Stark assessment: Rethink building projects in climate crisis, says PM

Prime Minister Mia Mottley has called for a comprehensive reassessment of future building projects, citing the urgent need to adapt to the rapidly escalating climate crisis.

“Let us get accustomed to it; almost every building in this country that is not fit for purpose will at some point in the next decade or two be rebuilt either by choice or by force,” Mottley told an award ceremony for the Modern School Infrastructure Design Competition, held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre on Monday, that buildings capable of withstanding extreme weather conditions have become critically important.

Her remarks were framed against the backdrop of the damage wrought by Hurricane Beryl, which she cited as incontrovertible evidence of the climate crisis and its potential to inflict significant damage on structures ill-equipped to handle such severe weather events.

She went on to describe the particular threat posed by Hurricane Beryl: “What we saw with Hurricane Beryl was a Category 4 form to the east southeast of Barbados, presenting what the coastal engineers called one of the most perfect storms for storm surge because all of the heavy winds are in the northeastern quadrant [of a hurricane] typically. Therefore once you were southeast of Barbados, and gave the hurricane a run-up, then they had the capacity for the waves to do the horrific damage that was done to our coastal assets.”

The prime minister was unequivocal in her assertion that the challenge of climate-resilient construction is not solely a governmental concern, but one that affects all sectors of Barbadian society. She stressed the necessity of prioritising climate resilience in all future building projects: “Whether we like it or not, we are into a new era with respect to construction and adaptation. This is not something for the government alone, this is something for each and every Barbadian who has a relationship with a building.”

She continued: “I want us to get accustomed to being able to understand that every house, every building in this country must become climate resilient. If it isn’t there you are going to be forced to do it for the wrong reason because the building will not withstand what will come.” (SB)