How worried should Barbados be about climate change?
Barbados possesses many of the inherent economic, social and environmental vulnerabilities that are associated with small island development states (SIDS).
These include susceptibility to natural disasters and extreme events, a small population, limited land and natural resource base, and a small open economy. These will be exacerbated by the impacts of climate change and, if left unchecked, undermine the sustainable development gains that have been achieved over the course of the country’s history. Barbados is experiencing more extreme weather events, as well as more subtle changes to temperature and precipitation patterns.
Despite its limited financial resources and negligible contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on a global scale, Barbados is taking a proactive and ambitious approacch to reducing its own emissions by introducing concrete mitigation actions that will see the decarbonisation of its electricity grid, initiatives to improve energy efficiency and reduced emissions from its other sectors.
The sectors identified as most vulnerable to climate change are agriculture, fisheries, tourism, water, human health, coastal resources and human settlements.
Barbados intends to achieve an economy wide reduction in GHG emissions of 44 per cent compared to its business as usual scenario by 2030. In absolute terms, this translates to a reduction of 23 per cent compared with the baseline year, 2008. As an interim target, the intention will be to achieve an economy wide reduction of 37 per cent compared to its business as usual scenario by 2025, equivalent to an absolute reduction of 21 per cent compared to 2008. Emission reduction contributions will be achieved through the mitigation actions in the energy and waste sectors, which accounted for the vast majority (88 per cent) of GHG emissions in Barbados in 2008.
Energy consumption accounted for 72 per cent of Barbados GHG emissions in 2008 and is therefore the focus of its mitigation activity.
Within the sector 67 per cent arises from energy generation and 33 per cent from transport. Climate change is a cross cutting issue that affects every part of the Barbadian economy, social structure and its natural environment.
In line with its national commitments it is crucial that Barbados continues to build on and strengthen its ambition to achieve the principles behind its sustainable development policy, in addition to ensuring a low carbon climate resilient society. In doing so, Barbados looks to regional and international cooperation for support in order to progress the mitigation and adaptation priorities set out in its intended nationally determined contribution (INDC), that are in line with its national development objectives.
Barbados requires substantial assistance to meet its adaptation objects set out in the INDC. As a high vulnerable SIDS, Barbados is already experiencing frequent and major climate change impacts and extreme weather events that could decimate its economy in one extreme (climate related) event. Such impacts will be an ever present threat for the country and will continue to challenge the development of the Barbadian economy as a whole. As a SIDS, Barbados will require significant financial, technology transfer and capacity building support to deliver the intended contribution and related infrastructure.
Initial analysis suggests that a number of the planned renewable energy projects in particular, provide a strong economic argument to stimulate private sector investment; however, enabling and technology transfer support will still be required. Mitigation actions in the energy efficiency and transport sectors will be largely dependent on international capital financing to implement and to achieve the relative contributions.