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CARICOM to launch on-line climate risk assessment tool
The Caribbean Community Climate Change Center will launch a seminal on-line support tool in St. Lucia on Friday July 12 2013 in keeping with the thrust to promote a culture of risk management across the region.
The new initiative, will promote climate smart development by helping to embed a risk management ethic in decision-making processes across the region.
The development of the risk assessment tool is an extremely important asset in assessing the risk from the impacts of climate change in the Caribbean region according to officials of the climate change center.
Caribbean countries and the 40 million people who live in the region, are in a state of increased vulnerability to climate change. Higher temperatures, sea level rise, and increased hurricane intensity threatens lives, property and livelihoods throughout the region.
The online support tool – known as the Caribbean Climate Online Risk and Adaptation TooL (CCORAL), will help to boost the capacity of the CARICOM member states assess their risk amidst a variable and changing climate, while creating pathways for the identification and implementation of adaptation and mitigation options.
According to Dr. Kenrick Leslie, the Climate Change Center’s executive director, the tool is a practical approach to cost-effective climate-resilient investment projects and will aid the region in defining approaches and solutions that will provide benefits now and in the future by adopting “no-regret” actions and flexible measures.
The tool is intended to be used primarily by agencies at the regional and national level with responsibility for development, planning and finance, the private sector and non-governmental organisations.
