ECLAC SUBREGIONAL HEADQUARTERS FOR THE CARIBBEAN

Newsletter of the Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC)

“THE TIME FOR EQUALITY HAS ARRIVED IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN” - Alicia Bárcena, Executive Secretary of ECLAC

ECLAC IDENTIFIES NEW COOPERATION OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN THE AND LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

BUILDING RESILIENCE TO ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

WHAT’S INSIDE: WHAT’S AND DEVELOPMENT IN IN THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE TOMAS

THE ROAD TO RIO+20

ISSUE 1 / JANUARY - MARCH 2011 ABOUT ECLAC/CDCC Issue 1 / January - March 2011 The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) is one of five regional commissions of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). It was established in 1948 to support Latin American governments in the economic and social “The Time for Equality has arrived in Latin America development of that region. Subsequently, in 1966, the Commission (ECLA, at that time) established the Subregional Headquarters for the and the Caribbean”- Alicia Bárcena, Executive Secretary of ECLAC 3 Caribbean in Port of to serve all countries of the insular Caribbean, as well as Belize, and Suriname, making it the largest United ECLAC identifies New Cooperation Opportunities Nations body in the subregion. between the United States and Latin America and At its sixteenth session in 1975, the Commission agreed to create the the Caribbean 4 Caribbean Development and Cooperation Committee (CDCC) as a permanent subsidiary body, which would function within the ECLA Building Resilience to Advance Sustainable Livelihoods structure to promote development cooperation among Caribbean and Development in Saint Lucia in the Aftermath of countries. Secretariat services to the CDCC would be provided by Hurricane Tomas 5 the Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean. Nine years later, the Commission’s widened role was officially acknowledged when the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA) modified its title to the The Road to RIO+20 7 Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC). Key Areas of Activity The ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean (ECLAC/CDCC secretariat) functions as a subregional think-tank and facilitates increased Regular Features contact and cooperation among its membership. Complementing the ECLAC/CDCC work programme framework, are the broader directives Abstracts - ECLAC Publications 9 issued by the United Nations General Assembly when in session, which constitute the Organization’s mandate. At present, the overarching Recent ECLAC Publications 10 articulation of this mandate is the Millennium Declaration, which outlines the Millennium Development Goals. Upcoming Events - 2nd Quarter 2011 10 Towards meeting these objectives, the secretariat conducts research; provides technical advice to governments, upon request; organizes intergovernmental and expert group meetings; helps to formulate and articulate a regional perspective within global forums; and introduces global concerns at the regional and subregional levels. Areas of specialisation include trade, statistics, social development, science and technology, and sustainable development; while actual operational FOCUS: ECLAC in the Caribbean is a publication of the activities extend to economic and development planning, demography, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) economic surveys, assessment of the socio-economic impacts of natural Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean/Caribbean Development disasters, data collection and analysis, training, and assistance with the and Cooperation Committee (CDCC). management of national economies.

The ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean also functions EDITORIAL TEAM: as the secretariat for coordinating the implementation of the Programme Deputy Chief Hirohito Toda, ECLAC of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing Editor Julie Ramlal, ECLAC States (SIDS POA). The scope of ECLAC/CDCC activities is documented Copy Editor Maureen Afoon, ECLAC in the wide range of publications produced by the subregional Coordinator Johann Brathwaite, ECLAC headquarters in Port of Spain.

MEMBER COUNTRIES: ASSOCIATE MEMBER Produced by ECLAC Antigua and Barbuda Haiti COUNTRIES: Printed by The Office Authority - Printing Division The Bahamas Jamaica Anguilla Layout by RAW Designs Barbados Saint Kitts and Nevis Aruba Belize Saint Lucia British Virgin Islands Cuba Saint Vincent Cayman Islands CONTACT INFORMATION: Dominica and the Grenadines Montserrat ECLAC Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean Dominican Republic Suriname Puerto Rico PO Box 1113, Port of Spain, Grenada Trinidad and Tobago Tel: (868) 224-8000 Guyana United States Virgin Fax: (868) 623-8485 Islands E-mail: [email protected] THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION COMMITTEE ISSUE 1 / JANUARY - MARCH 2011

“THE TIME FOR EQUALITY HAS ARRIVED IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN” - Alicia Bárcena, Executive Secretary of ECLAC

Alicia Bárcena proposed six pillars for a new economic strategy emphasizing investment, integration and innovation at the 52nd annual meeting of the Board of Governors of IDB.

