The News Tracker

Forecasting hurricane frequency, intensity and tracking is a far-from-exact science; but the suggestion this year is that higher-than-average sea temperatures in the Caribbean Sea may result in greater activity and intensity and for hurricanes to form off the southeast coast of the US in the Gulf of Mexico, or in the northeastern Caribbean.

Speaking from the White House, he suggested that there was a need to embark on a mission to develop clean-energy technologies. MIAS’ conclusion is that although any imminent threat to Caribbean beaches and wildlife seems unlikely, the Caribbean needs to formulate a response plan to protect the beaches that sustain its economy and wildlife. However, elements of unpredictability exist should any hurricane develop in the Gulf of Mexico, causing sea surges and changes in the movement of the undersea currents. Each day, we send nearly US$1 billion of our wealth to foreign countries for their oil. A report from the Mona Institute of Applied Sciences (MIAS) at the University of the West Indies suggests that as the oil disperses from the spill site, in time, it is likely to travel south, join the loop current, and eventually follow it around Florida and along the US Atlantic coast and away from most of the Caribbean. He is trying to build on the oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico to encourage a national sense of urgency. The consequences of our inaction, he said, were in plain sight. “Countries like China are investing in clean-energy jobs and industries. David Jessop is the director of the Caribbean Council. biomass opportunities Some nations have already under-stood this. President Obama’s message resulting from the Deepwater Horizon disaster is as much one for the Caribbean, as for the people of the US. More positively, the price for Surinamese and Guyanese shrimp has surged as US Gulf Coast suppliers have had to turn to imports and cease domestic operations. President Obama too, irrespective of the powerful US oil lobby, wants to begin to end his nation’s addiction to fossil fuels. This is interesting, not least because Cuba has taken a conscious decision – despite its preferential arrangements with Venezuela, under the PetroCaribe accord – that it will develop a fully sustainable approach initially focusing on using sugar cane as the feedstock for the generation of energy. A heavily indebted region cannot expect to receive oil at subsidised prices from Venezuela – a nation that has economic problems of its own – forever. And today, as we look to the Gulf, we see an entire way of life being threatened by a menacing cloud of black crude.” In the Cariforum meeting with Clinton, it was also recognised that energy security and mitigating the impact of climate change were linked and fundamental to future development, growth and stability. During their visit, what became clear was that Cuba was paying great attention to alternative approaches to power generation, in areas where other large Caribbean nations have equal or better opportunities to encourage investment and external support. This, together with the continuing uncertainties surrounding oil prices and high levels of regional indebtedness, suggests that the Caribbean as a whole ought to be giving greater thought to the promotion of investment in sources of sustainable energy, and how this might be linked to investment, development assistance, and to carbon credits. david.jessop@caribbean-council.org. Confirming this, in the short term, charts and diagrams produced by the US National Oceanic and Atmos-pheric Administration suggest any oil-bearing currents will follow an offshore course past Havana to the north of the Cuban coast, before turning and passing to the west of the Bahamas. Such considerations apart, the spill is having a number of immediate side effects. Last week, a delegation from the Cuban energy sector was in the United Kingdom and Italy meeting with industry specialists and potential investors and their advisers to discuss opportunities relating to using biomass, hydro power and other forms of sustainable energy, including wind, solar and tidal action. More significantly, what has happened is leading globally to questions being asked about the risks associated with the recovery of oil at greater or lesser depths in environmentally sensitive waters in regions such as the Caribbean. If Cuba can start down a road to developing new sources of energy with external participation, so, too, should the rest of the region. Although it has only marginally affected the timing of cruise-ship sailings to the Caribbean, major lines like Carnival will not sail at night near the areas where the oil spill is. Cruise lines are also having to inspect ships for contaminated hulls.

Related Stories