While countries continue to invest in conservation projects to support the goal of conserving 30 percent of the world’s biodiversity by 2030, Dr. James Fletcher reminded attendees at the 26th Latin American and Caribbean Network of Environmental Funds (RedLAC) Congress in St. Lucia of the importance of incorporating climate action into these efforts.
A former St. Lucian Minister for Public Service, Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology, Fletcher gave the reminder as he delivered a keynote address on the Congress’ final day on October 9.
Describing climate change and biodiversity loss as “twin crises,” Fletcher used a graph showing the link between increasing global temperatures associated with climate change and biodiversity loss.
He explained, “Keeping the global average temperature rise below 1.5 will be essential. The gravity, scope, and frequency of loss and damage will continue to increase with every additional fraction of a degree of temperature increase. A warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius will result in a 70 to 90 percent loss of warm water corals—the corals that people come to the Caribbean to dive to see.”
Fletcher lamented the loss of coral will result in the loss of tourism revenue, disruption of livelihoods and degradation of the region’s fisheries.
On a larger scale, the global economy is expected to shrink by 19 percent within the next 26 years as a result of climate change based on current emissions and climate trends.
Latin America and the Caribbean is home to half of the world’s tropical forests, 33 percent of its total landmass, 35 percent of its reptilian species, 41 percent of its birds, and 50 percent of its amphibians.
As he shared these statistics about the region’s biodiversity, Fletcher said the “very inexplicable link between climate change and biodiversity is a threat. This region is one of the world’s richest genetic reservoirs. So the importance of the genetic diversity of the Latin America and Caribbean region to the global ecosystem is understandable. Our biodiversity underpins our economies.”
Fletcher explained that based on a “business-as-usual” scenario, the world is heading for a temperature increase of 2.7 degrees Celsius while countries doing everything according to the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) will still see the world heading for a 2.5 degrees Celsius rise.
With a likely possibility the world will surpass the 1.5 degree Celsius threshold, the impacts on water security, the natural environment, infrastructure, and food security, must all be seriously considered.
“When we negotiated the Paris Agreement, we fought very hard to have 1.5 degrees Celsius as the temperature goal. This is very important for small island developing states, for African countries, and many climate vulnerable countries. Now, 1.5 is not some magic number which means that once you stay below you’re okay. It’s a threshold. Anything above 1.5 will unleash catastrophic impacts on all countries but especially vulnerable countries.”
Using Dominica as an example, he highlighted that 90 percent of the country’s economy was disrupted after Tropical Storm Erica’s landfall in 2015 and just two years later, Hurricane Maria caused damage to 226 percent of the country’s GDP.
With countries now creating and expanding protected areas as part of their updated National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) to support global biodiversity efforts like the 30×30 goal, Fletcher is calling on them to be mindful in connecting these to support climate action and NDCs as well.
For example, when designating swaths of rainforests and marine areas as protected areas, it is important for countries to also do research on the amount of carbon these areas can sequester.
“The goal of 30x30x30 is to expand conservation approaches, to establish ecological corridors, and create new protected areas. That’s extremely important, and we’ve seen in many of our countries that this has been happening. The Bogota Conservation Corridor in Colombia is an excellent example of this. What I think the 30x30x30 challenge does is put us in a frame of mind where we understand that biodiversity conservation, and ecosystem protection, has to be foundational and fundamental in everything that we do.”
Fletcher listed green tourism, sustainable agriculture, integrated water resource management and proper waste management as all actions that can contribute to biodiversity conservation but also contribute to climate action in some way.
Protecting and planting new mangroves also help create new carbon sinks and natural coastal defense mechanisms in the face of rising sea levels and storm surges associated with intense tropical systems which are occurring at a higher frequency.
“We need to build strategic partnerships, regional cooperation and knowledge sharing. There’s no better place to do this than the RedLAC Congress. Take advantage of innovative finance mechanisms, bonds, debt for nature, debt for climate swaps and carbon trading (because) under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, these things are very important.”
Fletcher also called for innovative approaches to be adopted to deal with climate challenges.
Referencing sargassum beaches throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, he used examples of ways sargassum has been used to develop organic products that are also eco-friendly and contribute to climate action.
“Sargassum has been converted into fertilizer by a St. Lucia gentleman, and Barbados has been used to fuel vehicles. There are opportunities there, but for that to happen we have to protect our intellectual property. Local and traditional knowledge must be valued.”
US committed to supporting climate action and conservation
Caribbean Climate Officer at the US Embassy in Bridgetown, Lillian Michel, said the US-Caribbean Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis 2030 (PACC 2030) that was launched in 2022 by US Vice President, Kamala Harris, demonstrates the country’s commitment to supporting climate action and conservation in the region.
To date, Michel said USD 100 million has been provided to support projects that focus on climate adaptation and resilience, climate smart agriculture and sustainable development.
She added, “Through the Caribbean Agriculture Improvement and Prevention Activity (CAPA), we promote sustainable agricultural practices and improve food security. Through the U.S. Forest Service, the Natural Infrastructure for Caribbean Resilience (NIPAR) program implemented 12 projects across nine countries in the Caribbean. This helped] restore over 400 acres of vital mangrove and forest ecosystems, and critical components of the region’s natural infrastructure. This program also built a network to help manage wildland fires across the region, and strengthen the capacity of firefighters.”
Michel shared that US Ambassador Roger Nyhus has pledged to support conservation and climate projects in the countries under his mission which includes Barbados, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Recently, USAID launched the Caribbean Sustainable Ecosystems Activity program which will provide at least US 20 million in funding for projects that promote climate adaptation and resilience and nature-based solutions amongst other things.