(28 March 2011) “Latin America and the Caribbean can safely take on its role in the new inclusive world scenario” according to Alicia Bárcena, Executive Secretary of ECLAC.

he senior United Nations In the framework of the annual IDB T official was taking part in the !DB meeting, the ECLAC Executive Secretary second plenary session of the was also one of the main speakers at the 52nd annual meeting of the Board seminar “Faced with the development of Governors of the Inter-American challenges in Latin America: what are Development Bank (IDB), held in the articulation possibilities between a Calgary, Canada. European bilateral development agency and multilateral institutions active in the “The time for equality has arrived in the region?” and moderated the meeting on region”, she declared. She proposed “Private Sector Investments and Socially six pillars for a new economic strategy ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Bárcena Responsible Development of Natural emphasizing investment, integration and Resources”. innovation, so as to ensure productive convergence, a greater number and “Latin America and the Caribbean At the latter, she highlighted the fact quality of jobs and environmental now has the opportunity to make that the new patterns of commercial stability. and economic integration with Asia, use of this recently acquired and especially , pose new She stated that the global crisis resilience to act according to challenges for the development strategy and today’s challenges (including of Latin America and the Caribbean. strong capital inflows and increasing a long-term vision, in order to These challenges include reviews of inflationary pressure caused by rising oil create the necessary conditions to the regulatory frameworks of sectors and food prices) call for new approaches related to natural resources, and the to development. She said that “the achieve robust growth that is more increase of the amount of investment in world economy and the financial system infrastructure, which is key for the export have to be more equitable, fair and stable equitable and sustainable”, of such products. so that the benefits of progress reach she declared in a speech delivered everyone, including the poorest”. to IDB representatives. She claimed that the region should improve existing fiscal and contractual Ms Bárcena added “we are proposing a new approach to development, a strategy She pointed out that ECLAC is mechanisms intended to ensure sufficient for sustainable and equitable growth forecasting GDP growth of 4.2% for income generation for the State, without based on equality”. She emphasized the region in 2011, which is more endangering the investment boost needed that social equality and economic moderate than the 6.1% for 2010, as well to develop natural resources. At the same growth are not incompatible, and that as a one percentage point reduction in time, she also described it as essential to it is vital to increase the State’s capacity poverty for last year (down to 32.1% of implement institutional arrangements to redistribute resources and promote the population, compared with 33.1% to guarantee efficient use of any profits equity. recorded in 2009). generated.

3 THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION COMMITTEE

ECLAC IDENTIFIES NEW COOPERATION OPPORTUNITIES BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

“President Barack Obama’s visit to the region offers an unmissable opportunity to revitalize hemispheric relations” according to Alicia Bárcena, Executive Secretary of ECLAC.

(28 March 2011) -The United States remains the main individual trading partner for Latin America and the Caribbean. The conditions are now right to launch a new era of economic and trade cooperation between the United States and the region, according to an ECLAC document.

he publication The United investor in the region, accounting for T States and Latin America and the 34.7% of cumulative foreign direct Caribbean: highlights of economics investment flows received by the and trade was produced for the visit region between 1999 and 2009. of the US President, Barack Obama, / CEPAL Vera Carlos to three of the region’s countries: “The current tour of President , Chile and El Salvador. The Barack Obama to three Latin report describes recent trends in American countries offers an investment and trade relations unmissable opportunity to renew between the parties, as well as hemispheric relations. What the advancing proposals for a re-launch region expects from the United States of such relations. are proposals for a strategic dialogue The United States’ share of regional and new initiatives in the field of trade and investment in order to Barack Obama, President of the United States, delivers a foreign trade has decreased over the message to the entire region during his visit to Chile past decade. In terms of exports, strengthen mutual cooperation”, there was a fall from 59.7% in 2000 stated the Executive Secretary of Asia-Pacific by means of, inter alia, to 40.1% in 2009, while in terms ECLAC, Alicia Bárcena, in the trade agreements and association of imports there was a drop from foreword to the document. agreements. 49.3% to 31.2% in the same period. Despite Latin American and According to the study, new However, although this decrease has Caribbean economic buoyancy over cooperation relations should include pushed up the share represented the speedy approval of pending free- by China and other emerging the past decade, the United States trade agreements and the renewal of economies in the region’s foreign has not had a comprehensive trade preferences for Andean and other trade, the United States remains strategy for the region in recent regional countries. the main trading partner, and the years, according to the ECLAC There should also be a joint region’s exports to the United States commitment to work towards are more diversified than those to report. concluding the World Trade the and Asia. The free-trade agreements concluded Organization (WTO) Doha Round According to the ECLAC document, with in 2006 and Panama in 2011, opening a strategic dialogue while the region’s countries exported in 2007 have not yet been submitted between the United States and the an average of 1,197 products to the to the United States Congress for region’s countries that are part of the United States in 2008-2009, they approval. Group of 20 (G-20) and establishing exported only 878 products to the an integrated economic cooperation Furthermore, the tariff preference 27 European Union countries, 511 programme. programmes for Andean and other products to Asia as a whole and 202 regional countries are currently President Barack Obama visited products to China. suspended. In this context, closer Brazil, Chile and El Salvador during In addition, the United States trade relations have been forged with his Latin American tour in March continues to be the main individual the European Union and 2011.

