FAO and UNICEF promote strong social protection systems to adapt to climate change

FAO and UNICEF hosted a workshop in Bridgetown, Barbados, on strengthening social protection systems in the Caribbean. The event brought together experts and regional leaders to promote better adaptation to climate change through strong social protection systems.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) hosted a regional workshop on “Strengthening Social Protection Systems in the Caribbean to Adapt to Climate Change: Opportunities and Challenges” in Bridgetown, Barbados from 15 to 16 May. The event brought together leaders and experts from the Caribbean to promote collaboration to adapt social protection systems to the challenges of climate change and to build resilience to natural disasters.

Over two days, they discussed the relationship between social protection and climate change, and how social protection can enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation in the Caribbean. The workshop aimed to include social protection as a key component of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) updates and provided a space for the exchange of experiences and good practices.

It also explores opportunities for integrating the social protection agenda with the climate change mitigation, adaptation and management agendas, and examines the finance of climate change, identifying key entry points for social protection.

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Special attention is paid to key areas such as Barbados, Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Jamaica (funded by the World Bank), St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The event marks an important step towards building stronger and more resilient social protection systems in the region to effectively respond to the growing challenges of climate change in the region.

The recommendations developed are expected to guide future strategies, policies and actions to ensure greater resilience in the Caribbean.

FAO Subregional Coordinator Dr Renata Clark highlighted some of the challenges facing Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and noted the importance of innovative and tailored strategies for the region.

“Social protection systems have the potential to be powerful tools for mitigating and adapting to climate risks. However, these systems must be able to respond effectively to the nature and scale of climate-related shocks,” she said.