Carib Scope

分类： environment

  • Climate Change Act Drives Belize’s Sustainable Development Vision

    Climate Change Act Drives Belize’s Sustainable Development Vision

    Against a backdrop of growing global climate vulnerability, small Central American nation Belize has taken a historic step to embed climate action into its national legal framework, advancing its long-term vision for equitable, low-carbon sustainable development.

    On June 18, 2026, Governor-General Dame Froyla Tzalam signed the Climate Change and Carbon Market Initiatives Act 2026 – the country’s first ever comprehensive piece of climate legislation – with the law officially gazetted two days later, bringing it into formal effect. This landmark legislation establishes a clear, structured governance system for Belize’s national climate policy and its participation in the fast-growing global carbon market.

    Key provisions of the new law include bolstering the institutional capacity of Belize’s Climate Change Department, strengthening national inter-agency coordination on climate initiatives, and mandating standardized, transparent climate impact reporting. Critically, the act also sets out unambiguous regulatory guidelines for carbon offset projects, including strict protocols for benefit sharing, progress tracking, and accountability to ensure local communities see tangible gains from carbon market activity.

    Speaking on the new legislation, Minister of Sustainable Development Orlando Habet emphasized that the framework equips Belize to take full ownership of its domestic climate agenda, rather than relying on external direction. It paves the way for the country to pursue intentional low-emission economic growth across all sectors, from tourism to agriculture, while guaranteeing that revenue and opportunities generated through carbon market participation directly benefit Belizean citizens.

    With the core legal structure now in place, the government’s focus has shifted to implementation. In the coming months, officials will develop supporting secondary regulations, build out digital monitoring and reporting systems, and foster collaborative partnerships with local communities, the private sector, civil society organizations, and international development stakeholders to roll out the law’s provisions across the country.

  • Belize Passes First Climate Change Law on Carbon Credits

    Belize Passes First Climate Change Law on Carbon Credits

    On June 18, 2026, Belize made history in its climate action journey when Governor-General Dame Froyla Tzalam formally signed the nation’s first-ever legislation focused on climate change and carbon market governance into force. Just two days after the signing, the law was officially published in the country’s official Gazette, marking the completion of its legislative adoption and opening a new chapter for Belize’s climate resilience and sustainable development efforts.

    This landmark legislation carries two core mandates that reshape the country’s climate governance framework. First, it formalizes the status of the national Climate Change Department as an official government body, while expanding its institutional authority to coordinate cross-sector climate action and systematically track the country’s progress toward meeting its climate targets. Second, it establishes the first formal regulatory framework for Belize’s emerging carbon market, creating clear rules that allow both public and private actors to generate revenue through verified emission reduction activities by selling those climate benefits as tradeable carbon credits.

    Orlando Habet, Belize’s Minister of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, emphasized that the new legislation empowers the nation to advance its climate priorities on its own terms, strengthening Belize’s position in global climate action. “This law puts Belize in a stronger position to advance our climate agenda on our own terms,” Habet noted, highlighting the country’s commitment to centered its own development and environmental needs in climate policymaking.

    With the foundational legislation now in effect, the government has shifted focus to the critical next step: implementing the law through the development of detailed regulatory frameworks, operational standards, and administrative systems that will govern how carbon market projects are structured and operate across Belize. To kick off this implementation phase, the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate Change, backed by technical and financial support from the European Union, the Euroclima regional climate programme, and the United Nations Development Programme, hosted a two-day inclusive policy drafting workshop in the capital city of Belmopan on June 24 and 25.

    In a break from one-size-fits-all policy models imported from other regions, the workshop intentionally brought together a diverse cross-section of stakeholders: senior government officials, private sector representatives, environmental advocacy organizations, academic climate researchers, and local community leaders. The goal of this broad participation is to ensure that the resulting Climate Change and Carbon Market Policy is tailored to Belize’s unique ecological, economic, and social context, rather than adopting an off-the-shelf framework that does not align with local needs.

