Jamaica and the Caribbean · CBR Intelligence Note, Vol. 1, No. 16
The Compound Climate Cost: El Niño and Caribbean business risk
Cherri-Ann Farquharson examines how El Niño can affect Caribbean firms’ costs, cash flow and continuity. Read the CBR Intelligence Note and full PDF.
By Cherri-Ann Farquharson
Manager, Sustainable Development Services, Environmental Solutions Limited (ESL)
About this report
- Document title
- The Compound Climate Cost - El Niño and the Balance-Sheet Risks Caribbean Firms Must Prepare For
- Document date
- Edition
- CBR Intelligence Note, Vol. 1, No. 16
- Author / preparer
- Cherri-Ann Farquharson
Manager, Sustainable Development Services, Environmental Solutions Limited (ESL) - Original publisher
- Caribbean Business Review
- Format
- PDF · 21 pages · English
Jamaica and the Caribbean: context and scope
In this intelligence note, Cherri-Ann Farquharson examines how climate pressures can reach a Caribbean business through several operating costs at once. The analysis connects heat, water constraints and disrupted supply chains with energy bills, food inputs, staff productivity, insurance exposure and working-capital needs—even when premises suffer no direct physical damage.
For Jamaican readers, the paper draws on electricity-demand and water-supply examples to connect regional climate conditions with everyday operating decisions. It considers different exposures across tourism, agriculture, manufacturing, retail and financial services, rather than assuming that every firm faces the same risks.
The note discusses linking climate information to decisions about procurement, staffing, water use, inventory and financial planning, with clear management accountability. Read the full paper for its evidence, assumptions and sector analysis. Its climate outlooks reflect the publication’s 2026 context; they are not a live forecast.
What the report covers
- Heat, water and energy pressures on operations
- Food, freight and supply-chain exposure
- Sector differences and working-capital pressures
- Climate information, management decisions and business continuity
ESL’s role and source
Cherri-Ann Farquharson, manager of ESL’s SDS division, authored this independent analysis for Caribbean Business Review. ESL includes it here as a contribution by a member of its team; Caribbean Business Review is the original publisher.
Suggested citation
Farquharson, C. (2026). The Compound Climate Cost - El Niño and the Balance-Sheet Risks Caribbean Firms Must Prepare For. CBR Intelligence Note, Vol. 1, No. 16. Caribbean Business Review.