KINGSTON, Jamaica, Oct 1, CMC –A five-day conference aimed at promoting climate resilience, innovation and partnership while addressing the issues of water and waste as resources in sustainable development gets underway here later this month.
The organisers said that the 27th Caribbean Water and Wastewater Conference will be attended by more than 400 delegates from the region, United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.
The October 8-12 event, dubbed “Climate Resilience, Innovation and Partnership for Sustainable Water and Waste Development,” will also be attended by at least 16 Caribbean ministers with responsibility for water and waste management, professionals, technocrats and students.
President of the National Water Commission (NWC) and co-chairman of the conference committee, Mark Barnett, said the five-day event will include meetings, plenary and technical sessions focusing on climate-resilience infrastructure; regional planning and investment and other matters relating to the development of the water and wastewater sector.
“Discussions will include issues relating to water, wastewater, waste treatment and the impact of climate change. Climate change is a result of how we treat our environment, which predominantly relates to waste that is generated by human activity.
“So, we want to bring focus to the resilience of the region and how partnerships can assist in helping us to improve our sustainability both in terms of our water and waste treatment and development within the sector,” Barnett said.
The conference will also coincide with the 14th High Level Forum of Caribbean Ministers responsible for water.
“Over the two days, the water ministers from across the region will discuss the strategies and action plan needed to improve water management; the protection of such valuable resource and how they respond to climate change issues,” Barnett said.
Among the presenters include the general manager of the Inter-American Development Bank Caribbean Country Department, Therese Turner-Jones; the chief executive officer of National Commercial Bank (NCB) Capital Markets Limited, Steven Gooden; Professor Michael Taylor of the University of the West Indies; and Executive Director of the Barbados-based Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency, Ronald Jackson.
