CARIBBEAN-CARICOM warns climate change is impacting water supply systems

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary General Dr. Carla Barnett says climate change is profoundly impacting all aspects of life in the region, including the water supply.

“Sources of freshwater are under threat from climate variability contributing to an increase in both floods and droughts, while sea level rise is accelerating saltwater intrusion into underground aquifers,” Barnett said as she addressed the CARICOM-Japan Friendship Year Event being held under the theme “Highlighting Past and Future Cooperation of the Caribbean Water Sector to CARICOM.”

She told the ceremony that since establishing formal diplomatic relations in 1993, the region and Japan have endured a strong partnership rooted in mutual respect and shared values that have flourished over the years.

Barnett said that this Friendship Year also marks the 30th anniversary of the First CARICOM-Japan Consultation and now provides “an opportune time for us to reflect on our collaborative successes and future cooperation, especially, on this occasion, focusing on the development of the Caribbean water sector.”

Barnett said that water is a critical resource for life, noting that “some, not all, of our CARICOM member states, have been blessed with an abundance of freshwater resources such as rivers, waterfalls and lakes.”

She said that natural disasters, primarily hurricanes, are increasingly leading to floods, biodiversity and ecosystem loss, and damage to infrastructure.

“These impacts are compounded when debt burdens worsen with global external shocks as we experience from time to time,” Barnett said, adding that water management challenges in the Caribbean are therefore significant.

“Firstly, across the region, we are faced with aging physical infrastructure with many parts of our distribution systems that were built back too deep in the colonial era, resulting today in high levels of what we euphemistically call “non-revenue” water, whether through leakage or informal connections.

“This weakens our ability to strengthen water governance and regulation of the water sector meaningfully. At the same time, population growth, rapid urbanization, and economic development challenges are leading to increased demand for water.”

Barnett said that failure to address the challenges to the water sector would further jeopardize the region’s hard-fought progress on food and nutrition security, poverty reduction targets, and sustainable development.

“Since effective water management relies on solid policy frameworks and governance structures, a holistic and participatory approach to water resource management is most likely to maximize positive results,” she added.

She commended the government of Japan and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for their longstanding support of the water sector and for developing the Joint JICA-IDB-financed initiative being launched here in Guyana.

She said that through the institutional support and development financing provided by these respective agencies, the region is anticipated to benefit from innovative solutions, strategic financing, expert guidance, and capacity building.

”Several CARICOM member states have already implemented comprehensive water management plans and prioritized sustainability, equity, and resilience. They seek to secure a sustainable water future by leveraging technology solutions, fostering collaborative partnerships, engaging communities, and implementing effective governance practices.”

The CARICOM Secretary-General said that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) training programs for this year had provided member states with opportunities to operate and maintain urban water supply systems for water distribution and service, waste management to control marine litter, water environment administration, water supply management, and ecological purification systems.

“These demonstrate that the region’s water sector development needs align with JICA’s stated priority areas for the Caribbean. We look forward to seeing the impact and benefits of these knowledge-sharing and capacity-building efforts on the region’s water sector.”