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Grenada
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| Grenada | |
 | |
| This page is part of the Small Island Developing States Project | |
| Capital | Saint George's |
| Population | 90,700 |
| Land Area | 344 sq km |
| GDP (US$) | $1.21 B |
| GDP Per Capita | $13,400 |
| CO2 Emissions | 0.2 megatons |
| CO2 Per Capita | 2.2 tons |
| NAPA† | none |
| Natl. Comm. to the UNFCCC | November 2000 |
| † = National Adaptation Program of Action Megaton = 1 million tons (1 billion kg / 2.205 billion lb) | |
Grenada is a small island developing state (SIDS) located near the southern end of the Caribbean island chain. The country lies between the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean, north of Trinidad and Tobago and south of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. It is the southernmost of the Windward Islands - a group of Caribbean Islands named after their location on the windier and wetter side of the Lesser Antilles.1
In 2004, Grenada was hit by the Hurricane Ivan, resulting in substantial loss of live and livelihoods and significant damage to the national economy and infrastructure. Grenada's prime minister, Tillman Thomas, publicly stated his belief that this event was a result of climate change. In the international negotiations related to the Kyoto Protocol and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Grenada has repeatedly emphasized that developed countries need to bear to main responsibility in mitigating climate change. In a recent official visit to China, Prime Minister Thomas once again urged developed countries to take the lead in reducing emissions and providing financial and technological support to developing countries. He stated: "It will be necessary for all countries to contribute in line with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, with the developed countries leading the way."2
Background
The country of Grenada is made up of three islands that have a combined area of 344 square km (133 sq miles).3 The island of Grenada is the largest; Carriacou and Petit Martinique are smaller.4
Grenada is volcanic in origin, with extensive corals and mangroves ringing the islands. The island of Grenada is covered with a mountainous rainforest.5 On Grenada and Carriacou, around 77% and 54% of the land area, respectively, have slopes exceeding 20°. Approximately 3% of the land area in the country is at sea level. The main towns and key socio-economic facilities are located on the coast, which is 121 km (75 miles) long.6 The highest point in the country is Mount Saint Catharine at 840 m (2,756 ft).7
The climate is tropical, with temperate winds mostly coming from the northeast. The dry season runs from January to May and the rainy season runs from June to December. The average temperature is 28°C (82°F), and average annual rainfall is 2,200 mm.8 Lying on the edge of a hurricane belt, the country has a hurricane season from June to November.9 Hurricane Ivan struck Grenada in September of 2004 causing severe damage. Thirty-seven people were killed, and approximately 8,000-10,000 were left homeless. In addition, 90% of the buildings were destroyed, including many tourist facilities. Overall damage was estimated to be as high as 2.5 times the gross domestic product(GDP).10 Hurricane Emily struck in 2005, but with far less severe effects.11
Grenada has a population of 90,739 (July 2009 est.). The large majority of the population (more than 80%) is of African descent. Other ethnic groups include 'mixed black and European', European, East Indian, and Arawak/Carib Amerindian. More than 50% of the population is Roman Catholic. The Anglican church and several other Protestant churches are popular as well. The official language is English, but French patois is spoken as well.12
After centuries of rule by France and then the United Kingdom, Grenada obtained independence in 1974. Currently the country is a democracy, governed under a parliamentary system based on the British model. The government is based in Saint Georges'. It has a governor general, a prime minister and a cabinet, and a bicameral parliament with an elected House of Representatives and an appointed Senate.13
Grenada's GDP in 2008 was US$1.211 billion with a growth rate of 3.7%. Per capita GDP was US$13,400. Tourism is the main foreign exchange of Grenada. Important natural resources include timber, tropical fruit (bananas, cocoa, nutmeg, mace, citrus, avocados), and deep-water harbors. Before Hurricane Ivan caused large scale damage to the agricultural sector, nutmeg and cocoa cultivation had been key drivers of economic growth.14 Damage due to Ivan, however, led to a 6.8% economic decline. After several difficult years, the economy of Grenada has performed strongly since 2007. Growth can be seen in almost every economic sector, particularly the construction, manufacturing, tourism, and agricultural sectors.15
Grenada, like many other SIDS, is currently facing a wide range of environmental issues. These include soil and coastal erosion, waste management problems, sedimentation of coastal and river waters, and loss of habitat and associated biodiversity.16
Impacts and threats
Information on threats and potential impacts due to climate change for Grenada is limited, with no country-specific impact scenarios available. In its 2000 Initial Communication to the UNFCCC, Grenada describes several areas where it expects impacts. The expectations, however, are based on global climate change scenarios, which do not provide many specific details for Grenada.
