The National Coastal Risk Information Planning Platform (NCRIPP) has been described as one of the most innovative tools developed in the region.
Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy, Kirk Humphrey, made this point recently, as he highlighted priority areas for the Ministry during a courtesy call from Deputy High Commissioner of the British High Commission, Craig Fulton, and Deputy High Commissioner designate, Daniel Shepherd, at his Christ Church office.
Minister Humphrey noted that Barbados was working closely with the Inter-American Development Bank to build out its resilience, and the NCRIPP would assist greatly in that respect.
“The NCRIPP allows us to determine the likelihood of disasters, and where the greatest impact will be,” he said. He stated that in the case of an approaching hurricane, the NCRIPP would allow officials to see the potential impact and measure the damage.
“So, potential investors can see where is likely to be impacted. It will give them the ability to make decisions,” he said.
Mr. Humphrey explained that the NCRIPP was a software system, which used “deep penetrating” LiDAR images to map the entire island and highlight the potential threats to the island.
He stressed that it was important that Barbados become the most resilient country it could be as climate change was an existential issue. “We will do our part. We will do the mitigation and adaptation that is necessary because we want to be resilient,” the Minister said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Shepherd outlined that he would be looking at three broad themes when he takes office – prosperity, which would encompass trade and green financing; values, which would look at shared interests in climate change; and protecting citizens through the various elements of security and organized crime.
During the meeting, matters related to renewable energy; the ban on petro-based single-use plastics; the health of humans and the health of the ocean; the threat posed by the sargassum seaweed; climate change and warmer sea temperatures; dying coral reefs; marine transport; and the physical development plan were also discussed.