4 ISSUE 1 / JANUARY - MARCH 2011

BUILDING RESILIENCE TO ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS AND DEVELOPMENT IN SAINT LUCIA IN THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE TOMAS

The Bexon Valley, a sea of mud Hurricane Tomas cut a path of destruction and death as it swept across Saint Lucia. Seven persons were reported to have lost their lives, five were missing and 36 suffered a variety of physical injuries. The economy of Saint Lucia, which was recovering from the fall-out of the recession in major markets, received an added blow from the passage of the hurricane, and further complicated the recovery process.

n 31 October 2010, Hurricane livelihoods throughout the subregion. infrastructure, particularly to water, roads Tomas passed just 29 miles and bridges, in regard to agriculture, O The nature of small island States and (46.7 km) south of the including forestry and fisheries, the the patterns of development which island, as an intensifying cyclone, environment and the tourism sector. heighten human activity in coastal producing 92 mph (148 km/h) zones and mountainous regions, mean With regard to the social sectors and the winds on the island1. A damage that more people and more income- affected population, recommendations and loss assessment was conducted earning activities may be located in are both targeted at long-term by a team led by the Economic vulnerable areas. Such a scenario could transformation and short-term mitigation Commission for Latin America and result in more people having more actions. Finally, recommendations are the Caribbean (ECLAC), supported to lose in the event of a disaster. The presented to address data management by the United Nations Development notes that disaster risk for land use planning. Programme (UNDP) Barbados reduction has become one of the most Sub-Regional Office (SRO) and important components of sustainable Macroeconomic Impact of Hurricane conducted in collaboration with the development3. Tomas Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Secretariat, the Inter- If no action is taken to reduce risk, The total cost of the damage and losses American Institute for Cooperation increased damage from tropical cyclones to the different sectors amounted to on Agriculture (IICA) and the or hurricanes could result in further loss EC$907.7 million or US$336.2 million. University of the (UWI) of life, loss of tourism revenue, loss of The scale of the event can be gleaned in November 2010. Based on this livelihoods and damage to capital assets from comparing the total impact with key assessment a comprehensive report and infrastructure, thus reversing hard economic indicators. The total impact was prepared2. earned development gains. represents 43.4% of overall GDP, nine times agricultural GDP, three times It was carried out using the methodology The scope of response in adapting to and tourism GDP, 62% of exports of goods first developed by ECLAC now known mitigating the effects of climate change and services, 19% of gross domestic as the Damage and Loss Assessment and variability requires more integrated investment and 47% of public external methodology, or the DaLA, and was processes. Specifically, it requires the debt. (see Table 1 – Summary Damage and intended to complement and expand on integration of adaptation and mitigation Losses from Hurricane Tomas on Saint Lucia) the emergency and humanitarian needs policies into development planning identified previously by the Government processes as risk-informed land planning Hurricane Tomas also exposed the of Saint Lucia. and development policies are essential. vulnerability of the population and its economic activities to the accessibility of The population of Saint Lucia, as that To advance Saint Lucia’s capacity water, as the Roseau Dam experienced of other Caribbean island States, is in for reconstruction and long-term land and flow slides into the reservoir a position of increased vulnerability to development in the aftermath of area of the dam and damage to its back- the effects of climate change. Caribbean Hurricane Tomas, the report proffers a up generator and pump house. For a scientists and their global counterparts number of recommendations to address two-week period, water became a scarce predict higher temperatures, rises in sea the macroeconomic needs, to respond commodity, leaving some 80% of the level, and increased hurricane intensity to the geo-environmental consequences population struggling to cope with a which will threaten lives, property and of Hurricane Tomas, the damage to the limited supply of potable water.

