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  • 2 years ago
Trinidad and Tobago is among a number of countries aiming to secure funding through the Green Climate Fund, for the development of early warning systems. Seven billion US dollars is available to small-island developing states through the Fund, and this country is hoping to secure a portion to upgrade our radar system, which has been down for the last few years. Rynessa Cutting has more.
Transcript
00:00 2024 is forecast to bring a very active hurricane season.
00:04 But Trinidad and Tobago will be entering yet another renient hurricane season
00:09 without a functioning radar system.
00:11 In 2020, just before the pandemic, the radar malfunctioned.
00:16 And that was poor timing because since then it was really difficult to get into the queue
00:21 in order to have the repairs completed.
00:25 And so an important component of the early warning system has been missing since 2020.
00:31 And the radars are really important for monitoring heavy rainfall,
00:36 severe weather with strong winds.
00:39 Dr. Lange says over the last few months,
00:42 the Ministry of Public Utilities has been effecting repairs to the system.
00:46 But the ultimate goal is to have a new and improved radar system installed.
00:50 Dual polarization.
00:52 It's superior technology that is now standard for meteorological services around the world.
00:58 And what our project will be doing is not just about the technology,
01:03 but also a holistic approach to enhancing early warnings within Trinidad and Tobago.
01:09 How has the MetService been functioning these past few years?
01:12 They have been making use of other things like enhanced use of satellite data.
01:18 But we really do miss the radar in terms of being able to monitor things
01:23 that are within 400 kilometers of the coast.
01:28 The radar is really the best tool.
01:30 Regional climate stakeholders held a ride shop today to assess gaps and needs
01:35 to forward onward to the Green Climate Fund for financing.
01:39 We're looking at something like 1.5 million euros on that kind of order.
01:45 And that's why we're looking at the Green Climate Fund to assist us.
01:49 From this ride shop, we will have a concept note that will be advanced to the Green Climate Fund.
01:55 And the expectation is with the accelerated schedule, we'll be able by 2025
02:01 to have something in process in terms of the actual physical development of the upgrade.
02:10 The upgraded radar system is but one of a number of early warning systems
02:13 which this country is seeking to implement or upgrade
02:16 in order to effectively prepare for and respond to climate threats,
02:21 as the Caribbean region remains among the most vulnerable.
02:25 At the macro level, the International Monetary Fund outlines that
02:29 in addition to the direct impact on human lives,
02:33 the economic cost of natural disasters for the Caribbean has exceeded US$22 billion.
02:42 Over the period of 1950 to 2016.
02:46 Interestingly, this is compared to a global figure of US$54 billion for the same period.
02:54 Some sources also indicate that in the Caribbean,
02:57 the overall economic cost is in the range of 12 to 17% of the GDP.
03:05 Trinidad and Tobago, Belize and Guyana have been selected
03:10 for the weather systems upgrade project.
03:13 Renessa Cutting, TV6 News.
03:16 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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