    Habet outlined the core principles guiding the policy development process, emphasizing that it will remain open, inclusive, and rooted in national ownership. “The goal is to keep the process open and built on broad consultation and national ownership, one that reflects our priorities, protects our people and ecosystems, and positions Belize to benefit from climate finance,” Habet explained.

    Edalmi Pinelo, Belize’s Chief Climate Change Officer, echoed this commitment to collective input, noting that the entire process is designed to center stakeholder feedback. “This is a collective process,” Pinelo said. “We are here to listen, and the feedback gathered will inform every stage of policy development.”

    Looking ahead, the Belizean government has announced plans for additional rounds of public consultation and working group sessions over the coming months as it continues to refine and finalize the national climate and carbon market policy. The inclusive approach is designed to build broad national buy-in while ensuring that the emerging carbon market delivers tangible benefits for Belize’s people and natural environments, rather than external actors.

  • Forest Department Sets Deadline for Logging Season

    Forest Department Sets Deadline for Logging Season

    A key regulatory update has emerged from Belize’s forest management sector, with the Belize Forest Department officially locking in July 15, 2026 as the final closing date for the 2025–2026 commercial logging season. Once this deadline passes, all logging-related activities—including tree felling, timber harvesting, log hauling and the transportation of all processed timber products that fall under currently issued permits and licenses—must come to a complete halt.

    To help logging operators prepare for the seasonal closure and avoid penalties for non-compliance, the Forest Department has issued a series of clear reminders outlining mandatory requirements for any approved log transportation that takes place before the July 15 cutoff. Every load of timber moved before the deadline must meet three core conditions: it must be accompanied by a valid official waybill, every log must be clearly marked on both ends with the operator’s registered property brand and the official hammer stamp issued by the Forest Department, and each individual load must possess a separate, valid “Permission to Haul” authorization.

    The department has also clarified the process for submitting hauling permission requests: all applications must be filed through the corresponding local Forest Department range offices. Each request will undergo individual case-by-case review, and approval is not guaranteed as a default. To ensure full adherence to regulatory standards, authorized inspectors reserve the right to conduct on-site field inspections at any time to verify that operations comply with all licensing terms, confirm that all required royalty payments have been completed in full, and confirm that all other regulatory requirements are met.

    In addition to the seasonal closure mandate, the Forest Department has issued a new policy update regarding small-scale logging permits: no new petty permits for logging activities on private or leased lands will be issued after the July 15 deadline. The agency also emphasized that any transportation of forest products harvested under existing petty permits will be strictly prohibited after the closing date, with enforcement measures in place to crack down on unauthorized activity.

  • Project targets abandoned seamoss farms, pilots alternative cultivation system

    Project targets abandoned seamoss farms, pilots alternative cultivation system

    The Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia is rolling out a targeted new initiative to address the lingering challenges of its boom-and-bust edible seamoss industry, combining marine conservation with long-term sector sustainability. Back in 2021, the sector saw an unexpected surge: amid widespread Covid-19 lockdowns that left thousands out of work, hundreds of newly unemployed workers turned to small-scale seamoss farming, pushing export revenues from 4.3 million Eastern Caribbean dollars to 6.4 million EC dollars in just one year. That rapid growth, however, was never built to last. As pandemic restrictions lifted and traditional jobs returned, many new temporary farmers exited the sector, leaving behind scattered, abandoned farm sites across key growing regions, most notably Savannes Bay—one of the country’s most important seamoss cultivation hubs. Today, dozens of disused operations dot the inlet’s coastline, leaving discarded farming infrastructure that poses risks to boat traffic, marine ecosystems, and recreational users of the bay.

    To tackle this problem, the Saint Lucia National Conservation Fund (SLUNCF) and the country’s Department of Fisheries have partnered to launch the Marine Debris Removal and Deployment of Sustainable Raft Systems Project, a 215,000-dollar initiative funded by the Agence Française de Développement through the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund’s Caribbean Regional Architecture for Bioversity Project. The multi-faceted program has three core goals: clear abandoned fishing and farming gear from affected coastal waters, map and zone designated priority growing areas to streamline industry regulation, and pilot a more eco-friendly cultivation method that reduces environmental harm while boosting output.

