Climate Justice
Newsweek reports, “The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved nearly $13 billion in 2020 to help rebuild Puerto Rico's power grid after 2017's Hurricane Maria devastated the island, but the island's electricity system still remained vulnerable as Hurricane Fiona struck last week.” While money was allocated to rebuild the power grid, much of the funds were spent on emergencies.
Homes with solar panels in Puerto Rico were the only ones with power at one point in time after hurricane Fiona caused power outages throughout the country. However, solar power is expensive for individuals. Advocates are now pushing for an electricity grid that provides solar power to communities. Mass News and Canary Media report.
Tyrell Gittens interviewed Dr Adelle Thomas from The Bahamas, climate change adaptation and loss and damage specialist with Climate Analytics-Caribbean, on loss and damage in Small Island Developing States on Climate Tracker’s Instagram.
Download this discussion paper called “The Loss and Damage Finance Facility, Why and How” by Climate Action Network (CAN) International and partners.
Karen McDonald Gayle, CEO of the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF), discusses the decisions made at the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Portugal in June 2022, and the collaborative efforts expected to come out of the conference. The Jamaica Gleaner reports.
Jamaican marine scientist, climate professional and activist, Dani Nembhard spoke with former Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding on #TheBridge99FM Jamaica Live. This show also featured Senator Sophia Frazer-Binns, Shadow Minister on climate change, Professor Anthony Clayton, The Alcan Professor of Caribbean Sustainable Development at the University of the West Indies, and Dr Patricia Green, architect and conservationist.
German economic historian and activist, Matthias Schmelzer discusses on Twitter how colonialism and climate change vulnerability are related.
Environment
The Government of Grenada in collaboration with CANARI is conducting its first National Ecosystem Assessment (NEA). The NEA is a country-wide exploration that combines science and local knowledge to create effective policies to promote biodiversity and ecosystem services. Grenada is one of twelve countries doing ecosystem assessments with UNEP-WCMC’s National Ecosystem Assessment Initiative and is under the umbrella of UNDP’s Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network. UN Environment Programme reports.
Disaster Preparedness
If you are vegan, stocking your hurricane supplies may be challenging. Forbes prepared a list of items to purchase for a nutritious plant-based diet during a disaster.
Oil and Gas
President of the Transparency Institute of Guyana Inc (TIGI) Fredericks Collins and Godfrey Whyte, a citizen of Guyana, took the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to the High Court to enforce the liability clause in the permits issued to ExxonMobil Guyana for its offshore oil operations. Stabroek News reports that the litigants took the EPA to the court to ensure, “That the company takes full financial responsibility in case of harm, loss and damage to the environment. ExxonMobil’s local affiliate, Esso, has agreed in the permit to provide insurance and an unlimited parent company indemnity to cover all environmental loss and damage that might result from a well blowout, oil spill or other failures in the Liza 1 Development Project in Guyana’s Stabroek Block. Kaieteur News reported that Collins said, “I can’t even drive my car without insurance. So it is incomprehensible that the government would allow Esso to operate without any form of insurance/guarantee from its parent company.”
The Environmental Permit for the Liza Phase One Project explicitly states that Stabroek Block operator, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited (EEPGL) along with its partners, Hess Guyana Exploration Limited and CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited must provide evidence that they, as well as their parent companies, would cover all costs associated with the clean-up of an oil spill offshore. Collins and Whyte approached the court because there was not any evidence that the companies are in compliance with the insurance provisions, Kaieteur News reports.
While Guyana’s PPP/C government has been praised by stakeholders for its Local Content Legislation. New York-based attorney-at-law, Dr. Vivian Williams, notes that local content is not just merely about retaining a large chunk of the economic pie from petroleum production but could be used as a mechanism to ensure “lopsided distribution of wealth” to politically connected persons and groups, Kaieteur News reports. Williams also believes the Guyanese government is making an economic mistake by not renegotiating the 2016 deal that was signed with ExxonMobil affiliate, Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited. Kaieteur News reports.
International Lawyer, Melinda Janki does not believe politicians should negotiate contracts on behalf of Guyana, but should stick to instituting the correct legislative framework to manage the country’s respective sectors. Kaieteur News reports.
This opinion piece by the pen-named analyst, Peeping Tom questions why the people in Guyana are not protesting over the government allegedly being short-changed by the Production Sharing Agreement. Kaieteur News reports.
Food Security
One fruitful benefit of the pandemic is that many Jamaicans had both the time and the need to turn to backyard farming to supplement their groceries. Forbes reports.
The Economy, Finance and Debt
Barbados’ Prime Minister, Mia Mottley at the United Nations General Assembly lobbied for a restructuring of the Bretton Woods institutions to be updated to see to the equitable needs of all countries, adapt to modern-day problems and include financing from multinational corporations that benefit from the institutions. Caribbean Magazine Plus reports.
