The Caribbean countries are highly exposed to climate events, and buildings, especially housing, are particularly vulnerable. Those countries with a higher use of resilient materials perform better against climate impact and have smaller overall economic losses. Cement and steel are among the most important resilient building materials in the Caribbean, but also require … [Read more...] about 3 Ways to Decarbonize a Resilient Building in the Caribbean
Christiaan Gischler
Christiaan Gischler, Lead Energy Specialist, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Mr. Gischler is the focal point for sustainable energy within the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), with over 15 years of experience in the energy and environmental sector in Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC). Currently, he is leading several initiatives in renewable energy including geothermal power, energy efficiency, bioenergy and climate change mitigation. Mr. Gischler is actively working and promoting sustainable energy projects and programs throughout LAC. Mr. Gischler has developed several co-financing instruments with several donors using climate financing such as the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Clean Technology Fund (CTF) and more recently with the Green Climate fund (GCF) in climate change mitigation, for energy projects in the LAC. He is the practice leader for Geothermal Power and for the Caribbean region in the IDB Energy Division. Mr. Gischler has designed, developed and executed projects and financial initiatives for over US$ 3.7 billion promoting sustainable energy in LAC. He has also participated in several conferences, promoting sustainable energy as well as policy & regulation to promote renewable energies, energy efficiency and carbon emission reductions. Prior to joining the IDB, Mr. Gischler worked for National Commission for Environment in Chile and for the private sector in air pollution control equipment, reuse of waste and energy efficiency. He has taught courses in environmental engineering in Chile and Sweden. Mr. Gischler holds two Engineering degrees in chemical engineering and biotechnological engineering from the University of Chile and a Masters in Science degree in environmental engineering and sustainable infrastructure from the Royal Institute of Technology of Sweden.
Key aspects for managing the environmental and social risks of green hydrogen
Green hydrogen (GH) has the potential to be a game-changer in the transition to a low-carbon economy. It is emerging as a key player due to its versatility and sustainability and as a promising alternative to decarbonize the “hard to abate” sectors, such as heavy industry, transport and energy, which account for more than 50% of the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The … [Read more...] about Key aspects for managing the environmental and social risks of green hydrogen
3 keys to Increase Nature-Based Solutions in Caribbean Construction Industry
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Caribbean are among the most highly vulnerable countries to climate change hazards which include sea level rise, hurricanes, flooding, droughts, changing rainfall patterns, increased temperatures, and coastal erosion. Investing in Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) is critical for the Caribbean owing to the region’s heightened … [Read more...] about 3 keys to Increase Nature-Based Solutions in Caribbean Construction Industry
Building resilience comes at a higher initial cost. How can we better finance it?
The economic impact of climate events in the Caribbean is among the highest in the world. Improving the resilience of buildings is vital to increase preparedness to the impacts of climate change and is economically viable for many building typologies in high-risk Caribbean countries. Although resilient buildings generate long-term savings, in most cases, they come with … [Read more...] about Building resilience comes at a higher initial cost. How can we better finance it?
The cost of (not) building resilient infrastructure in the Caribbean
We all know that to build more resilient infrastructure, we need to invest more; but how much more is enough? Our last blog showed that the Caribbean islands lose an average 2% of their capital stock in infrastructure because of climate-related events every year. This would be equivalent to having all the infrastructure capital stock in the Caribbean islands … [Read more...] about The cost of (not) building resilient infrastructure in the Caribbean