    For long-time seamoss producers, the project has already earned widespread support. Vincent “Jeg” Clarke, a third-generation farmer who has cultivated seamoss since 1986 and now leads the Eau Piquant Agriculture and Seamoss Producers association, explained that traditional growing methods have long created hidden environmental costs. Under the dominant local approach, farmers drive dozens of wooden stakes into the seabed to support growing lines, then attach floating plastic bottles to keep lines buoyant. The wood for these stakes is often harvested from nearby coastal forests, contributing to local deforestation, while abandoned plastic waste leaches microplastics into nearshore ecosystems. “What you all have just seen is a forest in the sea, we’re trying to take this method out,” Clarke noted during a June 23 media field visit to Savannes Bay, adding that the project aims to “curb deforestation and go to more environmentally friendly practices.”

    Drawing on insights from a regional industry exchange program in Belize, the project will pilot a new PVC floating raft system across Savannes Bay and nearby coastal areas in Vieux Fort, including Boreil Beach and Bois Chadon. Unlike traditional setups, this alternative method uses parallel floating PVC rods secured by just a handful of wooden stakes, with seamoss growing lines stretched between the rods. SLUNCF Chief Executive Officer Craig Henry explained that the system delivers multiple benefits beyond lower environmental impact: the floating design adjusts naturally to tidal movements, simplifies harvesting and cultivation processes, and allows farmers to grow more seamoss per square meter of coastal area than traditional methods. “What we are trying to do is support the department of fisheries and other agencies in continuing the effort to bring some manner of regulation and order to how seamoss is cultivated, but also reducing the environmental pressures related to traditional methods of cultivation,” Henry said.

    Vaughn Serieux, head of the Agriculture Unit at the Department of Fisheries, added that sustainability is at the core of the entire project, which is designed not just to clean up current damage but to lay the groundwork for a stable, long-term seamoss sector that can coexist with healthy marine ecosystems. The initiative also directly engages 45 local farmers and fishers, 37% of whom are women, and incorporates regular feedback channels for nearby coastal communities to raise concerns and shape project implementation.

    For veteran farmers like Petuna Joseph, who has grown seamoss for more than 14 years, the project offers a much-needed path forward for a sector that has struggled with labor demands and shifting weather patterns in recent years. While Joseph cited physical challenges of cultivation and climate impacts as ongoing hurdles, she expressed cautious optimism about the initiative, saying: “I like what I’m seeing happening, I like it, I just hope it goes in a positive way.” Project organizers have emphasized that they are working closely with both current and former farmers to ensure the program delivers long-term benefits beyond its initial pilot phase, laying the groundwork for a more resilient and sustainable seamoss industry for Saint Lucia.

  • Caribbean climate-smart farming project trains 49 farmers and agricultural officers in St. Vincent

    Caribbean climate-smart farming project trains 49 farmers and agricultural officers in St. Vincent

    As climate change continues to intensify threats to Caribbean agricultural systems, a regional initiative centered on improving soil health and building climate resilience is rolling out targeted training to farming communities across St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Forty-nine local farmers and agricultural technical officers have recently graduated from the first round of hands-on training organized under the ADOPT Caribbean – Soil Health for Climate Resilient Agriculture project, a program designed to embed sustainable production practices and boost the agricultural sector’s ability to withstand climate shocks. The initiative is led by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in collaboration with a network of national and regional partners, with a current focus on expanding outreach and support to small-scale farming communities in the northeast of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

    Unlike traditional theoretical-only training programs, the recent ADOPT Caribbean sessions blended structured classroom learning with immersive field-based practice to ensure participants gained both foundational knowledge and actionable, on-the-ground experience. As part of the program’s initial assessment work, technical teams collected soil samples from two key local districts—Langley Park and Orange Hill—to generate baseline data that will inform evidence-based soil management strategies for the region moving forward. Specialized training for technical officers was delivered by leading industry experts: Ronen Francis from the Partnership Initiative for Sustainable Landscape Management (PISLM) and Chaney St. Martin, IICA’s International Specialist in Water and Soil Management. Course content focused heavily on evidence-based soil health improvement techniques and the development of dedicated demonstration plots that will serve as living examples of climate-smart agriculture for local producers.

