Building Water Security and Climate Change Resilience in the Caribbean

At the 8th Annual High Level Session (HLS) of Caribbean Water Ministers, convened by the Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C) and its partner the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA) in October 2012, nine Caribbean Ministers including two Deputy Prime Ministers present at the Session, recommended that GWP-C and its partners develop a Water, Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP) for the Caribbean.

In March 2012, the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) adopted the Implementation Plan for a Regional Framework for Achieving Development Resilience to Climate Change. The Implementation Plan was developed by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC); a lead CARICOM agency for coordination of climate change interventions in the region. Within the Plan, the GWP-C was identified as one of the implementing agencies for climate change adaptation actions related to water.

In response to the commitments outlined in the Implementation Plan and the Ministers’ recommendation at the 2012 High Level Session (HLS), GWP-C has embarked on the development of a Water, Climate and Development Programme (WACDEP) for the Caribbean; which will be executed as a joint initiative of the GWP-C and the CCCCC.

To support the development of the Water, Climate and Development Programme for the Caribbean, the GWP-C is hosting a Regional Stakeholder Workshop in St. Lucia on November 15th and 16th, 2012 to bring together key regional climate change players to provide input into the finalisation of the WACDEP Implementation Plan.

Participants at the workshop are representative of more than 12 Caribbean territories and include: Water Managers; Hydrologists; Chief Executive Officers and Managing Directors of Water Authorities; Water Specialists; among other technocrats.

Senator, The Honourable Dr. James Fletcher, Minister of Public Service, Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology of St. Lucia has been invited to deliver the Feature Address at the Opening Ceremony of the workshop. At the Opening, remarks will also be given by Mr. Carlos Fuller, Deputy Director at the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) and representatives of the Global Water Partnership-Caribbean (GWP-C).