This is an edited version of one of the articles in the Caricom Energy Personality Series, an activity of CARICOM Energy Month 2020.

THERE is no doubt that the modern world requires evolved concepts and frameworks to combat the effects of climate predictions and projections within impacted socio-economic sectors.

Globally, the lack of action threatens devastating consequences for future generations if the world chooses not to act quickly in the best interests of the environment.

Locally, Dr Anthony Chen has lived and worked through a number of eras in the renewable energy sphere, which has undeniably taken his career to pioneering heights. A firm believer of analysing data to paint pictures that accurately reflect our reality, Dr Chen has always been a proponent of using research to always be relevant and applicable to regional development.

His interests in climatology, physics, environmental and energy studies and meteorology are not simply academic instruments to spread awareness of global climate change due to global warming.

For decades, Dr Chen has displayed his selflessness and willingness to mentor young researchers to position climate change as an indispensable tool for national and regional development.

The face of climate change has undoubtedly changed over the last 50 years – making room for in-depth research and critical analyses that help us to better understand the environment and patterns of human consumption that have adversely affected the earth’s condition.

Like many of his professional stature, Dr Chen’s first foray into the world of science began quite innocently — with a routine class visit to his high school’s laboratory. “Initially I wanted to be doctor but the sight of dissecting animals was too much to handle,” Dr Chen said with a laugh.

With a self-professed natural inclination to mathematics and physics, the award-winning research scientist dived head-first into the fascinating scientific world — leading him to pursue four tertiary-level degrees including a master’s in teaching and a doctorate in physics from The University of the West Indies.

Dr Chen’s love for his homeland is palpable, as he described the unique topographical qualities that make Jamaica distinctive from the rest of the Caricom Community.

“We have our own weather system because of the hilly terrain. I remember my first open lecture at The University of the West Indies in 1968 was on solar energy. I always thought that if we had so much sun we should be making good use of it,” he reminisced.

A firm believer in studying Jamaica’s environmental origins for bettering the quality of life for its citizens, Dr Chen’s work has always been positioned well ahead of the learning curve as it relates to climate activity and energy efficiency which, according to him, was accelerated due to a developmental crisis in the late 1970s to early80s.

Originally, the reception to these new concepts and novel ideologies such as solar radiation, wind energy and solar water heaters were met with measured resistance, but Chen’s determination to learn more about the promising industry was unwavering.

“I approached the [science and research arm of] the British Council for funding and they were very receptive. They saw that there would be value in studying wind [technology], so I conducted studies on the eastern part of the island,” he explained.

His research interests would eventually expand islandwide, with financial investments at the time from the then Ministry of Mining and Energy .

Long before it became fashionable to explore energy concepts Dr Chen contended with investigating wind and solar energy feasibility in Jamaica early in his career during the 1970s; carrying out stochastic simulations and forecasting of wind speeds; evaluating solar collectors and taking ground-based radiation measurements for evaluating solar power.

Today, he considers Professor Michael Taylor and Dr Tannecia Stephenson at The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, to be two of his dedicated allies in the fight against climate change.

“They have advanced all of the work that I have done; they are the leaders now in the climate change conversation,” declared Dr Chen.

These opportunities for collaboration are a fundamental characteristic of the research group that Dr Chen founded in 1994, called the Climate Studies Group, Mona (CSGM). Together with the Department of Physics the group has had mandates to investigate and understand the mechanisms responsible for mean and extreme climates in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean, including variability and seasonal prediction, climate extremes, models and respective impacts.

By using this understanding to predict the climate, Dr Chen argues that an opportunity to investigate, analyse and promote awareness of global climate change due to global warming is provided.

“The CSGM is now recognised as the leading research organisation on climate change in the Caribbean — so that they have been getting grants for climate resilience and to create databases that can spread information around the region,” the now-retired professor explained.

For Jamaica to join the international conversation on climate activity as a small nation has been made much easier thanks to recognition of the impactful work being done by CSGM. It is that continued spirit of collaboration that has brought great rewards to this atmospheric physicist.

In 2007 Dr Chen received the honour of a lifetime with a joint awarding of the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize for valiant efforts made to increase knowledge of man-made climate change and to set the critical groundwork for the action required to address and counteract these changes.

The supreme commendation, which was as a result of his research contributions to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), was also awarded to former United States Vice President Al Gore that year.

This article was written by Tenille Clarke, media and communications consultant, GiZ/Caricom and was produced by the Caricom Energy Unit, the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE), and the European Union (EU) and German Federal Ministry of Economic Development and Cooperation (BMZ)-funded Technical Assistance Programme for Sustainable Energy in the Caribbean (TAPSEC).

The Caricom Energy Personality Series aims to give recognition to regional energy champions who have made exceptional contributions in the areas of renewable energy, energy efficiency, energy access, resilience, and rural electrification throughout the Caribbean Community. To read more features within the series, visit energy.caricom.org