🌍 New climate policy in Cayman Islands remains unadopted

The new climate policy in the Cayman Islands, presented to the PACT caucus by then-premier Wayne Panton almost a year ago, appears to be at risk of being overlooked. In a recent parliamentary session, Panton questioned the current sustainability minister, Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, about the reasons for the delay in adopting the policy, which was initially set to go before the Cabinet last October. The policy outlines severe risks to the Cayman Islands due to climate change, making its adoption crucial for long-term planning. 📑

Ebanks-Wilks, who now oversees the sustainability portfolio, explained that the policy has been edited to reflect feedback received from elected members. However, she did not provide details on the nature of these edits or whether they were made based on technical advice from relevant departments. The updated draft policy has been resubmitted to the caucus but has not yet been placed on the agenda for consideration. Despite the delay, Ebanks-Wilks assured that the Ministry continues to work on climate change matters and raise public awareness about the risks. However, she could not provide a definitive timeline for when the policy would be adopted. 🕰️

Panton expressed concern over the lack of urgency shown by the government in addressing the risks of climate change. Despite Ebanks-Wilks's assurances, she was unable to confirm whether the government fully appreciates the severity of the situation. The minister's inability to provide a clear timeline for the adoption of the policy further underscored these concerns. 🌊