Monthly Archives: September 2022

While summer comes with a lot of fun, fall is our favorite season. And its not just some hype or a tale rooted in American culture and tradition. According to a survey whose findings were published in 2020, the percentage of respondents who identified fall as their favorite season was 30% more than those who picked any of the remaining three seasons. Heres a corollary. If fall is Americans favorite season, where would they prefer to go to catch a glimpse of natures best colors?

Americans have many options. However, the Turks and Caicos have registered a blip in the travel radar. It turns out Americans have picked up significant interest in these groups of Caribbean Islands and cant seem to get enough of their unimaginable beauty.

According to data analyzed by TripAdvisor, the world's largest travel guidance platform, the Turks and Caicos is the fastest-growing travel destination in the world.

Thats according to data drawn from an online survey of over 2,700 consumers. TripAdvisor did the survey in partnership with Qualtrics, a Customer Experience Management platform that provides tools to conduct web-based surveys and generate relevant reports.

TripAdvisor surveyed travel consumers from Japan, Italy, Singapore, the UK, Australiaand of course, the United States.

There are other destinations described as fastest-growing by TripAdvisor.

Coming hot on the heels of the Turks and Caicos is Ho Chi Minh City, the dazzling southern Vietnamese city, formerly known as Saigon, thats also its economic hub.

Ho Chi Minh has long been among the top travel destinations in Vietnam and its impressive spot may not come as a big surprise.

Singapore, London (surprisingly), and Bangkok round off the top five in that order. The survey results relate to searches made on the TripAdvisor platform for travel between September 1, 2022to November 30, 2022.

Related: A Travel Guide To Turks And Caicos: 11 Things To Know While Planning Your Trip.

Singapore, famous for its amazing food scene mostly from the wildly popular hawker centers (and of course, its inconceivable safety), and Bangkok, which is insanely tolerant of tourists behavior as long as the monarchy remains untouched, are travel destinations that have topped the charts for a while.

But the Turks & Caicos seem to be on another level.

Its not just the beautiful fall colors, the sheer number of fun-filled activities on offer, or even the warm, sunny weather that travelers scour the planet for.

Turks & Caicos offers what arenot arguablybut certainly, the best beaches in the world.

Take Grace Bay Beach for example. This beach is just the stuff that dreams are made of. If its about the sand, Grace Bay Beach has sand whose texture is powdery-soft and whose color is so white that it looks very much ethereal.

In 2022, it emerged top in TripAdvisorsTravelers Choice Awards for the planets best beach, a rank thats replicated on several other travel platforms.

The beauty with Turks & Caicos is that its not just one beach; or two, or three.

Instead, every main island is gorgeously fringed by miles of sandy, secluded beachesthe kind that will leave visitors in complete awe and admiration.

Then theres another side to these beaches that makes them a hot cake globally. They are almost never crowded.

Even Grace Bay, the worlds finest, whose fame would lead many soles on its sandy shores seldom sees crowds the kinds seen in Myrtle Beach for instance or any popular American Beach.

Related: 10 Sights To See In Turks & Caicos For The History Buff.

And to add to the beach experience, the ocean waters that lap the shoreline are so clear that they are almost transparent.

The beaches of Turks & Caicos are the main element of the countrys travel fame. And as weve seen, its all merited.

Yet there are other travel-related factors that have continued to influence the countrys popularity as a travel hot spot. One of these is language.

With English as the official language of these Caribbean Islands, tourists from the United States and Britainquickly feel at ease. Its also worth noting that in Turks & Caicos, the US dollar is the accepted currency.

This means therell be no frustrations that revolve around changing currenciesas often takes place in many other destinationsas well as related currency exchange scams. But thats not all.

There are several direct flights from the United States that make traveling deliberately convenient. Lastly, theres more to the Turks & Caicos than their heavenly beaches.

All over the country, nature stands out in regal splendor. Its for these reasons that travelers all over the globe increasingly want to experience this slice of heaven.

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According To TripAdvisor, These Caribbean Islands Is A Favorite American Fall Destination - TheTravel

Jacksonville, Fl. The Buresh Bottom Line: Always be prepared!.....First Alert Hurricane Survival Guide... City of Jacksonville Preparedness Guide... Georgia Hurricane Guide.

