ROSEAU, Dominica, (CMC) – Dominica, seeking to become the first climate resilient country in the world, urged developed countries that “continue to pollute the planet to take corrective action” so as to lessen the impact of climate change on small island developing states (SIDS).

Addressing a workshop exploring the findings and recommendations of the Climate, Ocean, Risk and Vulnerability Index (CORVI) Rapid Assessment, the chief executive officer of the Climate Resilience Execution Agency for Dominica (CREAD), Francine Baron, said the island has set the ambitious goal of becoming the first climate resilient nation in the world.

“This underpins a commitment among other things to the preservation and sustainable use of our natural resources. This requires us also to assess our vulnerabilities and identify actions to make us more resilient,” Baron said on Wednesday.

Baron said focusing on the vulnerability of the island’s coastline and coastal assets to sea level rise, sea surge and currents would allow Dominica to take corrective action now on how to reduce climate change impacts on the lives and livelihoods of citizens.

The CORVI Rapid Assessment was undertaken by the US-based nonpartisan policy research centre, Stimson Center and the London-based Commonwealth Blue Charter that helps Commonwealth countries work together on a fair, inclusive and sustainable approach to ocean protection and economic development.

The project was undertaken in partnership with CREAD and Baron told the opening ceremony that she was taking the opportunity of the presence of representatives from the two organisations “to let you know that Dominica has been playing its part towards building its own resilience and also the protection of the environment.

“But there are a number of things that impact us (and) we have no control over, and we would like to encourage you to use your voice to tell our story of the impact that climate change has on Dominica and to also indicate how small states like ours dealing with those impacts and seeking to make ourselves more resilient,” Baron said.

“There is a greater responsibility on those who continue to pollute the planet to take corrective action to reduce their emissions and therefore the impact on the climate,” she added.

The invitation-only workshop brings key stakeholders with demonstrated critical impact and expertise in the field to engage in substantive discussions regarding the prioritisation of investments in protecting coastal communities in Dominica.