Just Caribbean Updates

Hurricane Beryl became the earliest Category 5 Atlantic hurricane on record on Sunday. The hurricane has resulted in power outages, flooding, and infrastructure damage across affected islands including Barbados, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. In Grenada, roofs were blown off and critical facilities damaged.  (CNN)

“For the major emitters of greenhouse gasses, those who contribute most to global warming, you are getting a lot of talking, but you are not seeing a lot of action – as in making money available to small-island developing states and other vulnerable countries,” Ralph Gonsalves, SVG Prime Minister.

“I am hopeful that what is happening – and we are quite early in the hurricane season – will alert them to our vulnerabilities, our weaknesses and encourage them to honor the commitments they have made on a range of issues, from the Paris accord to the current time.” (The Guardian)

This is one of the most powerful hurricanes to hit the region since Hurricane Maria in 2017, also a Category 5 storm, which hit Dominica, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and other parts of the Caribbean with devastating consequences. The estimated death toll was 3,059, with 2,975 of those deaths occurring in Puerto Rico alone​. (Al Jazeera)

How did it intensify? A key ingredient for rapid intensification is warm water. The ocean temperature must be greater than 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 Celsius) extending more than 150 feet below the surface. This reservoir of warm water provides the energy necessary to turbocharge a hurricane. (The Conversation)

Why did Hurricane Beryl happen? As oceans warm and ocean heat content gets higher with climate change, it is reasonable to hypothesize that rapid intensification might be becoming more common. Evidence does suggest that rapid intensification of storms has become more common in the Atlantic. (The Conversation)

In just days Hurricane Beryl intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane, a “quick escalation that “was a direct result of the above-average sea surface temperatures as well as a harbinger of what is to come this hurricane season,” reports the New York Times.

Forecasters predicted months ago it was going to be a nasty year and now they are comparing it to record-busy 1933 and deadly 2005 – the year of Katrina, Rita, Wilma and Dennis, reports the Associated Press.

Climate and Environmental Justice 

• Unprecedented ocean heat has triggered the worst mass coral bleaching event on record, with 72% of global reefs affected. Scientists, including Marilyn Brandt from the University of the Virgin Islands, suggest that hurricanes could provide relief by cooling the water. However, the extreme ocean temperatures may reduce hurricanes’ effectiveness. (CNN)
  
  
• The University of Guyana signed an agreement with the South Rupununi District Council and the Aishalton Village Council to establish the Maoka Taawa University of the Forests Campus in South Rupununi. This unique university will cater to the educational needs of over 11,000 indigenous people across 21 villages, offering courses tailored to local interests such as education, agriculture, and sustainable tourism. (Demerara Waves)
  
  
• The “Youth for Justice” Collective in Belize focuses on addressing the colonial-health-climate crisis through participatory action research involving young people. (Independent Social Research Foundation) 
  
  
• Azerbaijan’s Minister for Ecology and Natural Resources, Mukhtar Babayev, anticipates a breakthrough in climate finance at COP29 in Baku, aiming to rebuild trust between the global north and south. The goal is to establish a new climate financing target to replace the unmet $100 billion annual pledge, addressing the needs of the most climate-vulnerable countries. (Forbes)

Democratic Governance 

• “A controversial state of emergency in Belize to crack down on a surge of gang-related murders and other violent crimes has led to the arrest of nearly a hundred people,” reports the Guardian.
  
  
• The first contingent of 200 specialized Kenyan police officers arrived in Haiti on last week, to lead a United Nations-backed Multinational Security Support mission aimed at combating criminal gangs and restoring security in the country. Despite international support, the mission faces challenges including skepticism from Haitians, protests in Kenya, and ensuring sufficient funding and clear rules of engagement. (Miami Herald)

• The paradox in Caribbean economies lies in the pursuit of increasing profits while neglecting the well-being of the workforce that drives these profits. Despite the focus on economic growth, workers face low wages, high stress, job insecurity, and limited opportunities for skill development, leading to high turnover and stagnant productivity. (LinkedIn)

Migration

• Brain drain is a significant issue in the Caribbean, and “the loss of the region’s teachers and healthcare professionals is a particular concern highlighted by politicians, workers’ associations, and the media—from countries as diverse as Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago,” explains Jordi Amaral in the Americas Migration Brief. One solution is Global Skills Partnerships, bilateral labor migration agreements between countries of origin and destination and public-private partnerships to help fund and train workers, he writes.

Culture

• Guadeloupe photographer Maurice-Alain Lima’s photo series “The Beauty of Innocence” challenges societal norms about LGBTQ+ people in religious spaces. Lima uses his art to raise awareness about the acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals within the Catholic Church, inspired by Christian LGBTQ+ individuals in Guadeloupe who maintain their faith despite rejection. (76 Crimes)
  
  
• Dancehall artist Lexxicon, a gay Jamaican living in Toronto, is aiming to revolutionize the dancehall industry much like Lil Nas X did with American rap. His single “Batty Man Party ” from the upcoming album “Pink Fraternity” seeks to reframe the derogatory term “batty man” into a label of pride for LGBTQ+ people. Contrasting with homophobic artists like Admiral T, Lexxicon’s work celebrates LGBTQ+ visibility and challenges traditional norms within Caribbean music. (76 Crimes)
  
  
• Puerto Rican artist José “Jun” Martínez has won the Valerie Beston Artists Trust Award at the Royal College of Art in London, being named one of the Top 10 “Most Promising Artists in Painting.” Martínez’s work, showcased alongside graduates from various disciplines, received significant attention. Renowned gallery owner Walter Otero praised Martínez’s achievement, highlighting his upcoming solo exhibitions in the UK and Spain. (Metro)
  
  
• Firelei Báez’s solo exhibition “Trust Memory Over History” is on view at Kunstmuseum Wolfsburg until October 13, 2024, after previously showing at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark. The Dominican American artist’s works feature large-scale paintings and installations that merge historical maps with vibrant, dynamic imagery. Her art challenges Eurocentric narratives and highlights themes of migration, colonialism, and cultural identity. 

Opportunities 

• Wiki Education is offering training to help people create and edit Wikipedia pages on climate finance, focusing particularly on private climate finance, which lacks extensive public information. Learn more. 
  
• The International Institute of Social History (IISH) has announced a call for the Global Slavery History Fellowships (GSHF) in Amsterdam, funded by the Insinger Foundation. Learn more. 
  
  
• The Practitioner Exchange for Effective Response to Sea Level Rise (PEERS) is conducting a survey on nature-based solutions (NbS) for coastal adaptation in Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasizing projects that incorporate indigenous knowledge. Participate. 
  
  
• Wildlife Conservation Society is looking for a Program Manager, Rights & Communities (R+C), that will manage and support the Global Conservation Program by implementing knowledge management processes, facilitating communication, and coordinating administrative tasks. Apply. 

Events

• 11 July — “The Caribbean We Want: Collaborating to deliver the new SIDS sustainable development agenda,” — The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) Partners Forum 2024, via Zoom.Register.
  
  
• 18 July — Roots of Resistance: Suriname’s Indigenous and Tribal Fight for Climate Justice and Land Rights — Climate Tracker – Register

Just Caribbean Updates/Jordana Timerman
https://caribbeannewsupdates.blogspot.com

07/03/2024