On the 13th of December 2022 the first Regional Conference of the IPDC International Panel on Deltas and Coastal Zones (IPDC) was held. It brought together Caribbean high-level leaders and regional and international experts. It identified key issues, opportunities and challenges for the IPDC to take forward.
Prime Minister Pisas of Curaçao co-hosted the conference. Prime Minister Pisas:
“Adaptation and mitigation requires a sustained investment of resources, and that actions need to be proactive to respond to this global challenge.”
Mark Harbers, the Dutch Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management and co-host of the Conference:
“We need to adapt in ways that are affordable, integrated and flexible. No island can do this on its own and they don’t have to. We can learn from each other, strengthen each other and share knowledge, solutions and funding with each other.”
Island statements on climate adaptation
The Islands of Aruba, Sint Maarten, St Eustatius, Bonaire, and Curaçao provided statements on climate adaptation. They raised many burning issues such as the need for food security and better addressing erosion, waste disposal and preserving the ocean environment. Selected experts shared the state-of-the-art trends in climate and water adaptation in the Caribbean, as well as presentations on existing initiatives and progress.
Coastal impacts from storms and flooding can be mitigated with nature-based solutions, but we need to better understand here and how. Early warning systems are needed to warn for sudden onset floods and extreme events that was seen by the participants as the greatest risk.
Partnerships and cooperation
The IPDC needs to build on existing initiatives such as the IWEco project that has carried out local consultations and identified prioritized IWRM projects for funding. Many spoke of the capacity gaps, which is sometimes a larger constraint than financing for implementation. Building local capacity is difficult due to brain drain and by strong international competition and complex processes to access opportunities to grow. Instead, partnerships and collaboration were seen as a needed solution to build and strengthen capacity.
“Knowledge cooperation and expertise is vital for all people living in this region” one participant said. One of the most important solutions perceived by the participants was good governance, developing enabling policies and institutions.
Outcomes
Dutch Water envoy Henk Ovink moderated the conference together with journalist Nicole Maduro, and presented the process of the UN Water Conference 2023 and the Water Action Agenda as outcome. The Conference was concluded with a site visit to local initiatives including Aqualectra and Curaçao’s mangrove forest, and a boat trip provided by the Curaçao Port Authority.
Resources
Download the Conference report
