2 September 2010: The Japan-Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Public Symposium on Climate Change and Biodiversity, organized by the UN University (UNU), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MOFA) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), with the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), took place on 2 September 2010, in Tokyo, Japan.

The Symposium was held on the occasion of the Second Japan-CARICOM Ministerial-Level Conference and brought together Caribbean ministerial level and Japanese senior academics and experts to exchange views on the Caribbean region’s climate change and biodiversity issues.

Key outcomes of the Symposium include: recognition of a sense of urgency in addressing the issues facing the Caribbean region; recognition of the essential role of capacity building for climate change adaptation in the Caribbean; identification of the potential for cooperation in use of technology, training and knowledge transfer for climate change adaptation; and a willingness by the organizers to further engage in the region.

The CARICOM member States and five associate member States of the Caribbean region are small island developing States (SIDS). They are extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such as frequent and intense hurricanes, subsequent flooding and erosion, as well as rising sea level. [UNU Press Release]