Multi-year Expert Meeting on Transport, Trade Logistics and Trade
Facilitation
Third Session: Small Island Developing States: Transport and Trade Logistics
Challenges
24 – 26 November 2014
Impacts of Climate Change Factors on the Transport Sector
The Case of the Caribbean
Presentation by
Mr. Willard Phillips Economic Affairs Officer
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
This expert paper is reproduced by the UNCTAD secretariat in the form and language in which it has been received. The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the
view of the United Nations.
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Impacts of Climate Change Factors on the Transport
Sector
The Case of the Caribbean
Presented by Willard Phillips
UNECLAC
Transportation Context in the Caribbean
• International, Intra-regional, Domestic
• Economies of Scale • Subject to Economic
and Natural Vulnerability
• Critical for Movement of People and Goods
• Technology and Human Resources
• Financing and Capitalization
• Climate Change an Additional Challenge
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Transportation and Trade • Transportation is critical
for Caribbean trade • High import demand
supported by maritime transport
• But region disadvantaged by low volume imports to multiple destinations – weak scale economy
• Relatively under developed intra-island shipping
• Low Liner Shipping Connectivity Index (UNCTAD)
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index Selected Countries
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Liner Shipping Connectivity Index - 2013 Selected Countries
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Transportation and Tourism • High trade in services
(tourism) supported by air transport.
• High share of global cruise passenger traffic
• International passenger transport critical to regional tourism sector
• High incentive cost to keep international airlines in the region
• High cost (in terms of money and time) for intra-regional passenger travel
Climate Change Impacts: Changes in Temperature and Precipitation
$0
$5,000
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
$25,000
2020 2030 2040 2050
Impact of Temperature and Precipitation on Total International Transportation Expenditure - Barbados
(2008 $USD Millions)
BAU A2 B2
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Climate Change Impacts: Sea Level Rise
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
Land Loss, Square Km 2050 Value of Land Loss 2050 Value ofInternational Transport
Loss
2050 Value of RebuildingCosts
Impact of Sea Level Rise on International Transportation Infrastructure - Montserrat
(A2 /B2 by 2050)
A2 B2
Climate Change Impacts: Transportation Infrastructure
• Most airports in Caribbean located on the coast
• Sea-level rise would require strengthening of port infrastructure – jetties breakwaters
• Increased risk of overtopping during storm surges
• Enhancements also required for marinas
• Extreme weather can cause flooding of airports and runways
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Climate Change Impacts: Extreme Events
Extreme weather can also cause flooding of airports and runways
Adaptation Efforts: Jamaica
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Adaptation Efforts: St. Kitts and Nevis
Adaptation Efforts: Dominica
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Future Challenges
• Energy security for transportation
• Building Public Private Partnerships
• Risk Reduction and Resilience
Thank You!