1 Berg/Franklin (2010-10-31). “Hurricane Tomas Discussion Eight”. National Hurricane Center. 2 Macro socio-economic and environmental assessment of the damage and losses caused by hurricane Tomas: a geo-environmental disaster, LC/CAR/L.286, 7 February 2011 3Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Adaptation in the Fight against Poverty. Annual Report 2010. GFDRR. 5 THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION COMMITTEE

Impact on GDP Table 1: Summary Damage and Losses from Hurricane Tomas on Saint Lucia The report concludes that Hurricane Tomas was primarily a damage event and, as such, this Total Total % of combined with the fact that it took place late in the Impact US$ Impact EC$ Total year would help to contain the fall-out in GDP. Millions Millions Damage Losses Impact

The disaster is projected to lead to growth of about Exchange rate to US dollar 2.70 1.0% instead of the previous forecast of 1.7% Total 336.16 907.62 607.92 299.70 in 2010. This projection could be mitigated if the strength of post-disaster recovery in tourism Productive Sectors 113.64 306.84 200.94 105.90 33.8 prevails. Agriculture 56.20 151.78 108.84 42.94 16.7 - Bananas 0.25 54.68 37.64 17.04 6.0 Impact on Infrastructure - Other Crops 4.49 12.12 7.59 4.53 1.3 - Livestock 0.39 1.06 0.84 0.22 0.1 The island’s infrastructure sector was heavily - Fishing 0.60 1.61 1.38 0.23 0.2 affected; the water supply and water disposal - Forestry 20.77 56.07 53.40 2.67 6.2 systems were severely disrupted with heavy siltation Tourism 42.21 113.96 67.90 46.06 12.6 of the main Roseau Dam. Infrastructure 9.72 26.24 7.99 18.25 2.9 Major damage and destruction to the transport Manufacturing 6.74 18.20 11.90 6.30 2.0 network, including forest roads, conservatively Distribution 8.48 22.90 12.30 10.60 2.5 estimated at EC$141.7 million, was particular cause 0.0 Social Sectors 77.48 209.19 196.10 13.09 23.0 for concern since the costs to rebuild would likely Housing 71.13 192.04 182.54 9.50 21.2 be substantial. Education and Culture 3.28 8.86 7.14 1.72 1.0 Health 3.07 8.29 6.42 1.87 0.9 Impact on Productive Sectors 0.0 The productive sectors suffered important Infrastructure 145.03 391.59 210.88 180.71 43.1 disruption that would affect the growth in real Road Transport 44.81 120.96 74.96 46.02 13.3 output in 2010, but with limited carry-over into Bridges 7.66 20.68 20.68 0.00 2.3 2011. The total impact on the sector amounted to Water Supply and Water Disposal 44.25 119.47 53.02 66.45 13.2 EC$306.8 million (34% of the total). Tourism, is Water Supply Support Works 1.85 5.00 5.00 0.00 0.6 the most economically significant sector in Saint River Training 32.67 88.20 35.00 53.20 9.7 Lucia, endured the brunt of the impact sustained Electricity 3.09 8.34 3.50 4.84 0.9 by the productive sectors, amounting to EC$114 Telecommunications 3.74 10.09 0.88 9.21 1.1 million. Forest Roads 6.61 17.84 17.84 0.0 2.0 Airports and Seaports 0.37 0.99 0.00 0.99 0.1 The main tourist hub in Soufriere and Vieux Fort based on country estimates, ECLAC data and information Source: was badly affected by the hurricane, suffering heavy flooding. Fortunately, only a few hotels suffered major structural damage. Losses stemmed directly Figure 1: The Impact of Hurricane Tomas on Real GDP Growth from damage to hotels that led to the cancellation St Lucia GDP Growth Rate Before and After Tomas of bookings and indirectly from the disruption of water supply that affected operations. 6 The agricultural sector, which is also a critical contributor to the economy of Saint Lucia, suffered 4 damage to the tune of EC$151.8 million.

