Stakeholder Sustainability Workshop Held at UCCI

A wide cross-section of stakeholders gathered at the University College of the Cayman Islands, (UCCI) on on Thursday, November 30, 2023 and Friday, December 1, 2023 for a two-day Stakeholder Sustainability Workshop.

Scientists and experts in the field of sustainability, as well as government officials, including Kathryn Ebanks-Wilks, Minister for the Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency, and a multi-agency audience were tasked with confronting the challenges of a changing world and the urgency of global warming, rising sea levels and other crises.

Research and development of strategies to combat combat these threats were at the forefront of the meetings held at UCCI.

Organisers of the event noted that it was important for the Cayman Islands to strive to be an example in the fight against the rising tide of threats to the environment, instead of relying on outside influence.

President of UCCI, Dr. Robert Roberson noted that the school has been taking steps to introduce a Sustainability Center, in addition to offering an Master of Business Administration (MBA) qualification in Sustainable Business.

Chief Officer at The Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency, Jennifer Ahearn commended the school’s efforts before presenting some of the stark realities facing the government and society as a whole.

Ms Ahearn explained that the Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency was founded in 2021 with the mandate of, “Making the lives of those we serve better.”

“It is important for us to meet the needs of the next generation without compromising the the future,” she remarked.

Among some of the efforts she sited as being crucial in assessing the challenges wasps a climate change risk assessment review, which was the most comprehensive done for the Cayman Islands.

“We wanted to achieve at least 400 responses for the survey but received over one thousand, as many persons are very concerned,” she noted, adding that the effects of climate change were, “…..not a distant possibility but a present reality.”

Some of the notable effects include fewer but more severe rainfall, rapidly rising sea levels and a more active hurricane season.

The impact on the Islands’ marine life and damage to vital infrastructure of the Islands is also a major threat which needs urgent attention and consideration.

“It’s not just an environmental issue. It’s about people and the possibility of a very different Cayman,” said Ms. Ahearn, who pointed out that young people understand this best because it will effect them the most.

An updated climate change police is dyer and in 2011, the Cayman Islands came close to accomplishing this.

Bright spots include the National Conservation Act, which passed unanimously in the Cayman Islands Parliament in 2013 and the National Energy Policy, which will serve the Cayman Islands from 2023 to 2050.

Dr. Eleizabeth Lloyd of Condell Consulting Ltd., a specialist in the field of Monitoring & Evaluation with twenty (20) years of experience designing and delivering M&E training and capacity development and providing M&ETechnical advice and guidance to Development Agencies, Ministries of Health, and the Energy Sector, said work must be not only be done, but also evaluated.

She praised the multi-agency, networking event and stressed the importance of continuing to observe and document the ephors that make up the ‘big picture’.

“Substantial behavioural change is necessary and an environment of learning must be fostered,” she said. 

The University College of the Cayman Islands (UCCI) recently secured funding from the Resilience, Sustainable Energy, and Marine Biodiversity Program (RESEMBID) to embark on a transformative Comprehensive Environmental Sustainability Plan (CESP).

This initiative,led by the Project’s Steering Committee and facilitated by Green Caribe Consulting under the guidance of Managing Director Christine Young, marks a significant milestone in bolstering UCCI’s commitment to sustainable practices while ensuring that key internal and external stakeholders’ inputs are prioritized throughout project implementation.

UCCI has recently diversified and upgraded its programming to enhance workforce readiness and more effectively fulfill its role as a key economic driver in the Cayman Islands.

TheUniversity’s goal is to develop a plan to assess its current sustainability practices, identify the energy needs and energy improvements to be made, and make recommendations to improve overall sustainability practices going forward.

The Sustainability Plan Objectives are as follows:

1. To engage and serve the diverse academic and social needs and interests of the

University Community.

2. To provide a roadmap for UCCI to enhance its sustainability practices through

benchmarking, monitoring, and evaluation.

3. To promote synergistic collaborations and partnerships.

4. To identify and address the specific issues associated with the sustainable development of the University through recommendations.