Experts from the University of the West Indies share their experience in SIDS4

Experts from the University of the West Indies share their experience in SIDS4

University of the West Indies Regional Headquarters, Jamaica, Wisconsin. Saturday, June 8, 2024 —The University of the West Indies (UWI) represented the region with more than 25 leaders and academics at the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) in Antigua and Barbuda. Interdisciplinary experts played a key role in contributing to critical dialogue and solution-driven strategies to address pressing issues affecting SIDS, showcasing the region’s universities as the leading global authority on SIDS.

Hosting SIDS4 in the Caribbean is a landmark event that highlights the urgent need for international efforts to address the unique and often overlooked challenges islands face in relation to climate change. Key insights from experts at the University of the West Indies include:

Importance of deep-sea ecosystem exploration

Professor Dale Webb, Director of the Centre for Marine Sciences at the University of the West Indies, Mona, stressed the importance of exploring deep-sea ecosystems, which remain largely unexplored in small island developing States. “SIDS, especially in the Caribbean, have had few opportunities to explore our deep-sea ecosystems in depth. Enhancing our deep-sea scientific capabilities through the International Seabed Authority’s capacity development and institutional strengthening contributions will be extremely beneficial. Such knowledge is critical for sustainable resource management and conservation.”

The power of data and digital technologies for resilience

Professor Michelle Mycoo is the Project Coordinator for the Urban and Regional Planning Programme in the Department of Surveying Engineering and Land Management at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine Campus, a member of the International Council for Science Liaison Committee for Small Island Developing States and Vice-Chair of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the UNESCO Management of Social Transformations Programme. As an advocate for the use of a climate vulnerability and resilience index, she highlighted the power of data and digital technologies. However, she noted that research and data gaps related to the informal sector needed to be addressed. She also recognized the need to quantify the effectiveness and social cost-benefit of adaptation in order to better understand the region’s ability to move towards resilience.

The declaration calls for promoting international cooperation

Professor Mark Woodivira is Dean of the School of Food and Agriculture at the St. Augustine campus, President of the Caribbean Academy of Sciences and serves on the International Science Council (ISC) SIDS Liaison Committee. Commenting on the launch declaration of the Four Small Island Developing States meeting, he said: “It speaks to the heart of what we aspire to be as Oceanic Nations. In the face of unique challenges, our resilience and creativity are essential. Investing in science and technology and promoting international cooperation can turn our weaknesses into strengths and lead all islands to a more prosperous future. This declaration is a call to solidarity, innovation and progress.”

Call for coordination between education and blue economy

Dr. Branson Bell, Director of the Centre of Excellence for Oceanography and the Blue Economy at the University of the West Indies’ Five Islands Campus, stressed the importance of aligning educational objectives to maximize the impact of partnerships and capacity development opportunities. “Harnessing partnerships in education and research will be critical to enabling SIDS to participate in and benefit from the emerging blue economy. This approach will ensure that SIDS can effectively participate in and benefit from blue economic growth.”

Need better Intellectual Property Protection

Dr. Legna Henry of the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus stressed the need for better BroadCast Unitedlectual property protection for small island innovators. She noted, “It’s vital to ensure local innovation is safeguarded and creators can benefit from their labour.”

Climate finance and the need for academic institutions arrive Supporting research and education

Dr Preeya Mohan, Senior Research Fellow at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine, highlighted the key role of climate finance in empowering academic institutions. She highlighted how funding supports important research and education programs on climate change, such as the University of the West Indies’ Master of Science in Climate Studies program. Dr Mohan said, “Access to climate finance allows academic institutions like UWI to play a greater role in addressing climate change. Funding can support our important research and develop educational programmes on climate change for students, communities and policymakers.” She also noted that the funds can facilitate collaborative projects with local communities, promoting knowledge exchange and regional solutions.

The quality of our survival depends on building a strong economy

Dr Ronald Roopnarine, senior lecturer at the School of Food and Agriculture at St Augustine’s campus, said: “The adoption of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States (ABAS) marks a major step forward in securing tangible financial commitments from developed countries to support sustainable development and enhance climate resilience in Small Island Developing States. This assistance is essential for our survival, but we must seek more than just survival. The quality of our survival depends on building strong economies. While development assistance is welcome, building resilient economies is essential. At the regional level, we must also look at our own contribution to the challenges we face. While climate change is a major issue, it is not the only thing that has changed over the past 30 years. The way we manage, develop and use resources has in many ways exacerbated the impacts we are experiencing.”