2 Pre-Tomas Impact on social sectors

Although less than the other key sectors, the social 0 sectors suffered important damage and losses, 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 amounting to EC$209.2 million. Housing bore

Real GDP Growth Rates Real GDP Growth -2 the brunt of the fall-out in the social sector with estimated total effect of EC$192 million. The effect on the education sector amounted to EC$8.9 -4 million, while the health sector was impacted to the Post Tomas tune of EC$8.3 million. -6 based on impacts at the sector level estimates, ECLAC Source: (continued on page 10) Years 6 ISSUE 1 / JANUARY - MARCH 2011

THE ROAD TO RIO+20 Carlos Vera / CEPAL Vera Carlos ECLAC to work with several United Nations Entities in preparation for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development

From left to right: Elizabeth Thompson, Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Asha-Rose Migiro, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, and Alicia Bárcena, ECLAC Executive Secretary.

he United Nations System in About Latin America and the Caribbean T The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from is working as one to prepare for 3-14 June 1992 (Earth Summit) and resulted in Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, the the United Nations Conference on Statement of principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Sustainable Development (UNCSD), Change and the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. or Rio+20, which takes place in the Following this Conference, the and locally by organizations of the reminder that, while economic progress Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro in Commission on Sustainable United Nations System, governments, often fosters social progress, the link Development (CSD) was created in and major groups in every area in which is not automatic, and that ultimately June 2012. December 1992 to ensure effective human impacts on the environment economic development is a means of follow-up of the decisions taken at are evident. The full implementation of improving human well-being. Plans to collaborate were concieved UNCED and to monitor and report on Agenda 21, the Programme for Further during a meeting of the United Nations implementation of the agreements at the Implementation of Agenda 21 and the Monitoring of progress made in local, national, regional and international Commitments to the Rio principles implementation of these agreements Regional Coordination Mechanism levels. A five-year review of Earth were strongly reaffirmed at the World continues and, according to the United Summit progress was made in 1997 by for Latin America and the Caribbean, Summit on Sustainable Development Nations General Assembly Resolution the United Nations General Assembly 64/236, an assessment of such progress which was held in February 2011 at the meeting in special session. (WSSD) held in Johannesburg, South headquarters of ECLAC in Santiago, Africa from 26 August to 4 September will be conducted at the Rio+20 Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of 2002. This summit stressed the social Conference that will be again be held in Chile and chaired jointly by the United action to be taken globally, nationally pillar of sustainable development, with a Rio de Janeiro in 2012.

Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Asha- Source: http://www.uncsd2012.org Rose Migiro, and the Executive Secretary of ECLAC, Alicia Bárcena. The objective of the 2012 Conference is patterns, and to move the Member Moving towards a green economy can to secure renewed political commitment States of the region towards a sustainable be an important driver in the effort for sustainable development, assessing development path based on the concept to advance sustainable development. the progress to date and the remaining of a green economy. The United Nations Environment gaps in the implementation of the Programme (UNEP) defines the green “Unlike the 1992 Summit, Latin America outcomes of the major summits on economy as “one that results in improved and the Caribbean can play a leading sustainable development and addressing human wellbeing and social equity, while role in Rio+20, in order to influence new and emerging challenges. The significantly reducing environmental risks themes of the Rio+20 Conference are the global debate on sustainable and ecological scarcities.” development. The inter-agency report —“green economy in the context of The shift to a green economy can we are preparing will enable the region sustainable development and poverty be seen as a pathway to sustainable to face this important world conference eradication”, and “the institutional development, which can be achieved with a strategic proposal”, stated ECLAC framework for sustainable development”. through the development of new, and Executive Secretary, Alicia Bárcena. the strengthening of existing, engines of The United Nations organizations economic growth within the context of a operating in the region will produce, The Green Economy green economy. inter alia, an inter-agency document to assess progress achieved and challenges The concept of a green economy focuses Some of these engines of growth are: primarily on the intersection between faced in pursuit of sustainable Service sectors. The globalisation development in Latin America and the environment and economy that was of services that have low or no Caribbean, 20 years after the United addressed at the first Earth Summit. environmental impacts. These Nations Conference on Environment Prior to this, the predominant discourse include a movement away from and Development (UNCED) - known was one of trade-offs between economic non-transportable, non-tradable as the Earth Summit - which was held and environmental goals and as such, and non-scalable services to more in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The report the conference was a major step towards modern services such as the use of will include strategic guidelines to recognizing the importance of synergies information technology-enabled improve production and consumption among these themes. services;

