Planning Minister: Climate challenges bring opportunities

Minister of Planning Pennelope Beckles-Robinson has encouraged delegates at the eighth meeting of the Caribbean Development Roundtable to find solutions to the challenge of building resilience against climate change.

She said while there are many challenges to making the region resilient, each challenge provided opportunities.

“Existing date from the Caribbean Development Bank indicates that we are on a positive growth trajectory," Beckles-Robinson said in her opening remarks at the Trinidad Hilton on September 9. “According to its February 2024 report, Caribbean economies continued to rebound from the covid19 shock with an average growth rate of 6.7 per cent in 2023.”

She said the data spoke to the resilience of the Caribbean people and the strength of their leadership.

She noted, however, that this growth existed under the shadow of persistent risks, such as sluggish global growth, high inflation, climate change and natural disasters. She said each of these phenomena had the potential to erode the region’s recovery.

“However, if there is one truth we all know, it is this ­– these very challenges also present limitless opportunities.”

She explained that the round table, through panel discussions and dialogues, will tackle various issues such as risk reduction and resilience-building; operationalisating the multidimensional vulnerability index – which assesses the structural vulnerability or lack thereof across multiple factors of small island developing states; improving access to climate finance; scaling up and improving productive development policies for a more inclusive and sustainable future; and economic diversification as a key driver of growth and development.

“As we gather over the next few days, let us be confident that our solutions lie in finding innovative ways to channel resources and creativity into building climate-resilient social and economic infrastructure,” she said.

She said pursuing the goal of climate resilience hinged on many factors, including improving institutional frameworks through digitalisation and integrating AI, focusing on skills gaps and aligning the region’s workforce with the growing global demands, enhancing intra-regional trade and advancing sustainable energy solutions.

“By working with dedication in this moment, we can ensure that future generations will also reap the benefits of the progress we achieve, leaving a lasting legacy that extends well beyond our time,” she said.