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New UN climate change report identifies urgent need for capacity building and adaptation strategies

For Release Upon Receipt - March 31, 2022

UWI


Professor Michelle Mycoo

The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica. Thursday, March 31, 2022— In February, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published its latest global report. Better known as the Sixth Assessment Report of Working Group II (AR6-WG2), it reveals the impacts, vulnerabilities and risks of climate change, and focuses—more than previous reports—on adaptation solutions for human societies.  

Among the 270 authors selected from 1037 top climate scientists around the globe nominated to contribute to the AR6-WG2 Report, three were experts from The University of the West Indies (The UWI).   

Professor Michelle Mycoo, an urban and regional planner and Professor in the Department of Geomatics Engineering and Land Management at The UWI St Augustine, was one of two Coordinating Lead Authors on Chapter 15, and a Coordinating Lead Author on the Technical Summary and Summary for Policymakers.  Dr Donovan Campbell, Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Geography and Geology at The UWI Mona Campus, served as a Lead Author of Chapter 15, and Dr Aidan Farrell, Senior Lecturer in Plant Physiology in the Department of Life Sciences at the St Augustine Campus, served as Lead Author for Chapter 5, which addresses the impacts and risks of food, fibre, and other ecosystem products.   

Chapter 15 covers observed and projected impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change of small islands in the Caribbean, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. It details that a sense of urgency is prevalent among small islands in the combating of climate change and in adherence to the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The executive summary of the chapter states: “Small islands present the most urgent need for investment in capacity building and adaptation strategies”.   

The Report details high projected risks for terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems including coral reefs, water, food, cities and settlements and migration, stating, “Small islands are increasingly affected by increases in temperature, a larger proportion of the most intense tropical cyclones, storm surges, droughts, changing precipitation patterns, sea-level rise, coral bleaching and invasive species, all of which are already detectable across both natural and human systems”.  

Some of the projected risks for small islands will likely include large population reductions with an extinction risk of 100% for endemic species within insular biodiversity hotspots here in the Caribbean. Above 1.5°C globally can result in further loss of 70-90% of reef-building coral, with 99% of corals being lost under warming of 2°C or more above the pre-industrial period. The vulnerability of communities in small islands, especially those relying on coral reef systems for livelihoods, may exceed adaptation limits well before 2100 even for a low greenhouse gas emission pathway. Further, a 1°C increase in temperature (from 1.7°C to 2.7°C) could result in a 60% increase in the number of people projected to experience severe water resources stress from 2043-2071. Food insecurities, climate-related migration; threats to settlements and infrastructure, health and well-being; economies and culture were also named among the projected risks. The effect of climate change on cities and settlements is a major concern for small islands given that a high percentage of their population, infrastructure and economic assets are located in the low elevation coastal zone of below 10 metres elevation. The problems of increasing exposure and vulnerability are most clearly seen in atoll islands. In the Caribbean, atoll islands will likely face high projected risks.  

While the Report acknowledges some progress and benefits of adaptation planning and implementation across all sectors and regions, it says that large gaps exist between ongoing efforts, and the adaptation needed to cope with current levels of global warming.   

The constraints faced by small islands were also clearly acknowledged. The Report identifies that governance and legal reforms, improved access to financial resources, initiatives to build resource capacity, awareness programmes, downscaled climate data and maximizing indigenous knowledge and local knowledge are needed to help mitigate the barriers to adaptation.   

The AR6-WG2 Report also highlights the importance of simultaneously pursuing fundamental societal changes together with the conservation, restoration and safeguarding of nature if we are to overcome the limits to adaptation, build resilience, reduce climate risks and guarantee inclusive, equitable and just development to meet the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “The strong and interdependent relationships between climate, nature and people are fundamental to reaching these goals” the IPCC report said; a point of emphasis that is more present in the current IPCC report than in previous assessments.   

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Photo Caption: Professor Michelle Mycoo, urban and regional planner and Professor in the Department of Geomatics Engineering and Land Management at The UWI St Augustine.  

The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report of Working Group II (AR6-WG2) and related resources are available at https://report.ipcc.ch/ar6wg2/index.html .  

Related news:  Five UWI Scientists among experts contributing to upcoming UN climate change report  

About The UWI 

The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region.   

From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Open Campus, and 10 global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.   

The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.  

The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). In the latest World University Rankings 2022, released in September 2021, The UWI moved up an impressive 94 places from last year. In the current global field of some 30,000 universities and elite research institutes, The UWI stands among the top 1.5%. 

The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean, it is also in the top 20 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old).  The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action. For more, visit www.uwi.edu.   

(Please note that the proper name of the university is The University of the West Indies, inclusive of the “The”, hence The UWI.)  

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