7 THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION COMMITTEE RIO+20 Recommendations to strengthen Manufacturing sectors. The Further, ECLAC is coordinating the the institutional framework include: promotion of renewable sources preparation of a joint document to Ensuring coherence and policy integration in the of energy would greatly enhance be drafted by the five United Nations economic, social and environmental fields; greening of these sectors; regional commissions on a green Improving analysis, assessment and scientific Social infrastructure. Education, economy in the context of sustainable advice; health services and the development development and poverty eradication. of human capital would benefit from Strengthening implementation, monitoring and an energy-efficient infrastructure and The institutional framework for accountability; increased social investment. This sustainable development Limiting overlap or duplication of activities; would result in consensus between The second theme of the Rio+20 Enhancing participation; economic activity and environmental conference, “the institutional framework Strengthening national and local capacities for protection; for sustainable development”, covers sustainable development; Environmental goods and services. a spectrum of formal and less formal As demand for environmental bodies, organizations, networks and The Way Forward goods and services, equipment and arrangements that are involved in Looking to Rio 2012, and considering the two technologies increase, there would policymaking or implementation themes in relation to the Conference objective, be great potential in developing activities3. the following messages emerge: countries to create endogenous The institutional framework should A green economy in the context of sustainable capacity and a new economic be considered at local, national, development and poverty eradication is an sector that would contribute to regional and international levels. approach to economic decision-making which will growth, environmental protection, Globally, there has been a dramatic need to be built from the bottom up, responding employment and would close growth in the number of institutions knowledge gaps. to national and local priorities and challenges. and agreements, with more than 500 This should include the social dimension and multilateral environmental agreements The work of ECLAC in promoting the poverty eradication especially for most developing currently in existence. The reach of countries; Green Economy concept sustainable development governance Through its work programme over the has therefore been greatly expanded. Both developed and developing countries are already experimenting with green growth years, ECLAC has addressed several Yet the continuing deterioration in strategies, including low-carbon growth strategies, issues related to the green economy, the natural resource base, threats to though their efforts do not yet add up to a level including economic instruments for the ecosystems, global climate change and of ambition equal to the global challenges. A implementation of environmental policy; persistent poverty call into question growing number of governments see such strategies the effectiveness of the institutional environment and fiscal policy; water and as essential to the long-term dynamism of their framework. The international sanitation; low-carbon infrastructure; economies; renewable energy and energy efficiency; institutional landscape has been Countries are nevertheless concerned about and payments for environmental services. characterized as fragmented, with a silo-like arrangement of regimes the near-term transition costs from loss of ECLAC has advocated a strong role for and institutions and a related lack of competitiveness, worsening terms of trade, the State in guaranteeing the necessary coherence and coordination rquired for economic dislocations and unemployment. conditions for equitable, sustainable an integrated sustainable development Targeted domestic measures like worker development and poverty eradication1. approach. retraining, backed by international support In Latin America and the Caribbean, like aid for trade, can assist with minimizing Overall, there is a widely recognized need a few countries have started exploring transition costs; to strengthen the institutional framework green economy strategies, while others Strengthened international cooperation will for sustainable development at all levels. have adopted specific measures. In the be crucial to addressing ongoing and emerging Caribbean, Dominica has embarked In particular, attention is being given sustainable development challenges in an ever on an effort to transform itself into to improved cohesion in policymaking, more interdependent world; integrating the three pillars of an environmentally sound organic International institutions, including the United sustainable development. A strengthened island; in Guyana, the emphasis is on Nations system, should support countries which institutional framework for sustainable implementing a low-carbon development choose to strengthen national green economy development, building on developments strategy; and, Barbados, is actively efforts and help them to align those efforts with pursuing its transformation into a green since UNCED and WSSD, encompasses poverty eradication and other national priorities; economy2. a number of objectives. (continued on page 10)

