One Health Webinar - Climate Change and Health in the Caribbean, Friday 27 July, 2018

This was the third webinar organized in the continuation of the EU/ACP S&T project "One Health One Caribbean One Love" (2014-2017). Theme: climate change and health.

The presentation of about 30 min was followed by questions and discussion with the attendees.

The Webinar, in Brief

  • Date & time : Friday, 27th July, 1.30 PM (Trinidad Time)
  • Title : Climate Change and Health in the Caribbean
  • Presenter : Dr. Sandra Vokaty, subregional Advisor in Veterinary Public Health (PAHO/WHO, Trinidad and Tobago), chair of CaribVET VPH working group
  • Platform : CISCO/Webex
  • Recording : access recording here

Summary information

The webinar made reference to the topics on Climate Change and Health which were discussed at the One Health Symposium held in the Caymand Islands in May 2018.

The presentation dealth with climate change in the Caribbean, more especially it's impact on the environment, health, agriculture, and tourism refering to several publications and works conducted in the region (see below): impacts that we can already feel and those to expect in couple of decades.

The presentation also refered to things that we could do to mitigate climate change, and adapt for more resilient societies, agricultures and health systems. The topics for discussion included reduction of greehouses gase in the health sector, support for the inclusion of health in the countries national climate change plans, increase awareness, implementation of SMART hospitals, green facilities, develop regional cooperation projects, support climate actions, etc.

References

  • Stephenson TS, Vincent LA, Allen T, Van Meerbeeck CJ, Mclean N, Peterson TC, et al. Changes in extreme temperature and precipitation in the Caribbean region, 1961-2010. Int J Climatol. 2014;34: 2957–2971. doi:10.1002/joc.3889
  • Simpson M, Scott D, Trotz U. Climate Change’s Impact on the Caribbean's Ability to Sustain Tourism, Natural Assets, and Inter-American Dev Bank Environ Safeguards Unit Tech NOTES No IDB-TN-238. 2011; Available here
  • Watts N, Amann M, Ayeb-Karlsson S, Belesova K, Bouley T, Boykoff M, et al. The Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: From 25 years of inaction to a global transformation for public health. Lancet. 2017; doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(17)32464-9
  • UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean, Port-of-Spain T and T. The Economics of Climate Change in the Caribbean – Summary Report 2011.