Eleven tertiary level students enrolled at the Faculty of Spacial Planning of the Technical University of Dortmund, Germany are presently on the island conducting a three-week study on Climate Change Adaptation methodologies with a focus on the Kalinago Territory.
The students are accompanied by their Professor, Dr. Johannes Luckenkotter who is also an Urban Planning and Climate Change professor.
They have taken a special interest in the area after a number of research done by the students at the institution revealed that the Kalinago Territory as a special policy area.
“The students are here on an assignment, a project to look at the impact of Climate Change in the Caribbean and specifically here in Dominica and to do some research in community base adaptation with the Kalinago people of Dominica,” Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and Investment, Gloria Joseph
Although the group’s primary focus is on the Kalinago Territory, during the visit, which spans from the 25th February to the 17th of March, the students are expected to collect all necessary information which will enable them to elaborate on various issues and to develop proposals and plans during the subsequent summer semester back in Germany.
Joseph explained that some of the activities the students undertook during their visit involve meetings with representatives of the Physical Planning Division and the Office of the Disaster Management. They also met with representatives of concerned sector planning, village councils and representatives of NGO’s including the Dominica Red Cross Society.
“They had visits planned to various areas that were prone to landslides, sea surging and flooding in different parts of the island,” Joseph added. “The students visited some nine communities which have been declared as ‘special disaster areas’ and some of the additional six communities which were added as critical impact areas as a result of Tropical Storm Erika.”
Meantime Dr. Johannes indicated that adapting to climate change has many aspects.
“Disaster preparedness is one of them and this not only includes provision of management of disaster shelters, having national disaster plans, but it translates to many other disaster policy areas and also its relevant for physical development planning,” he noted. “That’s why we are attached to the planning division.”
He noted that the students are third-year Bachelor students.
According to him, the program at the Faculty of Spacial Planning of the Technical University of Dortmund is the largest planning one in Europe with over 200 students every year being enrolled.
“Part of their studies they are currently doing a two-semester a one year project that deals with the issue of Climate Change adaptation in the Caribbean and more specifically in Dominica,” he said.
Probably sanctioned and paid for by the UN. Climate change is a natural phenomenon. What isn’t natural is all of the geoengineering (chemtrailing) being perpetuated worldwide to polluted the atmosphere around planet earth and plunge it into darkness by 2030.
very nation on the planet is now finding Dominica
Peace Corp is Caribe Territory, German student Caribe territory hmmmm!!! Check out the culture, they always past the negroes straight and head straight to the Kalinagoes. Check check it out, the trend for years now
Excellent! That also helps to spread the news of our existence internationally. Very good beer in Dortmund, I wonder what they think of our own Kubuli?
This is perfect!