    Local farmers also participated in hands-on practical workshops led by St. Martin, with support from IICA’s in-country Technical Specialist Michael Dalton and project consultant Michael Delpeche. The training curriculum covered the full cycle of crop production, from initial land preparation and optimized planting methods to ongoing crop maintenance and climate-adapted harvesting practices. According to Dalton, the program is already filling a critical gap by building specialized, context-relevant skills for both local producers and agricultural support professionals.

    “ADOPT Caribbean provides an important platform for capacity building for farmers and agricultural technicians,” Dalton explained in an official IICA press statement. “We have been able to expose our local technical team to key considerations for experimental plot establishment and provided information for our farmers which gives a sound basis for their operations on their farms. We intend to further advance our interventions through forums such as these for stakeholders, with the intention to promote such practices across the country.”

    Looking ahead, the next phase of the project will focus on establishing permanent demonstration plots across St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where local farmers can observe climate-smart farming techniques in action and learn how to adapt these methods to their own smallholdings. Beyond St. Vincent and the Grenadines, ADOPT Caribbean is also active in Guyana and Jamaica, forming part of a broader regional push to improve regional soil health, cut greenhouse gas emissions originating from agricultural activity, and scale up climate resilience across the Caribbean agricultural sector.

    The initiative receives funding through the New Zealand Government’s Climate Smart Agriculture Initiative (NZCSA-LAC), which is New Zealand’s official contribution to the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA). All project funding is administered through the Ag Emissions Centre. Looking forward, IICA has confirmed that the project will continue to support farmers and agricultural stakeholders across all three participating countries, with a long-term goal of mainstreaming sustainable farming practices that strengthen regional food security while preserving critical natural ecosystems.

  • Massale vissterfte in Moeroekreek: NMA start onderzoek

    Massale vissterfte in Moeroekreek: NMA start onderzoek

    On June 26, Suriname’s National Environmental Authority (NMA) issued an urgent public warning banning local residents from catching, consuming, or selling fish caught from the Moeroekreek waterway in Saramacca District, following the discovery of a widespread unexplained mass fish die-off in the region.

    The alert was triggered after reports of dead and dying fish came from communities near the upper reaches of the Saramacca River, where the Moeroekreek is located, just a short distance from the Indigenous village of Pikin Saron. The NMA has confirmed it holds serious suspicions that an as-yet unidentified toxic contaminant has entered the water system, and has launched a high-priority joint investigation alongside other relevant government agencies to pinpoint the source and nature of the pollution.

    Environmental officials also warned that the suspected contamination is likely moving downstream with the current, spreading northward along the Saramacca River. As a precaution, residents of all riverbank communities along this stretch of the waterway have been urged to heighten their vigilance and follow strict safety guidance while investigation results are pending.

    The NMA outlined four key public safety recommendations for all residents in the affected area: First, avoid catching, eating, or selling any dead or sick fish harvested from the region. Second, do not use water from Moeroekreek or its immediate surrounding tributaries for drinking, food preparation, or any other household purposes for the time being. Third, limit unnecessary direct contact with the water as much as possible to reduce potential exposure risks. Fourth, report any new cases of mass fish mortality immediately to the district commissioner or other competent local authorities.

    The authority emphasized that the investigation into the incident is being treated as a top public health and environmental priority. It confirmed that once more information becomes available about the root cause of the die-off and potential risks to human health and local ecosystems, the affected communities and general public will receive timely, full updates.

