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Head of the European Union (EU) delegation in Barbados, Ambassador Mickael Barfod (A.Miller/BGIS)??

The Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) has committed ???300 million, in more than 35 countries to date, as it seeks to create a platform for dialogue, cooperation, technical and financial support among Caribbean nations.

This was revealed today by Head of the European Union (EU) delegation in Barbados, Ambassador Mickael Barfod, at the official opening of the second regional workshop on Climate Change Modelling and Adaptation in the Caribbean, and the second annual meeting of the Caribbean Climate Modelling Group at The Roy Marshall Teaching Complex, University of the West Indies.

Ambassador Barfod noted that one of the key features of the EU funded project was the regional training on climate change mainstreaming, designed specifically for high-level officials in partner countries.

"The seminars have brought together officials primarily from ministries of finance, planning and environment, to encourage them to speak the same climate language, and acknowledge the needs and challenges of each other," he said.

In addressing the workshop, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of the Environment and Drainage, Daphne Kellman, said it was hoped that a more resilient region and economic sectors, which were able to adapt to climate change, would be among the benefits emerging from the GCCA Project.

Ms. Kellman explained that the development and execution of the regional component of the GCCA by the EU and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, was in support of facilitating regional action to enhance Barbados’ resilience to climate change.

She added that it was also consistent with the Regional Framework and Implementation Plan as the project was designed to address some of the recognised capacity limitations that were common across the region.

Those, she said, included insufficient development of climate scenarios and climate impact models in the region, limited ability to predict extreme climate related events; insufficient and/or limited vulnerability studies conducted in the region; inadequate technical, institutional and financial capacity to respond appropriately to climate change and position itself to access carbon financing.

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Executive Director of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, Dr. Kenrick Leslie making his presentation today. (A.Miller/BGIS)??

Executive Director of the Centre, Dr. Kenrick Leslie, said the workshop was designed to develop and implement the risk management approach to decision making.

In addition, he said it would also seek to develop sector specific adaptation strategies and policies at the national level, develop actions to de-risk the Caribbean to improve the opportunities for private sector investment and provide information in the review process of CARICOM regional policies.

julia.rawlins-bentham@barbados.gov.bb

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