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***** ALWAYS CHECK & RE-CHECK THE LATEST FORECAST & UPDATES! *****

REMEMBER WHEN A TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE IS APPROACHING: Taping windows is *NOT* helpful & will not keep glass from breaking.

Realize the forecast cone (cone of uncertainty) is the average forecast error over a given time - out to 5 days - & *does not* indicate the width of the storm &/or damage that might occur.

** No *inland* impacts expected from Fiona for Jacksonville/NE Fl./SE Ga.... beaches to be affected by easterly swells, rough seas/surf & a high rip current risk mid through late week.... **

Atlantic Basin:

Tropical wave - 96-L was upgraded to tropical depression #7 Wed. morning then to tropical storm Fiona Wed. evening & to a hurricane Sun. morning with a Cat. 1 (85 mph winds) landfall Sunday afternoon about 3:20pm EDT along the southwest coast of Puerto Rico near Punta Tocon followed by another landfall (Cat. 1/90 mph winds) early Mon. at 3:30am EDT along the coast of the Dominican Republic near Boca de Yuma. The hurricane strengthened into a Cat. 2 late Mon. with the eye becoming more clear.

Fiona has been battling a narrow - but significant - 30-40 mph - band of westerly shear to its immediate west & northwest but has still managed to organize. The strongest shear is now oriented north & east of the eye & Fiona will remain on the western edge of the westerly shear thereby allowing for further strengthening. Upper level outflow has improved dramatically & all signs point to a powerful Cat. 3+ hurricane for much of the rest of this week. Of note - the center moving a little south of due west into the face of the shear - as was the case Wed./Thu. & parts of Fri. - has led to eventually powerful hurricanes that had a similar trend. And indeed Fiona will become become the first major (Cat. 3+) hurricane of the season for the Atlantic Basin. As Fiona moves away from the Caribbean, a sharper turn north will occur to near & just east of the SE Bahamian Islands Tue... then northeast to near Bermuda by Thu. night then a turn back north over the N. Atlantic.

FIONA SUMMARY/IMPACTS:

* Puerto Rico/U.S. Virgin Islands/nearby Caribbean islands: Improving weather & sea conditions through Tue.

* Most intense impacts for Hispaniola through Mon. night. Strongest winds will impact Dominican Republic along with flooding rains/mudslides... Haiti will escape most of the wind & rain.

* Impacts to the Southeast Bahamas through Tue. night, especially the Turks & Caicos Islands - strong winds, heavy rain & rough seas/surf though the most severe part of the hurricane will stay a little east.

* Impacts for Bermuda Thu. night/Fri. - wind/rain/rough seas/surf.

* Possible impacts for Nova Scotia this weekend (becoming large/strong post-tropical ocean storm)

* Increasing swells/seas/surf + dangerous rip currents for virtually all of the U.S. east coast during the upcoming week (but Fiona well offshore)

Forecast models briefly trended more west Thu. but have trended back east recently which is why one should not become too obsessed with individual model runs. Some of the real time aircraft dropsonde data was used Thu. in the 18Z (2pm) GFS model run *but not* in the 00Z (8pm) model run which is probably why the GFS had a hiccup in the 18Z Thu. run showing a track much more west. I bemoan when real time data is not consistently used within the models as it usually causes inconsistency within the models. Either use it with reach run as long as its available or dont use it at all. The good news is that Gulfstream G-IV research aircraft started consistently flying Sat. & will continue the next several days with the data gathered from the atmospheric environment in & around Fiona then can be used to initialize the GFS for each run. This has helped with better initial analysis for models at the beginning of the forecast cycle which would then - in theory - give more accurate output (forecast). Clustering & consistency of the models has improved dramatically keeping Fiona well east of the U.S. mainland. The GFS remains a little faster & bit more east than the European model... the UKMET appears remains out to lunch.

The steering influences for Fiona are distinct & pretty much locked in place in the form of an upper level trough moving to New England then the NW Atlantic while the Bermuda high is well to the east providing the distinct alleyway across the W. Atlantic for Fiona. The upper level trough should then capture Fiona by next weekend bending the transitioning to a post-tropical low to the north & northwest late in the week/next weekend which has implications for Nova Scotia as the low will remain a powerful ocean storm even after losing tropical characteristics.

Overall - once over the Southwest Atlantic - it looks like conditions (water temps., shear & moisture) will favor strengthening through midweek. There will still be some westerly shear, but Fiona will be moving with the shear + may aid from some mid & upper level ventilation courtesy the upper level trough to the NW Atlantic.

