President-designate of Conference to the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 28), Dr. Sultan Al Jaber got a first-hand look on Thursday at Barbados’ climate mitigation efforts in the wake of a worsening climate crisis worldwide.
He was accompanied by a delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), “On the Journey to Climate Resilience Tour”, which was led by Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley.
In attendance were Senior Minister Coordinating the Productive Sector and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Kerrie Symmonds, and Minister of Environment and National Beautification, Green and Blue Economy, Adrian Forde, and other senior government officials.
The first stop was the grass swail installation at Sunset Crest, St. James, where Director of the Roofs to Reefs Programme, Ricardo Marshall, explained that this was one of the adaptation measures used to counter the effects of climate change. The swail was installed to assist with flood alleviation and storm water management in the area.
The team also visited the sea defence installation at Holetown, which is part of the Holetown Waterfront Improvement Project. It aims to stabilise and enhance beaches, and improve lateral access to beaches by making them more resilient to climatic events.
The party also toured a model home at the Home Ownership Providing Energy (HOPE) Inc., at Lancaster, St. James, where Dr. Al Jaber, the UAE’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, was impressed with the concept of using renewable energy on the roofs of homes. He also spoke to some of the renewable energy efforts currently ongoing in his homeland.
The team made a brief stop in Six Men’s, St. Peter, before the final stop at Walkers Reserve, Walkers, St. Andrew, where they received an overview about the largest regeneration project from Director and founder of Walkers Institute for Regenerative Research Education and Design, Ian McNeel.
Dr. Al Jaber and the delegation left the island on Thursday evening.