1 ECLAC (Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean) (2010a), Time for equality: closing gaps, opening trails (LC/G.2432(SES.33/3)), Santiago, Chile. 2 ECLAC (2010b), Caribbean Regional Report for the Five-Year Review of the Mauritius Strategy for the Further Implementation of the Barbados Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States (MSI+5) (LC/CAR/L.258), Port of Spain, ECLAC subregional headquarters for the Caribbean, May. 3United Nations, 2010. Objective and Themes of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Report of the Secretary-General. Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development Second session, 7-8 March 2011. Item 2 of the provisional agenda*, A/CONF.216/7 8 ISSUE 1 / JANUARY - MARCH 2011

ABSTRACTS - ECLAC PUBLICATIONS

SAINT LUCIA: MACRO Regional Office (SRO) and conducted on the two questionnaires to the NGOs and the government ministries with the SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND in collaboration with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) purpose of collecting first-hand accounts ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT Secretariat, the Inter-American Institute of the realities of persons with disabilities OF THE DAMAGE AND LOSSES for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in the Caribbean, as well as to collect CAUSED BY HURRICANE TOMAS: A and the University of the West Indies information on policies, programmes and other measures related to the rights of GEO-ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER (UWI). persons living with disabilities. - TOWARDS RESILIENCE A SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS OF The analysis showed that there were some February 2011 THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE improvements in relation to the situation of persons with disabilities in the areas LC/CAR/L.286 CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS of laws and legislation, education and This report was prepared on request of OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES IN employment, however, more work the Government of Saint Lucia following THE CARIBBEAN SUBREGION was needed in the areas of sexual and the passage of Hurricane Tomas reproductive health, accessibility and between 30 and 31 October 2010. The January 2011 personal mobility as well as access to implications of the impact of Hurricane LC/CAR/L.280/Rev.1 information and communication. Tomas posed a need, apart from the In a study published by the Economic immediate humanitarian response, Commission for Latin America and In the conclusion, some for a rapid assessment of the social, the Caribbean (ECLAC) Subregional recommendations are given whereby environmental and economic effects. Headquarters for the Caribbean, more data and research is needed for there to be proper development and The assessment was carried out using in December 2009, a strong implementation of national and regional the methodology first developed by recommendation was made to conduct policies for disability. the Economic Commission for Latin a follow-up study to “collect information American and the Caribbean (ECLAC), on the availability of statistical now known as the Damage and Loss information on persons with disabilities AVAILABILITY, COLLECTION AND Assessment methodology, or the DaLA. and on the implementation of legislation USE OF DATA ON DISABILITY IN and policies in order to measure THE CARIBBEAN SUBREGION The assessment will complement the commitment of governments in and expand on the emergency and the Caribbean region towards the January 2011 humanitarian needs identified previously Convention on the Rights of Persons LC/CAR/L.283/Rev.1 by the Government of Saint Lucia. The with Disabilities (CRPD).”1 This paper addresses the issue of the result of such an assessment provides a availability of data on persons with quantitative approximation of the overall As such, ECLAC conducted a disabilities in the Caribbean subregion. It damage to the economy and its impact baseline study which comprised three was prepared as a background paper for on the affected population. questionnaires for national statistical the Subregional Meeting and Capacity- offices (NSOs), government ministries Baseline data for the conduct of Development Training Workshop on the macro socio-economic and and non-governmental organizations “Implementation of the Convention on environmental effects are drawn from (NGOs) in the Dutch- and English- the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in among official government data sets speaking Caribbean in an attempt the Caribbean”. including: the Population and Housing to get feedback on the situation of On the basis of previous research Census 2001, the Survey of Living persons with disabilities. The report conducted by ECLAC on the situation Conditions 2006, other relevant data sets focuses on the questionnaires to the of persons with disabilities in the from the Government Central Statistical government ministries and NGOs on region, a recommendation was made Offices, Ministry of Finance, and the implementation of policies and for the commissioning of a study on the Ministry of Planning and the Eastern legislation. collection and availability of official data Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB). The report starts with a general on disability. The methodology applied The ECLAC mission, undertaken from description of the Caribbean subregion in this inquiry included an assessment 17-24 November 2010, was supported as well as the current situation of of the current data collection practices by the United Nations Development disability. The second part of the report of national statistical offices or other Programme (UNDP) Barbados Sub- presents the results of the survey based authorized government departments

1 ECLAC (Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean) (2009), “A Further Study on Disabilityin the Caribbean: Rights, Commitment, Statistical Analysis and Monitoring”, (LC/CAR/L.237), Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, December.

