KINGSTON, Jamaica, August 23rd 2012 - Several Caribbean islands such as Antigua and Barbuda and Grenada are joining islands from the Pacific and the Indian Ocean in exploring the possibility of debt forgiveness for climate adaptation funding.

The two islands were a part of a high level meeting arranged by the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) and its partners to discuss the Blue and Green Economy from an island perspective at the recently concluded RIO+20 sustainable development conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“We were heavily affected by global financial crisis. We had 3 successive years of Gross Domestic Product decline – we had to do debt reconstruction.  Our adaptation funds were cut. We have been partnering with TNC to develop a
strategy for Antigua and Barbuda to explore climate adaptation funding,” said Nadia Spencer-Henry, Debt Manager in the Antigua and Barbuda Ministry of Finance. “We want to be the first country (in the Caribbean) to do this and also to share our experiences.”

Indi McLymont-Lafayette, Regional director of Panos Caribbean, who attended the RIO conference as part of Jamaica’s official delegation, indicated that pursuit by national government of debt for nature might be a viable funding option.

“This was a topic of significant discussion at several events I attended in Rio. It is clear that many islands are looking at the debt for adaptation swap. The Pacific islands such as the Seychelles, are further along in this discussion, but Antigua and Barbuda are also looking at that,” she said. “I am not sure if this is something Jamaica is looking at yet.”

Adaptation programmes are special policies and infrastructure created to help countries adjust to predicted climate change impacts. The Caribbean for example has been ranked as a ‘climate hot spot’ and has been experiencing climate impacts such as more frequent and intense hurricanes, floods and droughts.

No updates from RIO were available from either Jamaica’s  Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign trade to which reference was made by the OPM, nor from the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change to which queries were directed back to Foreign Affairs.

Within the Caribbean, Jamaica is among fourteen Small Island Developing States (SIDS) which has registered public debt to GDP ratios in excess of 60 per cent  since 2009, with eight SIDS, mostly in the Caribbean with  debt to GDP levels in excess of 100 per cent. St. Kitts and Nevis has registered one of the highest in the world at 192 per cent.

It is noted by analysts that a significant portion of the debt is related to recovery costs from hurricanes and other natural disasters.

The proposed global approach for providing debt relief to SIDS is a multi-year commitment of roughly US$500 million to US$1 billion of commercial and/or bi-lateral debt for climate adaptation in marine ecosystems swaps over a  20 year period.

The money would be shared among direct debt relief, funding for climate adaptation in marine ecosystems, and also capitalize endowments for the countries to fund climate adaptation in marine ecosystem activities indefinitely. Coming out of Rio, the Brazil government has also announced that the pursuit of the debt for nature benefit was high on its agenda.

Jamaica’s civil society at high level talks McLymont-Lafayette notes that the opportunity provided to NGOs and Civil society to meet face to face with government leaders was another high point of the three day event in Rio.
 
“We got to participate in several high level events put on by the Global Partnership which highlighted our vulnerabilities in relation to climate change. I  attended a high level breakfasts with at least five Prime Ministers – 2 from the Caribbean, 2 from the Pacific and the Australian PM - to look at how the islands can finance adaptation to climate impacts,” she said. “The whole issue of financing was a cross cutting issue in Rio because of how vital it was to climate change.”

The NGO leader was accompanied by performing artiste Lloyd Lovindeer who – in Jamaica – has completed recordings and been a tireless advocate for environment and climate change awareness. Lovindeer is also a part of a programme called Voices for Climate Change Education being implemented by Panos and the National Environmental Education Committee (NEEC).
 
According to Lovindeer, “The highlight for me was going to the different pavilions – Tanzania,  Egypt , other countries in Africa, China and  just seeing and hearing what each region is doing with respect to climate change.  

For Jamaica, we are not that far behind. Other countries in the region are using the theme song done by Voices for Climate change, making use of our work.”

Lovindeer and Mclymont-Lafayette were among a group of over 10 Jamaicans attending the conference.

According to Rhian Holder, country manager for Christian Aid in Jamaica which funded the representation by Panos and Voices, it was important to have civil society participating alongside the government delegation.

 “When decisions are being made and policy decided on, we want to ensure that it is not just some parties voices which are being heard… but that civil society is represented and that the information is rooted in community and real life,” she said. “Also when discussion and issues are raised at such fora, civil society will be able to translate that back to their communities and help people recognise that sustainable development is not just being discussed on the world stage but something which Jamaicans can and should participate in."

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