Climate Change Doesn't Have to Result in Greater Gender Inequity in the Carribean

May 29, 2024 | Wazim Mowla
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The Caribbean is one of world’s most vulnerable regions to the effects of climate change. Hurricanes and strong tropical storms, changing precipitation patterns, and sea level rise disproportionately affect Caribbean economies and citizens—and none of the latter more than its women and girls. Climate change amplifies their existing challenges, such as gender-based violence and inequities, while creating new barriers to economic opportunity and political influence. As Caribbean governments and their partners work to build a more resilient region, the challenges facing women and girls need to be taken into account and policy designs must reflect their perspectives.

The region has an urgent need to prepare for the scope of climate change. Many of the region’s countries rely on tourism to drive economic growth, with ten of the world’s twenty most tourism-dependent economies residing in the Caribbean. When hurricanes roll through the region, damaging infrastructure and halting flights, the tourism industry halts as well, diminishing economic prospects. Most Caribbean countries face the brunt of the Atlantic hurricane season, which is producing stronger and more frequent tropical storms. At the same time, most of the region’s populous cities are coastal, making sea level rise a threat to homes and the day-to-day functions of society. Further, changing precipitation patterns and higher average temperatures result in agricultural degradation and more acidic oceans, decreasing crop yields in rural areas and limiting fishery supplies.