Devastation caused by Hurricane Ivan in Grenada
Source: http://www.usaid.gov/environment/hur...enadasmall.jpg. Permission: Public Domain.The main fear of the Grenadian government and population alike relates to natural disasters. In 2007, Prime Minister Mitchell opined that Hurricane Ivan (2004) and Hurricane Emily (2005) had been caused by climate change. He stated: "Prior to these events [the two hurricanes] Grenada was considered to be below the hurricane belt".17 In it's 4th Assessment Report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) uses the devastating effects of Hurricane Ivan on Grenada to explain what impacts natural disasters can have on vulnerable small island states. "In less than 8 hours, the country’s vital socio-economic infrastructure, including housing, utilities, tourism-related facilities and subsistence and commercial agricultural production, suffered incalculable damage. The island’s two principal foreign-exchange earners – tourism and nutmeg production – suffered heavily. More than 90% of hotel guest rooms were either completely destroyed or damaged, while more than 80% of the island’s nutmeg trees were lost."18
This is not to say that climate change is responsible for Ivan's effects on Grenada. Numerous factors influence the frequency, intensity, and path of tropical cyclones, and no one storm can be blamed on climate change. However, changes in sea surface temperatures due to climate change will likely alter traditional hurricane pathways in the Atlantic and Caribbean and increase the average intensity, but not frequency, of tropical cyclones (i.e. there will be a comparable number of cyclones, but more will develop into hurricanes). According to the IPCC report, the frequency of natural disasters is likely to increase due to climate change, and, in the future, countries like Grenada might not have sufficient time to recover time before the next one strikes.19 The location of almost all major settlement and tourist accommodations in the coastal zone makes the country even more vulnerable to natural disasters.20
Other potential impacts described in the Initial Communication include reductions in levels of water availability and soil moisture. This will lead to water and food security issues, and is a result of increasing temperatures, reduced precipitation, saltwater intrusion . Other related issues include agricultural productivity losses, loss of livestock, social and economic impacts due to flooding and beach erosion in the coastal zone, disruption of coastal villages due to coastal erosion, economic impacts due to decreased tourism, and increased incidence of vector-borne communicable and respiratory diseases.21
Mitigation and adaptation strategies
Grenada ratified the UNFCCC in 1994 and the Kyoto Protocol in 2002. However, the country has been involved in few activities related to climate change mitigation and adaption. Most of these activities have been donor driven and project based. In 2005, Grenada conducted a National Capacity Self-Assessment and Climate Change Thematic Analysis.22
Grand Anse Beach in Grenada
Source: . Permission: Fair Use.Mitigation
In 2005, Grenada emitted 0.14 million tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent greenhouse gases, equivalent to 2.2 tons per person. Almost all emissions came from fossil fuels.23 In its 2000 Initial Communication to the UNFCCC, Grenada emphasized that: "while we will take action to mitigate our greenhouse gas missions, we see this as primarily a responsibility of the Annex I Parties, given that our emissions are insignificant within the global context."24 Regardless of this statement, Grenada presented a number of priorities related to mitigation climate change in the same report. These include the development and implementation of a National Energy Plan, the provision of tariff and fiscal incentives for the use of renewable technologies; the development of national standards for vehicle and industrial emissions and domestic appliances; the implementation a plans aimed at reducing the volume of waste that has to be accommodated in the landfill; and the elaboration and implementation of a Land Use Policy and a Forestry Policy.25 The status of these initiatives is uncertain.