Another interesting forecasting tidbit... a typhoon over the W. Pacific is turning sharply to the north & northeast across Japan (track map at the bottom). This typhoon teleconnection might correlate rather well with Fiona over the W. Atlantic this week & the rather sharp turn north & - in time - northeast. This correlation is possible because of the upper level pattern - troughs (dips) & ridges (upside down Us) in the jet stream - that often (not always) mirror each basin (Pacific & Atlantic). See maps 6 & 7 below.

So to recap: Fiona is leaving the Caribbean ... there will be at least some impacts on some of the Bahamas Tue./Wed. - especially the Turks and Caicos Islands - followed by a move more north & - finally - north/northeast with a close pass to Bermuda late Thu. into Fri. morning. Then there will be the bend back to the north or even a little northwest over the N & NW Atlantic late in the week.

Elsewhere... a couple of active tropical waves are over the Central/Eastern Atlantic with at least some potential for development.

(1) A weak low/tropical wave over the Central Atlantic far to the east of Bermuda will move more north so no chance to move across the Atlantic.

(2) A more southern latitude wave that moved off of Africa late last week is now roughly half way between Africa & the Caribbean at a much lower latitude than it predecessors. Both the GFS & European global models have latched onto this wave now with potential development over the Caribbean by the weekend. Its possible the wave will enter the Gulf of Mexico thereafter. Models had been mostly ignoring this wave over the last several days, but this is a wave to keep a close eye on over the next week to 10 days.

Spaghetti plots including the ensemble (faint lines showing all the model runs which gives an indication of uncertainty):

The alleyway for Fiona is well established as the Bermuda high shifts east & a series of upper level troughs move to the U.S. east coast & NW Atlantic:

Mountainous terrain over especially the Central & Western portions of Hispaniola with some peaks 10,000+ feet. Fiona missed the highest mountains:

The upper level (about 30,000 feet) teleconnection with troughs & ridges between the Atlantic (steering Fiona) & the Pacific (steering W. Pacific typhoons):

Despite the eye of Fiona moving away, very heavy rain bands well to the east of the center are still streaming northward across Puerto Rico where rainfall totals will exceed 2 feet on some parts of the islands!:

Water vapor loop shows some dry air near wave 96-L, but its more moist than past days:

A zone of shear - on the order of 20-30+ mph - remains east/west just north of Fiona. Forecast models gradually take Fiona to the edge then west of the strongest shear.

Sunday morning:

Friday night recon mission:

Thursday recon mission:

September origins:

Averages below based on climatology for the Atlantic Basin through September. This season so far is well below avg.:

Wind shear:

Saharan dust spreads west each year from Africa by the prevailing winds (from east to west over the Atlantic). Dry air - yellow/orange/red/pink. Widespread dust is indicative of dry air that can impede the development of tropical cyclones. However, sometimes wanna be waves will just wait until they get to the other side of - or away from - the plume then try to develop if other conditions are favorable. In my personal opinion, way too much is made about the presence of Saharan dust & how it relates to tropical cyclones. In any case, weve had several large dust plumes spread west to the Caribbean & Gulf with the peak of Saharan dust typically in June & July.

2022 names..... Gaston is the next name on the Atlantic list (names are picked at random by the World Meteorological Organization... repeat every 6 years). Historic storms are retired [Florence & Michael in 18... Dorian in 19 & Laura, Eta & Iota in 20 & Ida in 21]). In fact, this years list of names is rather infamous with Charley, Frances, Jeanne & Ivan retired from the 04 list (all hit Fl.) & Matthew was retired in 2016. The WMO decided - beginning last year - that the Greek alphabet will be no longer used & instead there will be a supplemental list of names if the first list is exhausted (has only happened three times - 2005, 2020 & 2021). The naming of tropical cyclones began on a consistent basis in 1953. More on the history of naming tropical cyclones * here *.

