learn a thing or two.

Early Bird 2-for-1: Bring a Friend for Free!

Through the end of this week, two registrants can pay just one admission fee to attend TEDxUCCI 2016. Both people must register for the TEDxUCCI 2016 event online atwww.TEDxUCCI.ky and then both registration confirmations can be taken to the UCCI campus within 10 working days for payment. As long as both registrations were made before February 21st, only one admission fee will be charged.

Admission costs $25 for non-students and $10 for students. But this week’s 2-for-1 special can provide as much as a 50% savings for TEDx-enthusiasts on a budget. TEDxUCCI 2016 is hosted by UCCI and generously sponsored by the Ministry of Community Affairs, Youth & Sports and Foster’s Food Fair.

To register or for more information, go to www.TEDxUCCI.ky or contact info@TEDxUCCI.ky

 

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