Dr. David Farrell, Principal of the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH), was among six distinguished experts from around the world who were invited to speak at the Global Water Analysis Laboratory (GloWAL) Conference at the 67th General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), where he shed light on the global importance of the GloWAL initiative. Dr. Farrell’s insights centered on the significance of GloWAL from the unique perspective of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which often grapple with substantial challenges in managing their limited water resources within the context of various competing national development priorities, including housing, industrial development, agriculture, food security, and infrastructure expansion, among others.
During the session chaired by Director General of the IAEA, Mr. Rafael Grossi, and attended by IAEA Deputy Director, General Najat Mokhtar, Dr. Farrell highlighted the pivotal role that the CIMH plays in providing technical support to the 16 Member States of the Caribbean Meteorological Organization (CMO), all of which are Small Island Developing States. Notably, he pointed out that several of these islands, including his native Barbados, are classified as water-scarce regions. The water resources management on Caribbean SIDS is particularly complex due to the competing land uses that jeopardize the quantity and quality of available freshwater resources.
Dr. Farrell underscored the invaluable contributions of GloWAL, the Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP), and the isotope hydrology laboratory that is currently being established at CIMH with the support of the IAEA. These initiatives are set to play a critical role in assisting CMO member states by enhancing their understanding of river and aquifer vulnerability. They will support the identification of recharge zones, recharge rates, travel times, drainage areas, aquifer extent, flow paths, and more. Collecting and evaluating this data will serve to underpin and inform national Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) strategies, thus, further promoting sustainable water resource practices.
Dr. Farrell concluded his remarks by expressing heartfelt gratitude to the IAEA for its unwavering support of the Caribbean region. He pledged to harness the resources at CIMH, in collaboration with other partners, to ensure the continued success of the GloWAL and GNIP initiatives in the region. Furthermore, he expressed his commitment to link these initiatives, whenever feasible, to the joint World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) global EW4ALL (Early Warnings for All) initiative.
Dr. Farrell’s participation in the GloWAL Conference exemplifies the vital role that the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology plays in addressing water resource challenges in Small Island Developing States towards ensuring the sustainable management of water resources in the Caribbean.
