The Caribbean calls for climate adaptation on Earth Day 2023

On Earth Day, April 22, 2023, people across the whole Caribbean region took action together to ask for urgent climate adaptation measures that protect their lives.

They joined together for a mass photo petition that united the many voices calling for climate action. This initiative was organized by the Caribbean Climate Network (CCN) with organizations, community leaders and individuals engaging in seven countries, a release from CCN states. Participants from various nations talked about the effects of the climate crisis that they were witnessing in their communities, and expressed concern that government leaders have taken barely any actions to prevent further severe consequences.

On April 22, participants gathered in public spaces, homes and Earth Day celebrations to take photos with signs calling for urgent climate adaptation measures, united by the message, “adapt now to save lives”. They then posted the photos on social media and tagged government leaders in the captions to ensure that they noticed how much people care about this issue.

“In Guyana, more than 90% of the population and the majority of our economic activities are concentrated along the Atlantic coast. We are below sea level and face high risks of increased flooding, damage to infrastructure, loss of agricultural lands and impacts on food security, as global temperature and oceans continue to rise. If we don’t adapt now, we stand to lose everything we currently depend on to thrive,” said Afeefa, a CCN member.

Caribbean people constantly face drought and hurricanes and will continue to be affected by sea level rise and many more issues. Many are frustrated by seeing the same situations happening over and over without many changes to implement systems that help communities adapt and be safer when these climate disasters happen.

“Trinidad and Tobago are islands that are vulnerable to all climate impacts and we experience them all the time. We need to adapt so this heat and changing weather won’t affect our daily lives, health and wellness, and we at Caribbean Climate Network are working to make those solutions available for us all,” added Katrina Khan-Roberts, a CCN member from Trinidad.

“We need to prepare now so that when the next major hurricane hits, people, infrastructure and healthcare systems can be ready and have the necessary resources to manage emergencies. There are many great ideas and climate adaptation projects already underway, we just need the political will and support to make sure these can grow and help everyone be safe,” said Amira Odeh, CCN member from Puerto Rico.

The Caribbean Climate Network is part of 350.org, a global organization dedicated to fighting climate change and working towards climate solutions. The organisation has teams all over the world and has achieved major wins against the fossil fuel industry.