Christophe Mazurier, a well-known French banker who is now based in The Bahamas, has recently spent his time and effort into educating the public about the plight of small islands under climate change. While siding with the French government, who is on the battlefront of this large issue, he hopes that involvement from influential people such as him will help bring awareness to climate change.
Caribbean Islands Adopt Renewable Energy
Stéphane Tromilin, a sustainable energy attaché in the French government, presented a webinar earlier this year to the United Nations considering France’s work in the French islands. During this webinar, he focused a considerable amount of time discussing the different challenges of islands, particularly those in the Caribbean. He also noted the island’s value and importance for the islands to act as laboratories to create renewable energy solutions.
Mazurier has witnessed these laboratories in action, specifically in the Caribbean because he lives in The Bahamas. Unfortunately, many of these island nations are at risk of climate disasters because of hurricanes and other violent storms. These nations are refusing to become victims of the global intransigence on global climate change. Countries are taking it upon themselves to be the change they wish to see in other countries around the world.
Guadeloupe, a French territory, is focusing on receiving 30 percent of its energy from solar sources. Aruba is currently receiving 20 percent of is energy from wind and has a goal to be totally sustainable by the year 2020. Islands such as the British Virgin Islands, Dominica, The Bahamas and Grenada have joined the Ten Island Challenge which is a mean to help the islands develop goals and support them in creating these goals.
Lower Energy Costs
Mazurier believes that the move to solar energy by the Caribbean was preordained, mostly because they are at the forefront of susceptibly, but also because the cost of traditional energy is incredibly high. The average cost that island nations pay per one kWh of energy is 33 cents. In comparison, the United States pays only 10 cents per kWh.
Reduce Costs for the Future
Even with the costs of fuel lowering, energy costs on islands such as Jamaica being nearly cut in half, some islands were on their way to having a sustainable, renewable future. In 2013, Jamaica signed a deal that would establish 36 MW of sustainable wind power for 63 million dollars to help wean itself off diesel in long-term future. When these islands invest heavily in sustainable, renewable energy, they can steer clear of paying for high diesel costs in the years to come. Mazurier emphasizes that this is critical for these nations who do not have money to spend on budgeting for climate issues.
Whatever happens in the near future, Mazurier believes that the step toward renewable energy is an encouraging sign and highlights that the motivation behind it is necessity.