The Alliance of Small Island States proposed a new climate finance goal to bolster efforts to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C. The New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance initiative calls for robust financial support from developed countries, emphasizing equity, justice, and sustainable development. (Pasifika Environews)
The Alliance emphasized the need for accelerated climate action, substantial financial resources, and efficient access to finance specifically tailored to the unique vulnerabilities and needs of LDCs and SIDS, in a joint statement with the Least Developed Countries.
The Caribbean and The World
Kevin Greenidge, Governor of the Central Bank of Barbados, criticized global credit rating agencies for their "natural bias" against smaller economies like those in the Caribbean and Africa during the Afreximbank Annual Meeting in Bahamas. He called for a unified effort to reform the global financial architecture, including how debt is evaluated and rated. (IWN)
Climate and Environmental Justice
Trinidad and Tobago, in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank, is piloting a blue carbon credit system to enhance the conservation of mangroves, which store carbon at higher rates than other ecosystems. The initiative aims to create a robust monitoring and verification system to generate high-quality carbon credits, supporting the country's climate goals and the development of its blue economy while addressing the threats to mangrove ecosystems from development and environmental stressors. (Global Voices)
Thousands of dead fish washing ashore since May have provoked an environmental crisis in Galibi, an Amerindian village in Suriname, and raised concerns about climate change and pollution. The fish deaths, particularly affecting the Caribbean catfish, have caused significant distress among the villagers who rely on the river for fishing and tourism. (Climate Tracker)
At the Youth IRIE Parliamentary session, Caribbean youth emphasized the urgent need for climate action and renewable, inclusive energy solutions. (Climate Tracker)
As temperatures soar across the Caribbean, Jamaican market vendors in downtown Kingston’s Coronation Market are facing significant economic and mental health challenges due to extreme heat. (Climate Tracker)
Farmers in the Dominican Republic are struggling to cope with severe flood damages caused by record-breaking rains and extreme weather events. These floods have destroyed crops, leading to significant financial losses and debt accumulation. Coping strategies include diversifying their crops, utilizing greenhouses for better protection, and seeking support for improved infrastructure. (Climate Tracker)
Climate change has hit St. Vincent and the Grenadines hard . A prolonged drought starting in February has severely impacted freshwater supply. (Climate Tracker)
The Panamanian government began relocating 300 families from Gardi Sugdub, a coral island facing rising sea levels and increasing storm frequency, to new housing on the mainland. This relocation, the first of its kind in Latin America due to climate change, aims to address both environmental and sanitation issues exacerbated by the island's growing population. (Hindustan Times)
This year, the UNFCCC is inviting countries to report on loss and damage finance needs for the first time, drawing lessons from the Caribbean. Countries can report asset costs, like damaged infrastructure, and activity costs, such as recovery expenses, from climate-related events. (Climate Analytics)
Think Change Podcast analyzes, with Caribbean experts, the recent SIDS conference in Antigua and Barbuda, setting it in context of the unique challenges that SIDS face. The strengths of the Antigua and Barbuda Plan (ABAS) that emerged from it and what is missing from this framework are discussed and analyzed.
Reparations and Decolonisation
Grenada’s government has demanded reparations from the Bank of England for its historical involvement in slavery on the island, where the BOE owned two plantations and approximately 600 slaves in the 18th century. (Our Today)
The transatlantic slave trade and slavery has had a lasting impact in the Caribbean. The legacy of slavery persists in the form of economic underdevelopment, social inequality, and health crises in the region. Despite these challenges, the Caribbean has been at the forefront of resistance, leading global efforts in reparatory justice and advocating for a fairer international economic order, said CARICOM observer to the UN Ambassador A. Missouri Sherman-Peter. (Caribbean UN)
Culture
Puerto Rican Spanish, characterized by unique intonations and pronunciations, is gaining popularity thanks to artists like Bad Bunny and Rauw Alejandro. This dialect has historically been disdained, but it is now celebrated for its cultural richness and musical influence. Language learners, motivated by their love for reggaeton, are seeking resources to master this dialect. (The New York Times)
The Toussaint L’Ouverture Academy at Mattahunt Elementary School in Boston's Mattapan neighborhood was highlighted for its pioneering role as the first two-way immersion Haitian Creole dual-language preschool program in the United States. (NBC News)
Kevin Jared Hosein, a Trinidadian writer, has won the 2024 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction for his novel Hungry Ghosts, which explores the lives of marginalized Hindu communities in 1940s Trinidad as British colonial rule wanes. The judging panel, chaired by writer Elizabeth Laird, praised the novel for being "richly imaginative, urgent, and compelling." (Repeating Islands)
Critter Corner
A 170-year-old preserved Jamaican giant galliwasp lizard, known as "Celeste," was returned from the Hunterian Museum at the University of Glasgow to Jamaica. This repatriation is significant as it represents a species now critically endangered and possibly extinct, highlighting the historical exploitation of colonies for natural specimens. The return of Celeste aims to address colonial harms and support ongoing ecological and cultural restoration efforts in Jamaica. (The Conversation)
Opportunities
Internews’ Earth Journalism Network is offering a fellowship for journalists to attend and report on the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in Cali, Colombia, in Oct. This fellowship aims to enhance coverage of the biodiversity negotiations, particularly for journalists from low- and middle-income countries. Learn more.
The Gender Just Climate Solutions Awards 2024 are now accepting applications from grassroots, community groups, and NGOs addressing climate emergencies while promoting gender equality. Organized by the Women and Gender Constituency the awards recognize technical, non-technical, and transformational gender-responsive climate solutions. Learn more.
Apply to the Lorenzo Natali Prize 2024, that recognizes outstanding journalism that highlights crucial global issues such as climate, digital infrastructure, gender equality, human development, jobs, peace, governance, and human rights. Learn more.
The U.S. Department of State has an open vacancy for a USAID Development Program Specialist at the Embassy in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Apply.
Events
20 June – Caribbean Community Hangout webinar on "Climate Technology in the Caribbean Climate Justice Movement," featuring Isiah Cruz, Founder & CEO of Climate Action Co. The event will explore the role of technology in mitigating climate change impacts in the Caribbean, showcasing successful case studies of climate-smart solutions, strategies for implementing sustainable practices in communities, and providing insights into climate justice story ideas. Register.