Lighting the way

The Dominican Republic emits less than 0.1% of global emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs), but, as part of an island, the country is very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change through increased temperatures, sea level rise and rainfall variability. Studies have shown that the country is already experiencing the effects of climate change through the increased intensity and frequency of tropical storms. The Dominican Republic has been classified as the eighth country in the world that was most affected by extreme weather events between 1993 and 2012. In view of the above, the country has come up with a set of policies aimed at preserving existing resources, achieving the objectives of sustainable development and increasing the resilience of ecosystems and human communities to the adverse effects of climate change. In all of these policies, consensus and the participation of all sectors of society has been critical.