About 600 million people currently live in low lying coastal areas. 21 coastal cities will certainly have to contend with sea rise impacts. Some areas to be impacted are Boston, U.S., California's Malibu coast and even sections of lower Manhattan, New York, Florida's beaches and Everglades, New Orleans, Hamburg Germany and London England. Island nations will also be impacted by the expected rise in sea level.
Regional environmentalists and climatologists are warning that failure to sufficiently adapt to the inevitable impacts of climate change will severely affect a nation's ability to achieve sustainable development.
The Netherlands Antilles, Aruba and Suriname discussed this very important issue during a three-day tripartite parliamentary meeting that was held from March 23 to 25. Presentations were made by the Meteorological Service of the Netherlands Antilles & Aruba (Met Office) and the non-governmental organization Friends of the Earth from Curacao.
Dr. Albert Martis of the Met Office in his presentation to parliamentarians stated that the effect that climate change will have on the Caribbean region could be devastating if precautions are not taken soon.
Martis has even opted to form a national committee on each island that measures, calculates and looks for solutions with respect to the global climate change issue. He adds that these committees should be independent of governments and should focus solely on national solutions that can be put to work by government.
It has become clear among Caribbean states that small vulnerable states like those in the Caribbean, cannot deal with the climate change challenge without solidarity and support from the international community.
There is no uncertainty about the fact that adaptation will require huge investments in the "climate proofing" of basic infrastructure. Some islands in the Caribbean are already working on a "National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy."
The Organization of American States (OAS), in conjunction with the Center for Environment & Development of the University of the West Indies and 12 CARICOM member countries, implemented the Caribbean project on "Planning for Adaptation to Global Climate Change."
A good venue where the global climate change issue should receive prominent attention is the June Parliamentary Consultation of the Kingdom (POK), comprising of members of parliament from Holland, Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.
Martis from the Met Office should proceed with, if he hasn't already, in setting up committees on the various islands to start taking stock of climate change impact possibilities.
We must not think of taking action in the future. We must take action now. If we start now, six to 12 months from now, we may have an answer to the question posed above, Climate Change: Where are we on this issue?
Roddy Heyliger