Just Caribbean Updates

The Coalition for Fair Fisheries Arrangements (CFFA) published an interview with Arinç Onat Kiliç, the author of a recent paper on the effects of Seychelles Blue Bond, in particular on the local fisheries sector. Blue bonds, an innovative way for countries to finance blue economy activities, represents a climate financing solution to help countries avoid being pushed to the brink of debt. Kiliç noted the lack of transparency of the Blue Bond arrangement in the country, explaining that “the Seychelles borrowed this money to upgrade the fisheries sector, but the fisheries sector and local fishers were not involved in the process.” He also expanded on other initiatives, such as the Blue Investment Fund, that could help make fisheries sustainable. 

The government of Belize is following a similar strategy, submitting proposals to “‘swap’ Belize’s crippling debt for the protection of marine resources,” according to Cari-Bois. Belize’s Prime Minister, John Briceño, in January 2024 opined that, “The Belize Blue Bonds is much more than a deal for debt restructuring. It represents the single most successful initiative by the value of our marine resources and our history of good stewardship.” The bonds, if effective, could free up important capital that could then be put towards biodiversity and conservation efforts. Barbados and Ecuador are two other countries that have implemented similar projects.  

A report published last year by the Transnational Institute (TNI) also examines the issue of so-called “Blue Finance” initiatives, and offers lessons learned from South Africa. 

Governance

• The National Advisory Committee on Constitutional Reform of Trinidad and Tobago published a report, titled “We The People,” compiling public submissions on recommendations and suggestions for the country’s constitutional reform. 

Climate Justice and Energy

• Though the storms have died down, Hurricane Beryl has left thousands of people in St. Vincent and the Grenadines without homes or businesses, wondering how to rebuild their livelihoods, reports the Guardian.
• A new carbon credit scheme issued by the government of Suriname, carried out through the UNFCCC Paris Agreement framework, did not include local and Indigenous communities living in the forests in negotiations or considerations, says Mongabay. Suriname “is one of the only countries in the world with net-negative carbon emissions… it’s the first country to offer these types of carbon credits — officially known as Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs).” The Financial Times also profiles these carbon credits, noting their potential effect on the country’s forests.
  
  
• A case brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on climate change obligations could have an important effect on Caribbean nations, reports The Guardian. Many islands, following the occurrence of natural disasters, have issued legal claims against developed countries holding them liable for reparations; the ICJ will host a landmark hearing on the issue in December.   
  
  
• Marion Atieno Osieyo, host of the Black Earth Podcast, hosted reparations expert Esther Stanford-Xosei on the most recent episode to discuss climate reparations and the impact these could have on local communities. 
  
  
• La Ruta del Clima just released a new app to monitor climate change-related damage and loss across communities.
  
  
• Climate Analytics Caribbean explains why it is so difficult to assess disaster-related loss and damage, and offers potential solutions to ensure more accurate assessments and allocation of resources in the Caribbean. 
  
  
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently released its 2023 State of the Climate report, with key takeaways regarding the ocean’s declining health and potential solutions to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.  

Public Security

• The rise in homicide rates in Antigua and Barbuda echoes the broader trend of an increase in violence across the Caribbean, writes Sir Ronald Sanders for Caribbean Magazine Plus. 
  
  
• In their monthly e-brief Justice Matters, Jamaicans for Justice also note the increase in law enforcement killings in the country, and criticize the slow roll-out of body cameras for law enforcement officials. 

Racial Justice and Decolonsation

• In Jamaica Woman Tongue, Carolyn Cooper wrote that the Emancipation Mark monument, unveiled 21 years ago, reflects a “completely inadequate conception of Emancipation” and criticizes the panel of judges responsible for approving the problematic design of the sculpture.  

Migration

• “Some 1,400 teachers are expected to leave the local classroom for jobs in the United States (US) ahead of the start of the new year and, instead of seeking to retain them, the Government is pursuing a teacher immigration plan,” reports the Jamaica Gleaner. (Via Americas Migration Brief)

In the Diaspora

• The upcoming Notting Hill Carnival is a “perfect example of what is wrong with the prevailing approach to economic development and policymaking” argue Mariana Mazzucato and Alvaro Barrington in Project Syndicate, noting that “one of the largest Black cultural events on the planet and a global celebration of the Afro-diaspora” will occur in the midst of increased race and anti-immigration riots, and has struggled to secure funding over the past years. 

Culture

• The 2024 Kingston Biennial, a showcase of Caribbean and African diaspora artists, will be organized by Ashley James, reports the New York Times. James, a Jamaican American, is a curator at the Guggenheim Museum in New York. 

Women’s Empowerment

• Carina Cockburn, the Country Representative for Trinidad and Tobago at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), offers six tips to empower women for success, especially in an entrepreneurial spirit. (About Her Culture)

Arianna Kohan / Just Caribbean Updates
https://caribbeannewsupdates.blogspot.com

August 29, 2024