9 THE NEWSLETTER OF THE CARIBBEAN DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION COMMITTEE ISSUE 1 / JANUARY - MARCH 2009

LIST of Recent ECLAC ABSTRACTS - ECLAC PUBLICATIONS Documents and Publications continued Listed by Symbol Number, Date and Title

as well as a review of the application analysis of census data from eight No.LC/CAR/L.286 February 2011 and use of relevant international countries in the region. Saint Lucia: macro socio-economic and recommendations or agreements on the environmental assessment of the damage and The analysis addressed questions collection, analysis and dissemination of losses caused by Hurricane Tomas: a geo- regarding equal opportunity and effective environmental disaster - towards resilience disability statistics. inclusion of persons with disabilities in Part I of the study presents the findings employment and education. The analysis No.LC/CAR/L.285 January 2011 of a national assessment carried out by was framed around the United Nations Evaluation report of the subregional seminar ECLAC to determine the data collection Conventions on the Rights of Persons on data warehousing and dissemination in the practices, which revealed that while with disabilities which outlines disability Caribbean most countries were already involved in issues within a human rights framework. collecting data on disability, the scope No.LC/CAR/L.284 January 2011 The projections indicate that some of the coverage and the periodicity of Report of the meeting of the High-level Advisory countries in the region are likely to collection were very limited. Committee (HLAC) of the project: A review record very substantial increases in the of the Economics of Climate Change in the Part II of the study provides a statistical size of the disabled population. Caribbean (RECCC)

No.LC/CAR/L.283/rev.1 January 2011

(continued from page 6) Availability, collection and use of data on disability in the Caribbean subregion BUILDING RESILIENCE TO ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS AND

DEVELOPMENT IN SAINT LUCIA IN THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE TOMAS No.LC/CAR/L.280/Rev.1 January 2011 Conclusions and recommendations provides a series of recommendations A situational analysis of the Implementation of which can be implemented at the the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Climate variability, as manifested by national and community levels Disabilities in the Caribbean subregion changing and unpredictable weather and across sectors. In addition, the patterns, already represents a major recommendations speak to institutional, challenge for planners in the subregion. legal and policy mechanisms that could UPCOMING EVENTS Disasters, such as storms, hurricanes, be developed or strengthened. 2nd QUARTER floods and droughts have devastating effects on people’s livelihoods, The report recommends that central particularly those dependent on to the success of recovery and 13 April, 2011 reconstruction, efforts would be needed Third Meeting of the Technical Advisory agriculture and tourism. Committee (TAC) of the Regional Coordinating to: seek debt restructuring, relax the The report suggests that the key action Mechanism (RCM) fiscal stance, elaborate a national Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago necessary for effective adaptation to recovery plan, and establish a special climate change, mitigation and risk unit within its Economic Planning 14-15 April, 2011 reduction is the delivery of coherent Unit to guide the overall plan with the High Level Advisory Committee (HLAC) Meeting national development plans that seek to implementation occurring at the sectoral of the Review of the Economics of Climate address these new challenges. This report level. Change in the Caribbean (RECC) Project Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

2 June, 2011 (continued from page 8) ECLAC will host the Latin American Meeting of Experts on the Importance of THE ROAD TO RIO+20 and Caribbean Regional Meeting Sports and Cultural Industries as a Vehicle for Development in the Caribbean Preparatory to the United Nations Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago Conference on Sustainable Development The Way Forward at its headquarters in Santiago from 7 to 20-24 June, 2011 9 September 2011. REDATAM Regional Training Workshop Insufficient progress has been made in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago integrating sustainable development into At this meeting, countries are expected policymaking and implementation at to adopt, if they so decide, a consensus 20 June, 2011 all levels. Member States should have on the region’s position vis-à-vis the Rio+20 Regional Preparatory Meeting for the an active role in providing political UNCSD. This would include a series of Caribbean, Georgetown, Guyana guidance to the United Nations recommendations for the draft outcome 30 June, 2011 system for overcoming the institutional document of the Conference, which will Expert group meeting on the economic impacts fragmentation and lack of integration be discussed at the second intersessional of climate change of the three pillars of sustainable meeting to be held in New York on 15 Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago development. and 16 December 2011.

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