Barbados is the first country to reach a staff-level agreement to access the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST), which aims to provide affordable, long-term financing to help build resilience against climate change. Read more from the IMF here.
Axios gives a comprehensive and simple explanation of Barbados’ landmark debt conversion agreement.
Faced with the financial fallout from the cost of living, debt and climate crises, Barbados’ government unveiled the Bridgetown Agenda, which is a guide for urgent and decisive transformation of the international financial system. Barbados’ Government Information Services explains.
The Caribbean in the World
Various world leaders at the United Nations General Assembly spoke passionately about many different issues affecting the Caribbean, climate change being among one of the most pressing issues. The Editorial of Caribbean Magazine Plus noted their emphasis on the need for the USA to engage with Venezuela and Cuba.
Dominica’s President, Charles Angelo Savarin, made a case for removing sanctions against Venezuela and lifting trade blockades to Cuba before the 77th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations. He also addressed the crisis in Haiti, Caribbean Magazine Plus reports.
St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves spoke about issues involving Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Taiwan during his address at the United Nations General Assembly’s 77th Session. Asberth News Network reports.
The Atlantic Council breaks down the discussions and commitments on US-Caribbean relations held between US Vice President Kamala Harris and Suriname’s President Chan Santokhi, Barbados’ Prime Minister Mia Mottley, Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali, Trinidad and Tobago’s Prime Minister Keith Rowley, and Dominican Republic’s President Luis Abinader in Washington.
Migration
The Dominican Republic is building a 13-foot wall along the Haitian border to keep out migrants who are desperately fleeing the country due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis. Bloomberg reports. InSight Crime discusses the political, criminological and sociological factors of the wall.
LGBTIQ+ rights
A constitutional challenge against laws that criminalise same-sex intimacy in Dominica was heard on September 27 at the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court, which acts as the High Court of Justice of Dominica. The hearing comes months after the same court decriminalised same-sex intimacy in neighbouring St. Kitts & Nevis and Antigua & Barbuda. Erasing 76 Crimes reports.
Cuba held a successful referendum on September 25 for a government-backed “family law” code that would allow same-sex couples to marry and adopt, as well as outlining the rights of children and grandparents. The code will also allow surrogate pregnancies, broader rights for grandparents in regard to grandchildren, protection of the elderly and measures against gender violence. The Washington Post reports.
Decolonisation
In an historic move, St Lucia has decided to make the Caribbean Court of Justice its final court of appeal and move away from the Privy Council. Nation News and Caricom Today report.
Louis E.A. Moyston, PhD, in a letter to the editor in the Jamaica Gleaner, calls for a revision in the philosophy that guides the education system in Jamaica in order for it to be more decolonised.
This Jamaica Gleaner editorial discusses the need for teachers to start considering English as a second language and Patois as Jamaican students’ first language. It highlighted that a large number of Jamaican students are illiterate in English and quite a few fail their exams because English is not their primary language.
Opportunities
The Commonwealth Foundation is offering grants in the range of £15,000-£30,000 per year for projects addressing three core themes: health, freedom of expression and environment and climate change. The deadline for applications is 1pm GMT on 1 November. Apply here
Amnesty International for the Caribbean is looking for a Caribbean Campaigner. Are you concerned about the human rights crisis in Haiti; killings by the police in Jamaica, silencing of dissent in Cuba, and the rights of refugees in Trinidad? Do you have the skills and passion to do something about it? Do you speak Haitian Creole, and/ or Spanish and English? Amnesty International is looking for a strategic thinker, able to work with a broad range of civil society to effect change in a diverse and complex region. Deadline, October 21.
Events
If you’re in London on October 23, you can book tickets to see the world premiere of Walter Rodney: ‘What They Don’t Want you to Know.’ This is a documentary exploring the life of the Guyanese historian and civil rights campaigner. There will be a Q&A session with Dr Patricia Rodney, CEO of The Walter Rodney Foundation, Gina Nadira Miller, activist, politician and businesswoman, Lavinya Stennett, founder of Black Curriculum, and Arlen and Daniyal Harris-Vajda, the directors. The discussion will be chaired by broadcaster, novelist, poet and academic, David Dabydeen.
The Regional Week of Climate Action began on October 1. This week, people around the Caribbean will come together to demand leaders take urgent action to protect lives against climate change. Activities include hiking and planting in Trinidad and Tobago, a two-day workshop in Haiti, and a mangrove tour in Cuba. To join a planned event, register here on the web
Saint Lucia's National Designated Authority to the Green Climate Fund will share experiences on developing national climate finance tracking systems on Tuesday, October 11, from 10:00 AM – 12:30 PM (AST). Register here.
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