East Atlantic:

Mid & upper level wind shear (enemy of tropical cyclones) analysis (CIMMS). The red lines indicate strong shear:

Water vapor imagery (dark blue indicates dry air):

Deep oceanic heat content over the Gulf, Caribbean & deep tropical Atlantic:

Sea surface temp. anomalies:

SE U.S. surface map:

Surface analysis centered on the tropical Atlantic:

Surface analysis of the Gulf:

See the article here:

Talking the Tropics With Mike: Strengthening Fiona moving away from the Caribbean - ActionNewsJax.com

As follow-up to President Biden and Vice President Harriss commitments in their meeting with Caribbean leaders at the Summit of the Americas in June 2022, the Biden-Harris Administration is partnering with Caribbean nations to promote energy security, access to finance, and food security in the Caribbeanthree areas that Caribbean leaders identified as their top priorities. President Biden and Vice President Harris agreed at the Summit to establish three High-Level Action Committees, each co-chaired by Caribbean and U.S. representatives to develop concrete, near-term solutions to these three pressing challenges in the region.Co-chaired by the United States, CARICOM member states, and the Dominican Republic, the Action Committees have held nearly a dozen technical and high-level meetings since June to formulate action plans.Vice President Harris will meet with Caribbean leaders on September 15, 2022President Chan Santokhi of Suriname, chair of CARICOM; Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados, co-chair of the finance committee; President Dr. Irfaan Ali of Guyana, co-chair of the food security committee; Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley of Trinidad and Tobago, co-chair of the energy security committee; and President Luis Abinader of the Dominican Republicto review the progress they have made. Taken together, integrated efforts under the Joint Action Plans will leverage high-level engagement, U.S. technical assistance and support, U.S. capacity building and training programs, collaborative working groups, regional conferences, and public-private partnerships to strengthen energy security, improve access to finance, and enhance food security in the Caribbean.Many of these actions build on and will accelerate implementation of the U.S.-Partnership to Address the Climate Crisis (PACC 2030), an initiative that Vice President Harris launched at the Summit of the Americas to strengthen energy security and climate adaptation in the region.A summary of key actions follows.Actions to Promote Energy Security:

Actions to Promote Access to Finance:

Actions to Promote Food Security:

The following near-term actions will be carried out under the new Zero Hunger Caribbean Plan. Conversations will continue regarding additional work in the medium- to long-term under the Zero Hunger Caribbean Plan.

See the article here:

FACT SHEET: U.S. Actions to Promote Caribbean Energy Security, Access to Finance, and Food Security - The White House

Its the largest community of Caribbean travel experts on the planet: Caribbean Journal readers.

And once again, you get the chance to tell the world your favorites in the Caribbean, from luxury hotels and all-inclusive resorts to beach bars, culinary destinations and honeymoon hotspots.

Caribbean Journals unrivaled editorial team selected the nominees, and now you get to vote. Even better? Theres a write-in option for every single category, all 25 of them.

This has been a record-setting year for travel in the Caribbean, with much of the region nearing or eclipsing what had been all-time highs before the pandemic, said Alexander Britell, editor and publisher of Caribbean Journal. This years Travelers Choice nominees represent the very best of the worlds most amazing travel destination.

Voting is now live, and you can make your selections between now and Oct. 19, 2022.

Congratulations to all of the nominees!

Vote for your choices below:

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Vote for the Best of the Caribbean in the CJ Travelers' Choice Awards 2022 - Caribbean Journal

Photographer Jennifer Hardeen was born in the New York City borough of Queens, to parents Dennis and Sue Hardeen.

As one of two children in her family, she has a younger brother who is in his late 20s. As siblings, they are very close with each other. Both of her parents were born in the South American country of Guyana, and they immigrated to the United States in their late teens. Hardeens dad was a fire safety director and manager for a hotel, while her mom was a home health care aid for 10 years. Her mom passed away two years ago due to COVID-19.

Terri Ann Peters was born and raised in Guyana. Her dad is of African-American descent, while her mom is of Indian descent, and they are also Guyanese. She has a younger brother, whom she is very close with. She came to the United States when she was ready to start high school.

Crystal Millington was born to parents Cyril (deceased) and Noreen Millington. Both were born in Guyana. She has an older sister, Monique. She grew up in Queens as well.

Growing up, some of Hardeens favorite memories involved going to the film stores and waiting for her photos to be developed. Her mother loved photography and prior to his fire safety job, her dad was a professional videographer. Photography was always something Hardeen just did for fun. She loved photographing landscapes, the city, and food.

As a child, my mom would buy me a disposable camera, and she wanted me to take it everywhere. She always told me to photograph anything. So having a camera on me was like someone carrying their wallet, Hardeen said.

