Climate policy officially adopted by government

(CNS): Climate Resiliency Minister Katherine Ebanks-Wilks presented the long-awaited climate policy to parliament Wednesday. The document outlines a 26-year plan for the adaptation and mitigation measures necessary for the Cayman Islands to become climate-resilient.

Stressing the importance and significance of the policy, which has taken almost fifteen years for the government to adopt, Ebanks-Wilks said the region is already experiencing more intense rainfall events and tropical storms, putting communities and critical infrastructure at greater risk of flooding and damage.

“Warmer sea temperatures and longer periods of drought jeopardise the health and viability of valuable, limited natural resources, upon which our tourism, our food security, our livelihoods, and our quality of life depend,” she told her parliamentary colleagues in a short speech about the policy.

Although the policy was presented to the Cabinet more than a year ago, it has been languishing since Wayne Panton, the former climate resiliency minister and the driving force behind it, was ousted from the position of premier. While it’s still not clear why the policy was delayed for so long, it was finally approved last month.

The original draft document was written by scientists and went through the public consultation process last year. But before approving it, the Cabinet ministers, none of whom are scientists, made changes to the policy document, which CNS intends to scrutinize.

Ministry officials have said some of the alterations relate to adjusted timelines, and the mental health impacts of climate change have been included. However, some of the strategic actions have been reduced, consolidated or redefined. An area dealing with interwoven equity has been removed from the revised draft, but related strategic actions have been moved to other relevant focus areas.

The policy has three core goals: developing the processes and capacity for the government to take urgent climate action, for the country to become more resilient to climate change, and to achieve a low-carbon economy. All three goals will require an immense amount of work, given the failure of successive administrations to adopt any truly sustainable policies.

Ebanks-Wilks pointed out that the recent brush with Hurricane Beryl demonstrated how flooding and coastal erosion continue to pose serious risks to homes and businesses in the Cayman Islands.

“We know that increasingly warmer ocean waters contribute to the strength and intensity of hurricanes in our region,” she said. “While we cannot prevent these severe weather events, this policy enables us to take proactive steps to safeguard and support our people, environment and economy.

“The approval of this policy is testament to the incredible dedication of the ministry and its policy advisors. It is also important to note, however, that this policy is a strategic pathway for a more climate-resilient future for the benefit of us all, and the key to success is in collaboration.”

She explained that it provides a governance framework for climate action which includes cooperation and coordination across ministries and departments, the private and public sectors and civil society. “I look forward to seeing this policy make a real and positive change in the future outlook for all three Cayman Islands,” she said.

However, the ministry may find it challenging to ensure the participation of other government departments and the private sector, especially the development and construction industry, over the remaining months of this administration.

Obstacles to overcome include the planning department’s open hostility towards the National Conservation Council and the Department of Environment, the government’s efforts to gut the National Conservation Act, and developers’ inclination to do what they want regardless of the impact on the environment.

The recent flooding and rapidly worsening beach erosion after relatively benign storms this season are clear demonstrations of Cayman’s vulnerability and inadequate resiliency. One illustration of the enormity of the problem Cayman now faces is the mammoth task of moving the concrete structures from Seven Mile Beach, which are compounding the erosion and polluting the ocean along this famous stretch of coastline.

Ebanks-Wilks spoke about some “quick wins” that have been identified as short-term actions that can be delivered over the next five or six years. These include identifying climate-related financial opportunities and vulnerabilities, completing the Coastal Setback Reference Line reassessment, and implementing a National Sargassum Management Strategy.

The policy is mainly based on the research, consultation and public engagement that resulted in the Cayman Islands Climate Change Evidence Report 2022, now the most comprehensive reference document to date on the potential implications of climate change on the islands’ environment, society and economy.

Senior Policy Advisor Lisa Hurlston-McKenzie, who is not only part of the team that compiled the policy but will be heavily involved in its implementation, said that it had been crafted to reduce the impacts of extreme weather events on households and communities in the short and longer term.

“Work on an implementation plan with government and non-government partners to bring about these and other benefits will begin immediately,” she said.

Acting Chief Officer Troy Jacob said it was a notable achievement for the ministry, which is both new and small, to have delivered two approved national policies within this administration. The team also delivered the updated National Energy Policy earlier this year. “The ministry looks forward to working closely with government, private sector and non-governmental partners for the implementation of both national policies,” he said.

As she addressed her colleagues in parliament, Ebanks-Wilks, who has held the ministry for just under a year, said there was an urgent need to secure funding and resources to implement the policy.

“While the policy outlines that these costs will be, where possible, absorbed within the operational budgets of government ministries and portfolios, the policy also aims to establish a Climate Resiliency Fund, through legislation, to fund the timely implementation of this and future updates of the policy,” she added.

The minister had to point out to the MPs that climate change affects lives, not just the environment. “That is why the Climate Change Policy sets our strategies to support economic diversification, aiming to create sustainable livelihoods and make our economy more resilient to climate shocks,” she explained.

“By acting now, we are protecting both the financial services sector and the broader economy from climate-related risks. Specific areas such as resilient infrastructure and safeguarding the natural environment are key to protecting tourism and other critical sectors. By reducing climate risks, the policy aims to ensure the long-term sustainability of these industries,” she added.

See the minister’s full address and the redrafted policy in the CNS Library.

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