B1– Managing Climate Security Risks in Caribbean SIDS

This workshop examines the nature of climate-related security threats to Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and explores ways to respond to them. Building on the Planetary Security Initiative report on climate security and Caribbean SIDS, it will outline a climate security risk management strategy for the region and set an agenda for the 2019-2025 timeframe, centred on regional coordination and security cooperation.

Caribbean SIDS face a combination of threats that climate change may exacerbate, from intensifying hydrometeorological events to food and water insecurity, population displacement and urbanization trends. These in turn may impact key economic sectors such as tourism and export agriculture. Caribbean SIDS also face pressing challenges from sea level rise, freshwater aquifer salination and coastal erosion. Climate change may act as a ‘threat multiplier’ for current underlying fragility issues including weak governance and serious organised crime.

This workshop aims to surface climate security risk management best practices that can be shared with other SIDS geographies.

Structure:

Starting with an overview of the PSI research paper on climate security in Caribbean SIDS, this workshop centres on conversation/storytelling with regional experts in a fishbowl format. This discussion is followed by small group breakout sessions to define and refine a 2019-2025 agenda for regional governments and institutions.

Picture credit: UN Photo/Logan Abassi