  • Belize Hosts Fourth Annual Climate Resilience Forum

    Belize Hosts Fourth Annual Climate Resilience Forum

    On the morning of June 25, 2026, stakeholders spanning multiple sectors — including government agencies, non-governmental organizations, artisanal fisherfolk groups, and academic research institutions — assembled in Belize for the Fourth Climate Resilience Forum, hosted by the country’s Ministry of Blue Economy and Marine Conservation. The cross-sector gathering was designed to center diverse perspectives on confronting the most urgent coastal and marine threats facing the small Caribbean nation: massive sargassum inundations, accelerating beach erosion, systemic climate change impacts, and steadily rising ocean temperatures that threaten coral reefs and fisheries.

    Throughout the day’s discussions, attendees celebrated the tangible progress Belize has already achieved in marine protection and the sustainable expansion of its blue economy, while emphasizing that ongoing cross-stakeholder collaboration and adaptive improvement are critical to protecting the nation’s coastal and marine resources for current and future generations of coastal communities.

    Andre Perez, Belize’s Minister of Blue Economy, used his keynote address to spotlight two often-overlooked pillars of effective climate resilience: youth inclusion and technological innovation. “We often say young people are the future, but the future is already here — we are building the foundation of our resilience today,” Perez explained. “That means we need young people as active partners right now, not just an afterthought for coming decades. This work is constantly evolving, so we need fresh, smarter ideas to move forward.”

    Perez added that innovation extends far beyond just monitoring ocean conditions, noting that new tools are transforming the fight against illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing — a persistent threat to Belize’s fish stocks and sustainable fishing livelihoods. Where enforcement once relied almost exclusively on patrol vessels, the ministry is now integrating drone technology into monitoring efforts and expanding cross-stakeholder cooperation. “It’s not just the Fisheries Department patrolling waters alone anymore,” Perez said. “This work has to be a collective effort with every group at the table.”

    Beverly Wade, Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Blue Economy, outlined the major policy and regulatory advances the government has delivered in recent years. “We have made significant inroads in strengthening the foundational framework for sustainable, inclusive blue economy growth in Belize,” Wade reported. Most recently, the government completed a full review and modernization of national coastal zone management legislation, alongside an update to the country’s integrated coastal zone management plan. Looking ahead, the ministry is moving forward with implementing the Belize Sustainable Oceans Plan, financed in part through blue bonds.

    “These updates are critical because they strengthen our overall blueprint for this work, both from the perspective of environmental stewardship and equitable economic development,” Wade added. She also confirmed that the ministry is currently in the consultation phase of revising national fisheries legislation, with the updated framework on track to be finalized by the end of 2026.

    This report is based on a transcribed evening television newscast, with any Kriol-language remarks standardized to a consistent spelling system for publication.

  • WINDREF: Invitation for Prequalification of Contractors

    WINDREF: Invitation for Prequalification of Contractors

    The Windward Islands Research and Education Foundation (WINDREF), based at St. George’s University in Grenada, has secured grant financing from the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) to advance the transformative Telescope’s Living Shoreline (TLS) Project, a coastal resilience initiative focused on stabilizing eroding shorelines in Grenada’s Grenville Bay Area. As the project’s lead implementing agency, WINDREF has opened a prequalification round for contractors bidding to deliver the project’s core construction works, ahead of a full tender invitation expected in July 2026.

    Located along the shores of Little Bay in the Telescope community, the TLS project centers on implementing nature-centered and hybrid shoreline stabilization measures to protect the vulnerable coastline from erosion and storm damage. While final design work is still underway as part of an ongoing parallel design review and optimization consultancy, the core construction scope is already outlined. The works will impact approximately 550 metres of coastal shoreline, covering activities including in-water and intertidal marine construction, installation of armour stone structures both onshore and offshore, excavation works and toe stone placement, coastal zone backfilling, temporary access road and stockpile area development with full post-construction restoration, and comprehensive quality control for all construction materials including boulders, structural blocks and fill sediment.

    The prequalification process follows the formal regulations set out in Grenada’s 2014 Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Property Act and 2015 accompanying regulations, and is open to all eligible contractors, whether applying as individual firms or as joint venture (JV) partnerships. WINDREF explicitly encourages regional construction firms to partner with international specialists in both grey and green infrastructure to meet project requirements, and particularly promotes joint ventures that combine local marine construction expertise with specialized global experience in ecosystem restoration.