Additionally, Peters said that growing up in Guyana was blissful. I had great memories with friends and family and definitely culture, though I do go back and visit. I still miss it every day, its home for me. Its a huge part of my identity and what I stand for, she said.

Peters got into acting in 2009. She was always into entertainment and entertaining friends and family growing up. She did talent shows and even joined the theater program in high school. She added that her upbringing created the space for her to share who she is with an audience through my performances and vulnerability as an actor.

Millington has always been interested in acting, but she didnt fully commit to it until last year.

I met Jen back in high school sophomore or Junior year. We all went to the same high school but had different interests. But we were somehow connected and just werent aware of it at that time, said Peters.

Peters added that one of the first things that all three women bonded over was having Guyanese roots. Millington added that they connected over wanting to see the same stories told.

Hardeen has been working at the office job that she started in her late 20s, where she said she has met wonderful people. It wasnt an easy start, and it took lots of hard work to get to where she is now.

She said that she feels that shes grown since she got her first photos published. She said that working with Millington and Peters has helped contribute to her growth as a female photographer.

Peters shared what the experience has been like working with Hardeen and Millington, and what it means to her.

In September of 2020 I met up with Jen to do a photoshoot and we caught up on a lot, and spoke about integrating our creativity to produce content that will help myself, her and Crystal grow as actors, she said.

Millington said that although they havent met in person, she felt like her calls with Hardeen and Peters helped her understand the acting industry, making her feel like she belonged.

The experience since then has really helped me find my courage. Whenever I have a question, I can easily reach out to both of them. Its still scary because the industry doesnt often see Caribbean women, but it feels possible to write our own stories, she added.

Peters agreed saying, The experience through all this has been an honor and privilege. Im grateful to have these ladies as a part of my community and circle. They are for sure a part of my purpose.

Hardeen added that she is always learning and growing as a photographer. Ive learned that its okay to not like every aspect of your passion, that it just adds to who you are as an individual, she said.

For young females who want to get involved in photography, Hardeens advice is to go for it, and silence the negative voices.

As a woman, we are rare in the photography industry and you will have people who try to break your spirit, dont let them. Keep researching, learn different techniques, learn the history, and practice. Keep going, youll get there, she said.

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How three young Caribbean women are changing the entertainment industry Caribbean Life - Caribbean Life

In the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean, a region of some 22 countries, the compounded effect of more than two-years-worth of global crises has caused surges in the cost of living, driving a 46% increase in moderate to severe food insecurity between February and August 2022 the highest rate since 2020 leaving 57% of the population struggling to put food on the table.

Centrale Markt covered central market in Paramaribo, Suriname where food inflation was 68.3% in ... [+] March 2022 (Photo by: Marica van der Meer/Arterra/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

These are the findings of the fifth installment of a regional survey conducted by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).

In 2020, CARICOM and WFP began tracking the impact of COVID-19 on food security and livelihoods across the region through the CARICOM Caribbean COVID-19 Food Security and Livelihoods Impact Survey which was administered in April 2020, June 2020, February 2021 and February 2022, with the socio economic impact of the current cost of living crisis being added to the most recent August 2022 analysis.

As with prior installments, experiences with food insecurity were assessed using WFPs Consolidated Approach for Reporting Indicators of Food Security (CARI), methodology which placed respondents into categories on a food insecurity scale, that takes into account the interplay of a number of variables associated with food consumption, livelihood coping strategies and economic vulnerability with the most extreme category being labeled severe.

Regis Chapman, WFP Representative and Country Director for the WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office, explains that coping strategies employed by individuals are key in assessing their degree of food insecurity.

Severely food insecure households struggle to put food on the table every day or have to employ coping strategies that undermine their ability to do so in the mid-term just to meet the needs of that day, he says, outlining that some these coping strategies when employed by significant numbers in a population also have the potential to negatively impact socio-economic development on a macro-level.

According to the findings of the survey, 54% of respondents reported reallocating funds from essential needs such as health and education to food as a coping strategy, while 83% reported having to dig into savings to put food on the table.

These negative coping strategies are unsustainable, and we fear that these short-term measures will lead to a further increase in the number of people who are unable to meet their daily food requirements, says Chapman.

