Climate impacts on agriculture and tourism: the case for climate resilient investment in the Caribbean

The document highlights the severe economic impacts of climate change on the Caribbean, specifically within agriculture and tourism. It leverages CDKN-funded research to propose adaptation strategies, such as crop diversification and multi-stakeholder tourism management, while emphasizing the need for financial support to overcome high up-front costs for small-scale actors.

• Climate change is already causing significant economic losses in the Caribbean, with the Inter-American Development Bank estimating losses of approximately US$33 billion between 2000 and 2009 due to natural disasters.
• The Caribbean agriculture sector faces threats from shifting rainfall patterns and increased drought frequency, with extreme droughts projected to occur every five years by the mid-21st century. In Belize, dry bean yields could fall by up to 60% by the 2050s, and corn yields could drop by 25% from 2010 levels by the 2030s.
• Effective agricultural adaptation measures include crop diversification (such as sweet potato in Jamaica), investment in drip-feed irrigation, and the adoption of micro-insurance to protect small-scale farmers who cannot afford high capital expenditures.
• The tourism sector is highly vulnerable to coastal inundation and the degradation of natural assets; in Belize, 94% of tourist accommodation and 79% of attractions are located at lower coastal elevations. Additionally, coral bleaching threatens the 80% of tourists who engage in reef-based activities.
• Tourism adaptation requires multi-stakeholder co-management and national policy frameworks. Recommended measures in Belize include restricting building to areas at least 2.6 metres above mean sea level and 30 metres from the high-tide mark.
• High costs of adaptation are a major barrier, with World Bank estimates suggesting annual costs of US$21 billion for the region, while UNEP suggests costs could be five times higher. The document recommends prioritising 'no regret' and 'low regret' options to maximise value.

APA

Bugler, W., & Palin, O. (2017). Climate impacts on agriculture and tourism: the case for climate resilient investment in the Caribbean. Climate and Development Knowledge Network. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Caribbean_tourism_PB_updated_03-05-17_WEB.pdf

Chicago

Bugler, Will, and Olivia Palin. Climate impacts on agriculture and tourism: the case for climate resilient investment in the Caribbean. Climate and Development Knowledge Network, 2017. https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Caribbean_tourism_PB_updated_03-05-17_WEB.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bugler |first1=Will |last2=Palin |first2=Olivia |title=Climate impacts on agriculture and tourism: the case for climate resilient investment in the Caribbean |publisher=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |date=February 2017 |url=https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Caribbean_tourism_PB_updated_03-05-17_WEB.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bugler2017climate, author = {Bugler, Will and Palin, Olivia}, title = {{Climate impacts on agriculture and tourism: the case for climate resilient investment in the Caribbean}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, year = {2017}, month = feb, url = {https://cdkn.org/sites/default/files/files/Caribbean_tourism_PB_updated_03-05-17_WEB.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }