Dialogue via Conferencing

Driving the conversation around climate change requires creating a space for dialogue.

Conferences at The University of the West Indies act as conversation portals about new research, innovations, and projects that bridge the gap between science and real-world activity. They also mobilise new partnerships and projects, focused on Caribbean-specific issues.

Here are three highlights from 2019.

Reducing Greenhouse Gases: Developing a National Carbon Capture and Storage Programme in Trinidad and Tobago

Held in collaboration with the CO2 Emission Reduction Mobilisation (CERM) Project partners, in October 2019, the “Developing a National Carbon Capture and Storage Programme” symposium included participants from government institutions, the local energy sector, the World Bank, and the International CCS Knowledge Centre. CERM’s project partners include The University of the West Indies, the University of Texas, IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme (IEAGHG), and the University of Trinidad and Tobago. BHP and BPTT were key sponsors.

This partnership aims to create a new clean industry that will retrieve greenhouse gases and store them underground, and use CCS and Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery (CO2EOR), in efforts to mitigate Trinidad and Tobago’s contribution to human-induced climate change.

(L-R) Professor of Practice at The UWI St. Augustine Campus Andrew Jupiter, Minister of Planning and Development the Hon. Camille Robinson-Regis, and Mr. Tim Dixon, General Manager of the IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme at the International Knowledge-Sharing Symposium to further the development of a Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Programme in Trinidad and Tobago.

(L-R) Minister of Planning and Development, the Hon. Camille Robinson-Regis and Dr. Lorraine Sobers, Lecturer in The UWI St. Augustine Campus Department of Chemical Engineering and Coordinator of the Carbon Dioxide Emission Reduction Mobilisation (CERM) project at the International Knowledge-Sharing Symposium

Understanding Risk: Tackling Caribbean climate and disaster risks

More than 500 international delegates gathered in Barbados, in May 2019, to discuss the priorities and solutions needed to tackle the Caribbean’s climate and disaster risks.

The three-day “Understanding Risk (UR) Caribbean” conference was organised by the European Union, World Bank, and the Global Fund for Disaster Risk Reduction, in partnership with the Government of Barbados and the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).

Within the framework of the CARICOM pathway to resilient development, The UWI and CDEMA agreed to join efforts in advancing a methodology and product that allows for more objective measurement of social vulnerability. The University is also focussed on rolling out a resilience-building facility, in collaboration with the World Bank, CDEMA, the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ), Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

Promoting Dynamic Entrepreneurship in the Caribbean Region

The UWI partnered with the IDB and Development Bank of Jamaica for the three-day conference, which linked science, technology and innovation, “Promoting Dynamic Entrepreneurship in the Caribbean Region” focussed on strengthening ecosystems that support dynamic entrepreneurship and innovation in the Caribbean region. It also explored the way forward to promote the region’s Blue Economy.

Hosted by The UWI, the IDB, and the Development Bank of Jamaica, in June 2019 (Jamaica), this three-day conference culminated with a symposium themed “One Caribbean Solutions”. This was convened by Universities Caribbean to discuss practical approaches for leveraging Caribbean universities’ knowledge assets to provide solutions to development challenges shared by English, Spanish, French and Dutch-Caribbean countries.