The latest survey results estimate that 4.1 million people out of 7.1 million (57%) in the English- ... [+] and Dutch-speaking Caribbean are either moderately or severely food insecure. This is a dramatic increase from 2.7 million in February 2022.

In short, for a region that imports close to 100% of its energy, and up to 90% of its food, more external shocks could equate to disaster

Meanwhile, the availability of fresh food has been declining for more than a year and a half and prices have been going up.

We in the Caribbean have to reclaim our own narrative around food systems, says Dr. Renatta Clarke, FAO Sub-regional Coordinator for the Caribbean.

Data from the Food and Agriculture Organization reveals that, in March 2022 food inflation in the region increased by 10.2% across 20 countries, as compared to March 2021, with Barbados and Jamaica recording 20% and 15% food price inflation respectively, and Suriname recording a whopping 68.3% food inflation rate.

Contextually, global food prices have been declining for five consecutive months, reaching their lowest level in seven months in August 2022, despite still being 7.9% higher than a year ago. (FAO Food Price Index)

And the proof is in the proverbial pudding, with 97% of survey respondents reporting higher prices for food items compared to 59% in April 2020, with almost all respondents noting significant increases in the price of gas (95%) and other fuels (94%).

On top of the tsunami of price increases, there have been equally dramatic livelihood impacts. Seventy-two percent of respondents indicated experiencing job loss or income reduction in their households, or having to resort to secondary income sources, up from 68% in February, while 72% reported an expectation that their livelihoods would be further impacted by COVID-related disruptions.

Not surprisingly, a lack of financial resources was cited as the primary reason (91%) for why more than half of respondents found it difficult to access markets.

But even those who indicated an ability to access markets have reported changes in behavior, such as consuming cheaper foods and smaller quantities, with 22% of survey respondents reporting going an entire day without eating in the 30-days prior to the survey, and 67% reducing the diversity of their diets as a coping strategy (up from 56% in February).

Tragically, the most widespread negative food consumption behaviors were primarily employed by the most vulnerable lowest income households, younger respondents, mixed and single-parent households and Spanish-speaking migrants.

And regional anxiety around meeting expenses has been increasing across the board.

Joseph Cox, Assistant Secretary-General, Economic Integration, Innovation and Development at the ... [+] CARICOM Secretariat

For the first time in five surveys over more than two years, the inability to meet food needs, along with meeting essential needs, were top concerns for people (48%) followed by unemployment (36%), says Joseph Cox, Assistant Secretary-General, Economic Integration, Innovation and Development at the CARICOM Secretariat.

As households continue to reel from the impacts of the pandemic, they are facing the interconnected challenge of meeting their food, energy, and financial needs.

CARICOM, WFP, FAO, CDEMA and other partners have been collaborating to increase resilience to shocks through stronger disaster management, social protection and food systems that are more effective, sustainable and responsive in meeting the needs of those most affected by crises.

And with more than two thirds of respondents expressing negative or very negative sentiments regarding their current financial situation, broad and aggressive approaches are critical in addressing the region-wide crisis.

CARICOM recognizes that further interventions are necessary to reduce the level of need in the region and establish systems which facilitate sustainable access to nutritious food for all, says Cox.

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali of Guyana with Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley of Barbados

Guyana has seized a leadership role under its President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, in boosting food security at a regional strategic level, and ambitious plans are underway to reduce the regions $4-billion food imports by a targeted 25% or $1.2 billion by 2025.

The plans have focused on the expansion of regional food production, while also addressing logistical issues that have been singled out by many as the primary reason for high import rates.

Leaders in the region are actively engaging with decision makers across all relevant sectors to identify solutions for increasing food production and reducing import dependency within the region in order to reduce the cost of food, says Cox.

Regional governments and NGOs have also been addressing issues surrounding sub-optimal participation in the agriculture sector, nutritional improvement and redirection of regional consumption patterns while adapting to and mitigating climate change impacts, among a myriad of other food systems priorities.

Its not enough that we produce more food, says Clarke. We have to produce more smartly, based on a better analysis of where the market opportunities lie and making sure that we are sufficiently well organized to capitalize on these opportunities.

Organizations such as WFP have been helping to directly address livelihood impacts by supporting and helping to improve and innovate national social protection systems, making them smarter, more responsive, and resilient in the face of crisis.

