Climate change threatens attainment of the SDGs, says UWI Professor Loop Jamaica

Black Immigrant Daily News

Professor Michael Taylor, Head of the Climate Studies Group and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology at the University of the West Indies, Mona campus, says achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is under threat from climate change, and this should be of urgent concern to all of us who want a liveable future.

Citing scientific research, which estimates that by 2023 Kingston could be among cities experiencing climate departure, the climate scientist said this would have implications for people’s quality of life.

As such, we must all be concerned and tackle climate change as an imperative. Climate departure refers to a point in time when the average temperature of the coolest year after 2005 will be warmer than the historic average temperature of the hottest year, for a specific location.

Professor Taylor said entering into climate departure would mark “the entrenchment of a multi-hazard era that has already begun.” More heatwaves, higher frequency of drought, heavy rainfall, more intense hurricanes, higher sea levels and storm surges characterize this period.

These changes in climate put valuable resources like agricultural lands, forests and protected areas at grave risk while increasing the vulnerability of some groups like farmers and creating new vulnerable groups.

” In any era of unprecedented heat, anybody who works outdoors is the new climate vulnerable, that’s your security guard, tourism worker, construction workers, tarmac workers, farmers… athletes and sports officials,” Professor Taylor said.

Children, the elderly, and the health challenged are also among the new vulnerable group. Others include inner-city dwellers who live in overcrowded and dense housing under zinc roofs and children who have to try to learn in schools that are ill designed for the new heat.

Taylor, who was speaking at a climate summit under the theme “Climate Departure and Resilience – Is Jamaica Ready for the Journey” at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston on October 24, said it is these potential impacts of climate change that make attaining the SDGs by 2030 improbable.

“If I were to try to circle which Sustainable Goal will be affected by climate, I would do 16 of the 17. Maybe only [goal] 13 wouldn’t be affected – climate action, and so you can see that we are in danger of not achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” he stressed.

With 2023 fast approaching, Professor Taylor said the urgent becomes immediate when it comes to action.

“We are heading for the inescapable, and we are going to have to adapt,” said Professor Taylor.

Previously untouched areas like the interior, forests, and the new vulnerable people that are now at risk must be brought into the discussion.

“Does every business, every sector, every entity here have their adaptation plan ready for departure next year?” he asked.

For Professor Taylor, everything we do to adapt is what we need to do to mitigate or reduce greenhouse gases. This includes focusing on renewable energy to deal with global oil prices, putting in place an efficient transport system, proper waste management, placing value on the ocean, blue economy and land preservation. Dealing with the education and research agendas with emphasis on research that is contextual to our environment and collaboration across sectors are also critical.

“There is no one sector that can manage climate change, and not only is it talking across sectors, but it is also dealing with the cohesion of policies so that one policy does not offset another. That’s the way to resilience. We know what to do, but now under climate departure, we have no choice but to do it now,” he stressed.

In her remarks at the Summi

Marianne Van Steen, European Union Ambassador to Jamaica

, said the EU is a leader in fighting climate change.

“The EU is, and has always been, at the forefront of fighting climate change and will continue to lead by example.”

Ambassador Van Steen said the EU has increased its ambition to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55 per cent by 2030. This and its commitment to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 are enshrined in law. In addition, she noted that the EU has since introduced a new strategy to guide the Union in adapting to the unavoidable impacts of climate change. On climate finance, she said the EU is the most significant international donor, contributing over EUR20 billion to international public climate finance.

She said that recognising climate change as a global challenge, the only way forward is through partnership. In that regard, the EU and Jamaica are partnering for improved forest management and resilience building, especially among vulnerable communities. She noted that for future cooperation for 2021-2027, the EU is looking to partner in sustainable urban development, enhancing sustainable management of natural resources, safer and more suitable infrastructure, solid waste management, the improvement of water quality and nature-based solutions.

The summit hosted by Acorn in partnership with the European Union aimed to raise awareness about the threat that climate change poses and the need for urge

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