Adaptation
In 2000, Grenada presented a number of priorities related to adaptation to climate change. These include the establishment of a coordination mechanism for environmental management and climate change; the strengthening of data collection and monitoring systems for climate change; the initiation of research into flood control technologies; the compulsory inclusion of climate change considerations into all national projects in sensitive sectors; public awareness and education on the climate change; the continuation of the analysis of Grenada’s vulnerability to the adverse impacts of climate change; and the strengthening of Grenada’s participation in the UNFCCC negotiation process.26
The main adaptation project Grenada participated in was the Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Global Climate Change (CPACC) project, which was initiated in 1997-2001. The project aimed to build capacity in the Caribbean region for the adaptation to climate change impacts through the completion of vulnerability assessments, adaptation planning, and capacity building activities in a variety of countries.27 Grenada’s pilot project examined the vulnerability to sea level rise of three selected areas in Grenada. The assessment highlighted the vulnerabilities of most of Grenada’s economic infrastructure and computed estimates of the potential economic impact of sea level rise on Grenada.28
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Wiki Project | |
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| Atlantic and Caribbean | Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; Aruba; the Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; British Virgin Islands; Cape Verde; Cuba; Dominica; the Dominican Republic; Grenada; Guinea-Bissau; Guyana; Haiti; Jamaica; Montserrat; Netherlands Antilles; Puerto Rico; Saint Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; São Tomé and Principe; Suriname; Trinidad and Tobago; and the U.S. Virgin Islands. |
| Pacific Ocean | American Somoa; Commonwealth of Northern Marianas; Cook Islands; Federated States of Micronesia; Fiji; French Polynesia; Guam; Kiribati; Marshall Islands; Nauru; New Caledonia; Niue; Palau; Papua New Guinea; Samoa; Solomon Islands; Timor-Lesté; Tonga; Tuvalu; and Vanuatu. |
| Indian Ocean | Bahrain; Comoros; the Maldives; Mauritius; the Seychelles; and Singapore. |
| Initiatives and Sponsors | |
| Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS); Asian Development Bank (ADB); Barbados Programme of Action (BPoA); Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC); Global Environment Facility (GEF); Global Sustainable Energy Islands Initiative (GSEII); Inter-American Development Bank (IADB); Organization of American States (OAS); Pacific Islands Forum (PIF); Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre (RC/RCCC); Small Island Developing States Network (SIDSNet); South Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP); United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO); United States Agency for International Development (USAID); World Bank (WB) | |
| Related Topics | |
Footnotes
1. Paradise Islands.org. Grenada. Retrieved on: 22 June 2009.
2. Grenada seeks to work with China in tackling climate change. People's Daily Online (English). Xinhua. 16 June 2009. Retrieved on: 22 June 2009.
3. CIA. The World Factbook. Grenada. Retrieved on: 22 June 2009.
4. U.S. Department of State. Background Note: Grenada. Retrieved on: 22 June 2009.
5. Government of Grenada. Grenada’s Initial Communication to the UNFCCC. Submitted November 2000. p. ii.
6. Government of Grenada. Grenada’s Initial Communication to the UNFCCC. Submitted November 2000.
7. CIA. The World Factbook. Grenada. Retrieved on: 22 June 2009.
8. World Travel Guide.net. Grenada. Retrieved on: 22 June 2009.
9. CIA. The World Factbook. Grenada. Retrieved on: 22 June 2009.
10. U.S. Department of State. Background Note: Grenada. Retrieved on: 22 June 2009.
11. CIA. The World Factbook. Grenada. Retrieved on: 22 June 2009.
12. CIA. The World Factbook. Grenada. Retrieved on: 22 June 2009.
13. U.S. Department of State. Background Note: Grenada. Retrieved on: 22 June 2009.
14. CIA. The World Factbook. Grenada. Retrieved on: 22 June 2009.
15. The World Bank. Grenada OECS Skills for Inclusive Growth Project. Project Appraisal Document. December 2008. p. 1.
16. UNDP. Barbados and the OECS Official Website. Grenada - Introduction. Retrieved on: 22 June 2009.
17. Government of Grenada Official Website. Island States Victorious in Bali. 17 December 2007. Retrieved on: 22 June 2009.
18. IPCC. Fourth Assessment Report. Working Group 2. Chapter 16: Small Islands. 2007. p. 693.
19. IPCC. Fourth Assessment Report. Working Group 2. Chapter 16: Small Islands. 2007. p. 693.
20. U.O. Trotz. Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation in the Tourism Sector. Power Point presentation. 8 April 2008.
21. Government of Grenada. Grenada’s Initial Communication to the UNFCCC. Submitted November 2000. p. ix-xiii.
22. L. Charles. Grenada National Capacity Self Assessment: Climate Change Thematic Analysis. 2005.
23. WRI. CAIT tool. (free reg. req'd). Retrieved on: 22 June 2009.
24. Government of Grenada. Grenada’s Initial Communication to the UNFCCC. Submitted November 2000. p. v.
25. Government of Grenada. Grenada’s Initial Communication to the UNFCCC. Submitted November 2000. p. xvi.
26. Government of Grenada. Grenada’s Initial Communication to the UNFCCC. Submitted November 2000. p. xvi
27. CARICOM Official Website. Caribbean Planning for Adaptation to Climate Change (CPACC) Project. Retrieved on: 22 June 2009.
28. L. Charles. Grenada National Capacity Self Assessment: Climate Change Thematic Analysis. 2005.
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