At a national level, from a social protection standpoint, more than one in five survey respondents reported receiving some form of assistance from their government in response to the impacts of the pandemic. However, investments in data are critical for the development of better social protection programs that include everyone, and particularly the most vulnerable. This has been one of the objectives of WFP support to regional institutions and national governments.

And there has been no better time to drive aggressive change.

The economic outlook for the food security of net importing nations such as those in the Caribbean has been influenced by shock-after-shock that has hit the most vulnerable the hardest; rather than following with response-after-response, the message is clear resilience building is more important now than ever before.

Information is crucial, because it helps us plan better to take better action, says Clarke. The information from this series of surveys has helped us to galvanize political action across the Caribbean and within the donor community to address vulnerability and food insecurity during this painful, protracted and increasingly complex crisis.

Read more:

In The Caribbean, 57% Are Struggling To Put Food On The Table - Forbes

The World Bank calls for urgent climate action in Latin America and the Caribbean to accelerate the transition to resilient and low-carbon economies

New report says agriculture and energy sectors offer opportunities to reduce emissions and boost productivity

WASHINGTON, September 14, 2022. A new World Bank report calls on countries in the region to take urgent action to help reduce the impacts of climate change and set a path for the transition to low-carbon economies.

According to the report, A Roadmap for Climate Action in Latin America and the Caribbean 2021-2025, climate-related disasters such as hurricanes, droughts, fires, and floods are becoming increasingly frequent and intense in the region and are the cause of enormous economic losses. Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is among the regions most vulnerable to the destructive power of such events, with annual costs due to disruptions in energy and transport infrastructure equivalent to 1 percent of regional GDP and up to 2 percent in some Central American countries.

Furthermore, climate change is expected to have negative impacts on productivity and harvests in several countries in the region. This could exacerbate acute food insecurity, which increased rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic to affect more than 16 million people across the region, with many families at risk in 2022 due to higher inflation and food prices. Without action, by 2030, up to 5.8 million people could fall into extreme poverty as a result of climate change, and by 2050 over 17 million people could be forced to leave their homes to escape climate impacts.

Countries in LAC have a unique opportunity to act swiftly and lead the change towards more resilient and low-carbon economies that foster a better future for their people, said Carlos Felipe Jaramillo, World Bank Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean. The World Bank has long been a strong partner to the region and as part of our long-term commitment to achieving sustainable and inclusive development, we have stepped up our support, providing about $4.7 billion in climate-related financing during the last year.

The region is responsible for 8 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. The agricultural sector, together with changes in land use and deforestation, accounts for 47 percent of emissions in LAC, well above the global average of 19 percent. Energy, electricity consumption and transportation account for another 43 percent of emissions. The report emphasizes opportunities in these areas for both economic growth and services with lower emissions as key to accelerating climate action and leading an urgent transition to low-carbon economies to avoid the irreversible effects of climate change.

This report offers an ambitious and urgent roadmap for transformative climate action in the region, building on country climate priorities and commitments and focusing on adaptation and resilience, while supporting countries to achieve their low carbon development goals, said Anna Wellenstein, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean in sustainable development.

The report highlights several priority areas in key sectors for new and accelerated climate action:

Managing landscapes, agriculture and food systems that include deforestation-free value chains

Decarbonizing power generation, transport systems and manufacturing while reducing infrastructure disruptions

Making cities more resilient to climate shocks and reducing urban emissions

While supporting cross-cutting actions that:

help vulnerable populations adapt to climate change and achieve just and equitable transitions to low carbon economies; and

promote green growth while reducing financial sector risks and anticipating market transitions.

In FY22, the World Bank provided US$4,691 million for climate action in the region, in projects such as:

Climate Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture (Belize)

Resilient Connectivity and Urban Transport Accessibility (Haiti)

Enabling a Green and Resilient Development Policy Financing (Peru)

Second Disaster Risk Management Development Policy Credit (Honduras)

Belgrano Sur Passenger Railway Line Modernization Project (Argentina)

The targets of the Roadmap for Climate Action in Latin America and the Caribbean 2021-2025 are grounded in the World Bank Groups Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) and fully integrate all parts of the World Bank Group to work with a broad range of partners in the development of multisectoral solutions.

Learn more about the work of the World Bank in Latin America and the Caribbean: http://www.worldbank.org/lac

Read more:

A Roadmap for Climate Action in Latin America and the Caribbean 2021-2025 - World - ReliefWeb