Barbados Warns of Uninsurable, Uninvestable, and Uninhabitable Future if Climate Crisis is Not Addressed

Barbados has told the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that the island’s “serene” beauty will be obliterated “if we do not cease forms of global conduct that will leave our island uninsurable, uninvestable and, ultimately, uninhabitable.”

Climate Change Crisis

Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Kerrie Symmonds warned that the climate change crisis “is an imminent matter of life and death for us.” Barbados is the second Caribbean Community (CARICOM) country to appear before the ICJ, which is holding public hearings on the request for an advisory opinion on the Obligation of States regarding climate change.

Consequences of Climate Change

Symmonds told the ICJ that the climate change situation is not a statistical matter, nor is it a theoretical or speculative matter, “but it is a matter of life and death, simply because for the people of Small Island Developing States such as mine, there is nowhere to go when confronted with rising sea levels; there is no hinterland, there is no interior, there is no area of as yet unexplored territory.”

Risks to the Economy

He said that everything that Barbados has painstakingly constructed as a people is at risk because of the climate crisis, including the tourism sector, fishing sector, and sugar cane industry. Symmonds warned that the economic consequences are no less palpable and that even as productive sectors are affected, the state’s ability to provide support is undermined by rising finance costs and, increasingly, the challenge of securing sustainable insurance.

Facing Uninsurable Future

“My country, like some regions in larger countries, is in grave danger of becoming uninsurable. It follows logically, Mr President, that without the ability to access or sustain insurance premia, a country’s economy will also become uninvestable,” Symmonds said.

Conclusion

Barbados firmly believes in the international legal order, so it accepted the ICJ’s compulsory jurisdiction 44 years ago. Today, the country appears before the ICJ to request clear answers to the clear questions posed, unanimously, by the UN General Assembly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the climate change crisis?
A: The climate change crisis refers to the rapid and unprecedented warming of the planet, caused by human activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation, which is having devastating effects on the environment and human societies.

Q: What are the consequences of climate change?
A: The consequences of climate change include rising sea levels, more frequent and intense natural disasters, droughts, and heatwaves, which can have devastating impacts on human settlements, economies, and ecosystems.

Q: What can be done to address climate change?
A: To address climate change, we must transition to renewable energy sources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect and restore natural habitats, and adapt to the changing climate by building resilient infrastructure and communities.