08 May BCQS Surveyor represents Barbados at Global Goals Model United Nations Summit on Climate Change in Malaysia
Chad Monerville, BCQS Valuation Surveyor
Chad Monerville, a Valuation Surveyor for BCQS International, recently represented Barbados at the Global Goals Model United Nations Summit on Climate Change in Malaysia. After being recommended by a representative of the International Youth Committee (IYC), Chad accepted the opportunity as he recognized the need for further capacity building and dialogue amongst young academics to identify and implement solutions to global issues.
By 2050, the estimated cost of climate change to the Caribbean will range between US$5.7 billion to US$27.6 billion. These figures are based on the projected economic impacts from hurricanes, loss of tourism and damaged or destroyed infrastructure. Hurricanes Irma, Maria and, Jose, which devastated neighbouring Caribbean islands are the haunting reminders of the potential effects of climate change. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), considers Barbados vulnerable to the increasing intensity of natural disasters, rising sea levels, increasing temperatures and inundation of ground water. This vulnerability extends to international and regional trends that can affect technology, resource availability and the pricing of energy products. Ultimately, climate change can have an adverse effect on our quality of life.
The resolution of these global issues requires an inter-generational as well as multi-sectoral approach. With this in mind, the development of potential solutions to the impact of Climate Change was the focus of the Barbados delegate on Climate Action at the Global Goals Model United Nations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Chad Monerville represented Barbados as the delegate on Climate Action at this conference during April 13-16, 2018. This summit brought together approximately 350 delegates from over 30 countries and focused on the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
With the acknowledgement that climate change is a global phenomenon with no geographical borders, the summit provided the opportunity for university students and graduates to identify and discuss climate issues facing their respective countries. During the summit, the focal topic was ‘Improving Human and Institutional Capacity on Climate Change Mitigation’. Each delegate submitted a position paper ahead of the conference and during the debates, drafted ‘working papers’ and ultimately a ‘draft resolution’, guided by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. What emerged was that each country ultimately faced similar issues in relation to climate change. With the exception of Greenland, whose fishing and tourism industry has benefitted from increased temperatures, Small Island Developing States and most other countries have not fared well. These countries are challenged by the lack of capacity building, dependence on fossil fuels for energy and transportation, food security, natural disasters, poor waste management, innovation and research funding.
By the summit’s completion, the committee agreed upon a draft resolution that proposed for an efficient emission trading system, continuous education and training on climate issues, the integration of technology of hybrid and electric vehicles to reduce the dependence on fossil fuels. Additionally, further assistance from NGOs and the private sector to support state-actors in planning and policy implementation, as well as incentives to local entrepreneurs to tackle climate change were also included.
Despite its small size, limited financial resources and negligible contributions to Green House Gas emissions, Barbados has taken progressive steps toward climate change mitigation and adaptation. As Barbados’ dependence on fossil fuels is a fiscal strain the need for renewable energy and energy efficiency is prioritized. Testament to this is Barbados’ Energy Policy 2017-2037, that focuses on photovoltaic systems, wind energy, bio energy and electric vehicles. Nevertheless, further efforts are required through multiple stakeholder actions to facilitate their successful implementation. Included in these stakeholders’ structures must be youth representatives, as their futures depend on various stakeholders’ project(s) implementation successes.
Given the pressing issue of climate change, conferences such as Global Goals are essential platforms for young academics and professionals to get an opportunity to contribute to the development of solutions that confront us all. Recognizing that climate change affects all aspects of life, including the built environment, BCQS is pleased to support Chad for his outstanding work and highlights his awards in Malaysia as ‘The Best Delegate’ and the delegate with the ‘Best Position Paper’ among such talented scholars and future leaders from across the globe.
– Chad is a Valuation Surveyor with BCQS International based in Barbados, responsible for valuations for clients, both locally and internationally. BCQS is an independent property development and construction consultancy providing advisory services to all sectors of the built environment throughout the Caribbean and Latin America.
– An alumnus of Queen’s College, Chad successfully read for the BSc. Geomatics Engineering Degree receiving first class honours, from the UWI, St Augustine Campus. Professionally, he is currently satisfying requirements necessary to attain the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) designation under the guidance of Sanjay Amin and working toward Project Management Certification, via the Project Management Institute (PMI). Further, he is a Youth Advocate with experience across the Americas and Asia.
