Acting Prime Minister Ambrose George says the country’s defence against climate change is expected to be strengthened and the impacts reduced thanks to a US$38-million from the World Bank.
The money will go towards tackling key areas in disaster risk reduction.
According to George, the Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project is a five-year strategy which is “designed to contribute risk reduction through a combination of civil works, capacity building and institutional strengthening activities at the national and regional levels.”
He made the remarks at the launch of the project at the Fort Young Hotel on Monday.
“These activities are designed to reduce the response time in the wake of a natural disaster and to improve regional and national resilience to natural hazards and longer term impacts resulting from climate change,” he said.
He informed that the project financing from the World Bank and a Climate Investment Fund totalling US $38 Million comprises an idea credit in an amount of US$17-million, a strategic climate fund pilot program for climate resilience loan in the amount of US$9-Million, and a strategic climate fund pilot program for Climate resilience grant in an amount of US$12-million.
The Acting Prime Minister said further that civil works will be the area of focus.
“The areas of focus and intervention are civil works and we have identified the east coast road vulnerability reduction project as one of the components including the Carib Territory,” he noted. “There is also a major road project, the Dubique slope stabilization which presents very complex geo-technical conditions because of the height of the slope to be stabilized, the loose soils and rocks comprising the hillside and the narrow space in which to work.”
Other components include water works and the West coast water supply project is on the books. This will consist of the construction of water storage tanks, with the accompanying pipe works and distribution lines, monitoring stations for rainfall, stream flow and seismic activity are being considered by DOWASCO, the Met Office and the Office of Disaster Management.
A new office building will also be constructed to house the Met Office at the Melville Hall Airport.
Meantime, Program Coordinator from the World Bank Anna Wellenstein said in a country like Dominica that is “especially vulnerable to natural hazards,” there is always the continued need to rebuild the damaged infrastructure and more resilient ways to reduce current vulnerability of critical infrastructure.
However, “building resilience through structural measures isn’t enough on its own,” she said.
“It is also important to supplement these actions with a comprehensive Disaster Risk Reduction Measures and Disaster Information Mechanisms,” she noted, adding that the project will finance key investments that are part of Dominica’s strategic program for climate resilience which was approved in 2012.
I was really wondering, with my match box brain, what was all that crap talk about? The world bank must have been embarrassed by this speech!
Just bury DA in debt Skerrit. You are good at that. You are definitely no match for the guys at the World Bank. I wonder when the people of this island will be told the truth, that they don’t have an island. It has been sold out from under them.
He commenced talking about Dominica’s defense against Climate change, and then went talking out of his mind making absolutely no sense: So I submit a brief on what cause climate change, so that those who are interested may read through and decide if the crap Ambrose is talking while quoting millions relates to the t defense of climate change in Dominica. The man is an idiot!
FET.
Cause of Climate Change:
Certain gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping. Long-lived gases that remain semi-permanently in the atmosphere and do not respond physically or chemically to changes in temperature are described as “forcing” climate change. Gases, such as water vapor, which respond physically or chemically to changes in temperature are seen as “feedbacks.”
Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect include:
Water vapor. The most abundant greenhouse gas, but importantly, it acts as a feedback to the climate. Water vapor increases as the Earth’s atmosphere warms, but so does the possibility of clouds and precipitation, making these some of the most important feedback mechanisms to the greenhouse effect.
Carbon dioxide (CO2). A minor but very important component of the atmosphere, carbon dioxide is released through natural processes such as respiration and volcano eruptions and through human activities such as deforestation, land use changes, and burning fossil fuels. Humans have increased atmospheric CO2 concentration by a third since the Industrial Revolution began. This is the most important long-lived “forcing” of climate change.
Methane. A hydrocarbon gas produced both through natural sources and human activities, including the decomposition of wastes in landfills, agriculture, and especially rice cultivation, as well as ruminant digestion and manure management associated with domestic livestock. On a molecule-for-molecule basis, methane is a far more active greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, but also one which is much less abundant in the atmosphere.
Nitrous oxide. A powerful greenhouse gas produced by soil cultivation practices, especially the use of commercial and organic fertilizers, fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid production, and biomass burning.
I can continue with other causes but that is not necessary.
The climate changes naturally. The hoax that is being perpetuated by the govt. needs to stop. Weather weaponization, i.e. geo-engineering, chemtrailing, is what is doing most of the damage to the atmosphere and changing the weather. Look it up.