The state of the Caribbean climate

Abstract

In the Caribbean, weather and climate events recurrently impact economic performance, productivity, livelihoods and quality of life. The record-breaking 2017 hurricane season stands as one of several recent examples that strongly underscore the economic, physical and social vulnerability of Caribbean nations to climate-related phenomena. Evidence-base and proactive decision-making will be fundamental to the transformation process from vulnerable to resilient Caribbean societies. This State of the Caribbean Climate (SOCC) Report was prepared to strengthen the strategic planning and decision-making processes that will be required to accelerate resilience-building efforts in the Caribbean, specifically within the 19 Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs) of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). By providing significant climate data, information, analysis and references, distributed across 10 chapters, the SOCC Report is expected to become the premise for actionable recommendations that will support climate proofing at national and regional levels.