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The Case for Electric Vehicles in the Caribbean: A Pathway Towards a Cleaner, More Sustainable Future
Learn about the urgent need to transition to electric vehicles (EVs) in the Caribbean to reduce dependence on imported fuel and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Attend the EV-Lution Exhibition on November 7 for more information.
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Originally published by barbadostoday.bb (opens in new tab)
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author(s) do not represent the official position of Barbados TODAY.
By Cherri-Ann Farquharson
Our world is facing a climate crisis that is impossible to ignore, and it is up to every individual, country, and sector to take action and minimise its impact. The automotive industry is no exception; in fact, it is a significant contributor to the issue at hand.
The Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE) reports that fuel imports make up around 10 per cent of the gross domestic product of CARICOM’s 15 member countries. Of that figure, the transport sector is responsible for 30 per cent of the total fuel consumption across our nations. The statistics indicate that the transportation sector is a crucial area where we can take action to reduce our dependence on imported fuel, encourage the diversification of energy supply, enhance transportation efficiency and comfort, and decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The latter is very important, as, according to the United Nations, the transport sector is the largest contributor to GHG emissions in Latin America and the Caribbean, accounting for almost 39 per cent of the total emissions.
Therefore, the need to revolutionise our mode of transportation has never been more urgent. And there is a compelling case to be made for countries to switch to electric vehicles (EVs) as a pathway towards a cleaner, more sustainable future. In 2017, the International Energy Agency reported that the number of EVs worldwide stood at three million; five years later, that figure stood at 26 million, and it is predicted to jump to 125 million by 2030.
It is crucial that the Caribbean participates in the global push towards electric vehicles, especially considering the current reliance on imported fuel to power transportation. Added to that, one must also appreciate that fuel imports eat up a lot of foreign exchange reserves, which developing countries like those in the Caribbean can ill afford. So, the region should be embracing EVs. As countries which benefit from an abundance of natural resources which may produce electricity, like sunlight, prevailing winds, biomass, rivers and our untapped seas, our region is particularly suited for the transition to electric transportation, as it would assist in significantly reducing the region’s dependence on fossil fuels.
Already, efforts are being made in the Caribbean to embrace EVs. Across the region, governments have been introducing incentives to encourage the transition to lower-emission vehicles, including the reduction or removal of import duties and value-added tax. Among the countries doing this have been Barbados, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, St Lucia and Jamaica, to name a few. These incentives have, in no small measure, helped to increase the adoption and affordability of EVs.