Climate litigation needs more collaboration

In her reflection, Dr Jan Yves Remy, Director of the Sir Shridath Ramphal Centre at the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus, stressed the need for cross-sector collaboration to advance the green trade agenda, noting: “Climate experts need to talk to shipping experts, they need to talk to environment experts, they need to talk to trade experts.”

Strengthening capacity to reach 300 billion euros

Christian Virgil, a PhD student in the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, stressed that addressing the adaptation deficit would require approximately 300 billion euros, and from the perspective of climate justice, the international community must accelerate its efforts to provide funding to vulnerable small island developing States. “It is also important that Small Island Developing States build their capacity to absorb adaptation finance. Securing these funds while developing local institutional capacity is essential to increasing resilience to the impacts of climate change.”

The SIDS4 conference highlighted the need for continued collaboration, funding and innovative approaches to address the unique challenges faced by Small Island Developing States in addressing climate change. The University of the West Indies remains at the forefront, driving research, education and policy development to support these efforts.

The University of the West Indies remains steadfast in its strategic agenda to advance regional climate action and will advance several initiatives aimed at building climate science capacity and fostering connections with regional and international partners. The Caribbean Climate Science Workshop Series will be held at the University of the West Indies Mona Campus from June 10 to 21, 2024. The series includes: Detection and Attribution Science Workshop (June 10-14); Climate Information Education and Tools (CLIE’nT) Workshop (June 17); Caribbean Summer Introductory Workshop on Modeling (CSWIM) (June 18-21). Looking ahead, the University of the West Indies’ Global Institute for Climate Smart and Resilient Development (GICSRD) plans to hold a Climate Education Summit later this year. This summit will focus on formal and informal climate education initiatives in schools and higher education institutions.

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Dr. Georgiana Gordon-Strachan, Director of the Tropical Metabolism Research Group at the Caribbean Health Research Institute, Professor Michelle Mycoo, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at the St. Augustine campus, Dr. Preeya Mohan, Senior Research Fellow at SALISES at the St. Augustine campus, Dr. Sandra Sookram, Director of SALISES, St Augustine Campus, Professor Michael Taylor, Dean of the School of Science and Technology, Mona Campus.

St. Augustine Campus Expert: Dr. Preeya Mohan, Senior Research Fellow at SALISES, Michelle Mycoo, Professor of Urban and Regional Planning, Dr Ronald Roopnarine, Senior Lecturer in the School of Food and Agriculture, and Dr Sandra Sookram, Director of SALISES.

About the Global Institute for Climate-Smart and Resilient Development (GICSRD)

GICSRD is an institute of the University of the West Indies that provides thought and academic leadership and services to build a culture of resilience in the Caribbean and advance proposals for the region to become a climate resilient zone.

For more information, visit https://uwi.edu/gicsrd or contactgicsrd@uwi.edu

About the University of the West Indies

The University of the West Indies has been a key force in all aspects of development in the Caribbean and has been at the heart of all efforts to improve the well-being of the people of the region for 75 years.

UWI began as University College London in Jamaica in 1948 with 33 medical students. Today, UWI is an internationally renowned global university with nearly 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona from Jamaica, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Mountain in Barbados, The five islands of Antigua and Barbuda and Global Campusand A global center established in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.

The University of the West Indies offers more than 1000 Certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options exist Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it has access to the largest pool of BroadCast Unitedlectual and professional knowledge in the Caribbean, working to address critical issues in our region and the wider world.

The University of the West Indies is consistently ranked as one of the best universities in the world by the most reputable ranking agencies. Times Higher Education (THE). Since UWI first appeared in the Times Higher Education rankings in 2018, it has performed well in several categories, including the World University Rankings, the Golden Age University Rankings (50 to 80 years old), the Latin America Rankings and the Impact Rankings, which are noted for their response to the world’s greatest concerns, as outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including good health and well-being, gender equality and climate action.

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