Climate change adaptation.
Sustainable development.
Disaster risk reduction.
As we entered the current millennium we’ve been hearing these terms with increasing frequency. But what, exactly, do these terms mean and why should we even care?
To ensure that we’re all on the same page, let’s start with some definitions (per the United Nations) and then move on to explaining why EMATT believes they are important to all of us. Sustainable development is defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” To achieve sustainable development, it is crucial to harmonize three core elements: economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. These elements are interconnected and considered crucial for the well-being of individuals and societies.
Climate change refers to “a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.” The world is already experiencing changes in average temperature, shifts in the seasons and an increasing frequency of extreme weather events. The faster the climate changes and the longer adaptation efforts are put off, the more difficult and expensive it (that is, adaptation) could be. Adaptation to climate change involves adjustments in ecological, social, or economic systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli and their effects or impacts. It refers to changes in processes, practices, and structures to both moderate potential damages and to benefit from opportunities associated with climate change. In other words, countries and communities need to develop adaptation solutions and take action to respond to the impacts of climate change that are already happening, as well as prepare for future impacts.
Disaster risk reduction is “the concept and practice of reducing disaster risks through
systematic efforts to analyse and manage the causal factors of disasters, including through reduced exposure to hazards, lessened vulnerability of people and property, wise management of land and the environment, and improved preparedness for adverse events.” Disaster risk reduction is aimed at reducing existing disaster risk, preventing new ones, and managing residual risk - all of which contribute to strengthening resilience and therefore to the achievement of sustainable development.
Given these definitions, it is reasonable to conclude that sustainable development can be impacted by disasters and, therefore, disaster risk reduction facilitates sustainable development. If climate change increases disaster risk and climate change adaptation seeks to reduce the risk posed by climate change, then we can begin to see the link between sustainable development, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.
Our National Climate Change Policy (2011) notes that “As a small island developing state (SIDS), Trinidad and Tobago is particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change such as those related to temperature increases, changes in precipitation and sea level rise”. Also, the Inter-American Development Bank, in a report titled “UNDERSTANDING THE ECONOMICS OF CLIMATE ADAPTATION IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO”, stated that “In terms of climate hazards, Trinidad and Tobago will, presumably, undergo higher tropical storm (TS) frequency and the effects derived from them: coastal flooding, wind and rainfall. Additionally the island will likely experience sea level rise and more frequent and intense droughts.”
The Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established in 1988 “ to assess on a comprehensive, objective, open and transparent basis the scientific, technical and socioeconomic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation …”. In its 2021 report the IPCC notes that “Human-induced climate change is already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe. Evidence of observed changes in extremes such as heatwaves, heavy precipitation, droughts, and tropical cyclones, and, in particular, their attribution to human influence, has strengthened.….”2
Clearly, then, climate change is likely to increase the level of disaster risk to Trinidad and Tobago. If we are to experience extreme hazard events in the years ahead then our march toward sustainable development will be negatively impacted. To mitigate the impacts of such future extreme events it is imperative that we begin to engage in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation now.
While it is clear that climate change increases the risk of disasters, it should be clearly understood that even without the influence of climate change Trinidad and Tobago already faces considerable disaster risk from existing natural and man-made hazards. These include earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, landslides, industrial accidents, oil spills, to name a few. This ‘fact of life’ makes it imperative that disaster risk reduction becomes an integral part of the way we live. We must become “risk aware”, and exhibit that awareness in our daily lives.
We must also appreciate that climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and sustainable are issues that need to be addressed by all countries, from the highly-developed to the least developed. Evidence of this can be seen in the existence of cooperative -action
mechanisms such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015 -2030, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, to name a few. Regionally, in 2001 we (as CDEMA Participating States) adopted Comprehensive Disaster Management as the overall strategy for addressing our disaster risks. At the policy level, Trinidad and Tobago supports the adoption of the CDM strategy, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the Paris Agreement, among others. This is a necessary, though insufficient, step. We must also TAKE ACTION.
As the world observes International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2021, EMATT hopes that it is clear to every Trinbagonian, and all others who live here, that climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development are very important issues because they have a direct impact on the quality of life we enjoy, both now and in the future. Therefore, we MUST become more risk aware. We MUST begin to contribute to slowing, and adapting to, climate change. We MUST recognize that we won’t achieve sustainable development if we don’t engage in disaster risk reduction.
Do have a contemplative International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction 2021!
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