A new project aimed at improving the management of Barbados’ coastlines for the benefit of residents, businesses and visitors is now under way.
Entitled Updating the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Plan, Legislation and Regulations to Embrace Climate and Disaster Resilience, it aims to improve the management and protection of Barbados’ coastal zone.
It is being coordinated by Government, through the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy and the Coastal Zone Management Unit (CZMU).
The project is also intended to better incorporate climate change adaptation measures and disaster resilience into coastal plans and laws, as Barbados seeks to embrace climate resilience and disaster risk in coastal zone management plans.
Director of the CZMU, Dr. Leo Brewster, said it was crucial for Barbados to have clear ICZM plans and policies that better incorporate climate resilience and disaster risk.
“Barbados may contribute little to the causes of climate change worldwide, but the negative impacts are affecting people, homes, businesses and infrastructure along our coastline.
“We have seen increasingly dangerous hurricanes and rising vulnerability in the Caribbean, and in response, Government, through this and other initiatives, is pursuing urgent actions to mitigate our vulnerability,” he noted.
Throughout the project, a variety of stakeholders, including government agencies, non-governmental organizations, members of the legal profession, private developers and communities, are being engaged to learn about the proposed updates, voice their concerns and offer input.
The CZMU is being supported in the project by IH Cantabria, a joint research centre in Spain that specializes in coastal and watershed management.
The project is one of the final components of the Inter-American Development Bank-funded programme entitled Coastal Risk Assessment and Management Programme (CRMP).
CRMP incorporates Disaster Risk Management and Climate Change Adaptation into the daily functions of the CZMU. Its pioneering baseline studies, investigations and the development of a risk information and planning platform will guide the updates to the coastal plan and legislation.
Integrated Coastal Zone Management is a way to manage the coast which includes all aspects of the coastal zone. The goal is to manage coastal and marine resources well for the benefit of future generations.