Climate Change Resilience
© UNESCO / Jacob Bock
(North-east Tobago UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Stock Footage Database)
What is Climate Change Resilience?
Climate Change Resilience means being able to adapt to, prepare for, and effectively respond to natural hazards caused by climate change.
High Level Goal
Coordinated, multisectoral, community-based Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) creates a level of Climate Change resilience that reduces Climate Change impacts on our communities and regenerates ecosystem services across the North-east Tobago UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Reserve.
Current Situation
The negative impacts of climate change on North-east Tobago’s communities, ecosystems, biodiversity, and economy are measurable, undeniable, and annually increasing. Already, seasonal fish migrations are changing, coral reefs are declining, more sargassum, rivers are drying out, forest fires are increasing, and we are losing shorelines and valuable properties in our communities. Inevitably, the impact of climate change that North-east Tobago’s residents already experience will dramatically increase over the next years leading to severe economic and social challenges.
Priority Needs
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A CCA strategy is implemented by 2025;
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CCA efforts are coordinated across all sections and focus on community-based initiatives;
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sufficient resources are allocated to CCA programmes and projects;
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Climate Change research and monitoring is coordinated, involves community stakeholders, and is publicly available and easily accessible; and
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the importance of CCA is communicated to all stakeholders guided by an assessment of knowledge, attitude, and practice.
Strategies
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Develop and implement a CCA Plan by 2025;
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TOBIMA to coordinate Climate Change action with key THA Departments, community based organisations, and the private sector;
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secure funding for immediate projects as well as a long-term North-east Tobago CCA trust fund;
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TOBIMA to coordinate CCA research and monitoring;
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implement a CCA communication plan; and
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build technical and collaboration capacity of all key stakeholders.
Further Information: