WILLEMSTAD – Climate change is expected to hit vulnerable communities in the Caribbean first and hardest, particularly people who depend on fisheries and agriculture for their livelihoods, according to a new report by the Centrale Bank van Curaçao en Sint Maarten (CBCS).
The policy note warns that adaptation policies are often designed at the national level while local communities that directly experience climate impacts are not always sufficiently included in planning processes.
Researchers cited in the report found that weak institutional cooperation and limited government capacity remain major obstacles to protecting vulnerable populations from climate-related risks.
The report highlights that livelihoods dependent on fisheries and agriculture are among the sectors most exposed to climate impacts at the community level across Caribbean islands.
The CBCS also warns that climate adaptation is too often treated separately from broader social and economic problems such as healthcare, poverty reduction, and infrastructure development.
According to the report, countries that integrate climate adaptation into broader development planning are generally more successful in building long-term resilience. Examples cited include Barbados, where climate information has been integrated into healthcare monitoring systems, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, where climate adaptation has been incorporated into urban planning policies.
The CBCS concludes that adaptation planning should not only focus on physical protection against storms and flooding, but also on strengthening social resilience, governance systems, and economic stability.