Tuesday, January 11, 2022 — Eastern Caribbean cities are at risk from the impacts of climate change, including rising seas, floods, droughts and storms – but they are rich in climate resilience solutions too. 

These solutions will be showcased in the Resilient Caribbean Cities Photo Competition 2022, which launches today. Applicants have until March 31, 2022 to submit their photographs and short captions illustrating climate resilience solutions, to get a chance to win a cash prize.

The entries will be used to make an inspiring online photo gallery for public viewing at a later date in 2022.

A recent science report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted that sea level rise will increasingly threaten small islands as the world warms, and the Caribbean could face reduced rainfall in the months of June, July and August.

Solutions to climate change impacts include ‘green infrastructure’, such as planting trees on slopes and mangroves on coasts, to reduce erosion from heavy rain and high waves. 

Design and technology in the built environment – like energy-efficient, climate-smart architecture and use of renewable energy – are important for creating resilience.

Resilience solutions can also include innovations in government and business to reduce climate risks. This includes protecting people and assets when extreme weather is forecasted.

The competition is an initiative of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, the University of the West Indies, the Université des Antilles and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) Adapt’Action programme.

Speaking about the initiative, Crispin d’Auvergne, Programme Director for Climate and Disaster Resilience at the OECS Commission said:

“We know climate change is already taking a toll on the Eastern Caribbean, but there is a lot we can do, especially through smarter urban planning and design in our cities, to avoid some of its impacts. This photo competition is a chance for students, urban planners, and citizens across the region to document and share some of the great actions people are already taking to address climate change. It is an opportunity to educate ourselves about what more we can do to become resilient to climate change.”

The competition is open to budding photographers of all ages. Captions and descriptions of the resilience solutions can be submitted in either English or French to : [email protected] before the March 31 deadline.

Entrants will have the opportunity to win a top cash prize of 750 XCD, and two runner-up prizes of 300 XCD each.

Submissions are invited in three categories: 

• People power: social and business innovations for resilience
• Nature based solutions: green and blue infrastructure that boosts resilience
• Design and technology: resilient features of the built environment and infrastructure  

Winners will be notified by mid-April and a public announcement and launch of the online photo gallery will take place in May 2022.  

Visit https://bit.ly/rcc-photo2022 for entry forms.

For more information, contact the OECS at [email protected], or email [email protected].

About the project
The project Building climate-resilient cities in the Eastern Caribbean seeks to equip today’s and tomorrow’s urban planners and practitioners with the tools, expertise and critical thinking skills to transform Eastern Caribbean cities into places that are socially just and resilient to climate hazards. The project is doing this by developing a new, tailored educational curriculum for urban planning students and professionals in the region. This has the potential to transform the way Eastern Caribbean cities adapt to climate change.

The project also seeks to raise broader public awareness of climate change and support for resilience measures by running this photo competition, which will engage and motivate citizens from across the Eastern Caribbean region.

About the sponsoring organisations

OECS Commission
The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is an international organisation dedicated to economic harmonisation and integration, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance among independent and non-independent countries in the Eastern Caribbean comprising Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Martinique and Guadeloupe.  Visit www.oecs.org

University of the West Indies
Starting as a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI has evolved into a modern, future-driven, activist, top-ranked academy with over 50,000 students. Our mission to advance learning, create knowledge and foster innovation for the positive transformation of the Caribbean is centred on producing critical thinkers and leaders who serve the needs of the 21st century society.  Visit www.uwi.edu

Université des Antilles
L’Université des Antilles est un Etablissement Public à Caractère Scientifique, Culturel et Professionnel (EPCSCP) issue de la transformation de l’Université des Antilles et de la Guyane (créée le 1^er mars 1982) par la loi du 25 juin 2015. Implantée sur deux territoires distincts : la Guadeloupe qui est une région-département, et la Martinique qui est une collectivité territoriale, elle accueille plus de 12000 étudiants.

L’Université des Antilles s’organise autour de services et composantes à compétences transversales, et deux pôles universitaires régionaux autonomes : le « Pôle Guadeloupe » et le « Pôle Martinique ».  Voir www.univ-antilles.fr  

AFD
Agence Française de Développement (AFD) implements France’s policy on international development and solidarity. Through its financing of NGOs and the public sector, as well as its research and publications, AFD supports and accelerates transitions towards a fairer, more resilient world. It also provides training in sustainable development (at AFD Campus) and other awareness-raising activities in France.

With our partners, we are building shared solutions with and for the people of the Global South. Our teams are at work on more than 4,000 projects in the field, in the French Overseas Departments and Territories, in 115 countries and in regions in crisis. We strive to protect global public goods – promoting a stable climate, biodiversity and peace, as well as gender equality, education and healthcare. In this way, we contribute to the commitment of France and the French people to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Towards a world in common. See afd.fr/en

Adapt’Action
The €30 million Adapt’Action Programme supports 15 developing countries and regional organisations to help them meet the challenge of operationalising the Paris Agreement through the implementation of the adaptation dimensions of their climate commitments (NDCs).

The objective of this programme is to provide the most vulnerable countries (Africa, Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States) with the means to develop sound investment projects in the field of climate change adaptation that can be financed by development finance partners, including AFD. See www.afd.fr/adaptaction