Ladies and Gentlemen, pleasant good morning and greetings from the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, known as the 5Cs. The 5Cs has the mandate, from the CARICOM Heads of Government, to coordinate the Region’s response to climate change. It is in this regard that the 5Cs is pleased to serve as the implementing entity for this Intra-ACP GCCA+ Programme: Enhancing Climate Resilience in CARIFORUM Countries.

Before proceeding, let me express my deep gratitude to the EU and the people of Europe, for their support in making this training and the overall Programme possible. I want, also, to acknowledge the indispensable support of the OACPS Secretariat in the programme implementation.

Colleagues, I am pleased to see so many of you participating in this very important session aimed at building regional capacity in communicating climate change. Despite the disruptions to our lives and livelihoods and the renewed anxiety that arises with each new variant of the deadly SARS-COV2 Virus, you have found the time to join us today. Thank you.

Your presence here for this training symbolizes your collective commitment to continue with the important work that lies ahead, even amid evolving uncertainties. We look forward to your engaging participation over the next few days.

Your attendance also reflects your interest in communicating climate change.  One would think that this is easy, considering that climate change is recognized by many, as an existential threat to our way of life.  The 5Cs formulated, more than 10 years ago, the rallying cry ‘1.5 to stay alive.’  Yet, there are still gaps in how we communicate climate change and the increasing need for ongoing awareness efforts aimed at building knowledge and changing perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors about climate change in the region. For too long, climate change has remained an academic or scientific issue in which messages are presented in jargons such as “according to UNFCCC or IPCC, ‘greenhouse gases,’ ‘temperature increase over the pre-industrial era’, ‘ocean acidification’, …etc., that are qualified with words such as “most likely contributing to” or “highly probable” by 2100 according to some scenario…”  While this narrative is important, in the process, our messages have not reached the majority of key and vulnerable groups. It is no surprise that in KAP survey after KAP survey, we find that the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of our people, as it relates to climate change and its effects are sub-optimal.  We need to do much more to improve our understanding, our awareness, and our ability to adapt, respond to, and make better decisions in the face of climate change.  We must employ different, innovative, and practical strategies and tools. We must rely on everyday experiences and demonstrate how our lives are being impacted by climate change. We must help our people connect the dots between what they are seeing, feeling, and experiencing with climate change.

George Bernard Shaw once said, “The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place”.  Thus, let us move away from the “illusion” to “knowing” that communicating climate change is critical to all stakeholders, particularly our most vulnerable people. An informed population is a prerequisite to catalyzing collective actions needed to build climate resilience.

The training today is timely and important. It will serve as a launchpad for the awareness campaign that will be fully rolled out in 2022.

I am certain that by the end of the training, you will become a strong network of individuals who will be committed and energized to help fill knowledge gaps about climate change to your households, family, friends, co-workers, and communities.

We must fill the gap quickly, as climate change impacts are increasing in frequency and severity.  I trust that you will be ready to use the techniques you will learn and modify as needed, based on your target audience, cultural considerations, socio-economic situations etc., to ensure that you are effectively communicating.  Don’t be constrained by dogma: be creative, be innovative, be bold, be passionate and be interesting and compelling.

Ladies and Gentlemen, there are clear linkages between this GCCA+ Programme and the Paris Agreement. Thus, the successful outcome of this training and the GCCA+ programme will contribute to our collective implementation of the Paris Accord.

I am most appreciative of AESA’s and OIKO’s commitment and professionalism during this assignment.  I also note the collaboration with the University of the West Indies (UWI). Partnerships are critical for success, particularly in small regions like that of the Caribbean. We are always stronger when we work together.  

On behalf of the 5Cs and the GCCA+ Project Management Team, I wish you a successful training and look forward to seeing the transformation in climate change awareness in the months and years ahead.

THANK YOU