    To qualify, bidders must meet strict financial, experience and compliance criteria. For joint venture partnerships, the lead partner is required to satisfy at least 50% of the combined financial and experience requirements, with the full JV team required to meet 100% of all standards. Financially, bidders must demonstrate a minimum average annual turnover of EC$5.4 million (equivalent to approximately US$2.0 million), calculated over the top five years of the last seven full operating years, as well as verifiable accessible cash flow or credit lines totaling at least EC$1.1 million (US$400,000).

    In terms of relevant experience, bidders must have served as prime contractor on at least two similar coastal or marine construction projects completed to at least 80% progress within the last seven years, with each project valued at a minimum of EC$3.6 million (US$1.3 million). Preference will be granted to teams that can demonstrate prior experience integrating Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) such as mangrove habitat rehabilitation, vegetation-fueled dune stabilization, or eco-engineered marine infrastructure into their work. Bidders must also provide a minimum of two professional reference letters from past clients for successfully completed similar projects, a signed declaration confirming no major environmental or social compliance breaches, regulatory fines, or project suspensions related to E&S non-compliance over the last five years, and documented proof of a dedicated Health, Safety and Environment (HSE)/Safeguards Officer with prior experience implementing environmental management plans in sensitive marine coastal ecosystems.

    Interested contractors can request additional project information from co-project managers Kendon James and Carol Forbes between 8 am and 4 pm Grenada local time, Monday through Friday, via the contact emails listed in this announcement. All prequalification submissions must be prepared in English, delivered exclusively via email in PDF format (with a maximum total file size of 30MB), and received by 2 pm local Grenada time on July 20, 2026. The email subject line for submissions must follow the format: “[Company Name or Abbreviation] — TLS Prequalification Documents”.

    WINDREF notes that the burden of proof for confirming successful submission receipt falls to the bidding party, and a simple read receipt or sent folder confirmation from the bidder’s email system will not be sufficient to confirm delivery. The organization also reserves the right to accept or reject any late submissions, cancel the prequalification process at any stage, and is not required to provide reasoning for any prequalification outcomes. WINDREF will not cover any costs incurred by bidders during the preparation and submission of prequalification materials.

  • Fisheries Division marks SSMR Day 2026 with focus on marine conservation

    Fisheries Division marks SSMR Day 2026 with focus on marine conservation

    On June 25, 2026, the Caribbean island nation of Dominica will mark a landmark annual conservation milestone: the 32nd Soufriere Scotts Head Marine Reserve (SSMR) Day. Organized by the Fisheries Division under the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy, this year’s observance carries the central theme “Strong Marine Protected Areas for Our Blue Planet,” anchoring the event in a global call to protect ocean ecosystems against mounting climate and development pressures.

    First launched on June 5, 1994, in the coastal community of Scotts Head, SSMR Day has grown into one of the Fisheries Division’s most high-profile flagship outreach events. Though the annual tradition was briefly paused after Hurricane Maria, a devastating Category 5 storm that swept across Dominica in 2017 causing widespread destruction of coastal and marine infrastructure, the event quickly resumed its core mission: educating local communities about the irreplaceable value of Dominica’s marine resources and the urgent need to safeguard these assets for coming generations. Today, it remains a cornerstone of the island’s public engagement strategy for marine conservation and sustainable coastal resource management.

    This year’s program is tailored to reach cross-sector audiences, with a particular focus on engaging young people who will inherit responsibility for the island’s natural resources. A slate of educational and awareness-building activities kicks off in the lead-up to the official day, including interactive presentations for primary school students, informational segments broadcast across local radio stations, and preparations for a highly anticipated inter-school debate open to all secondary schools across the region. Each activity is intentionally designed to foster a deeper culture of environmental stewardship, encouraging both youth and adult community members to adopt sustainable practices that reduce harm to marine ecosystems.

    The full schedule of events will conclude with a formal SSMR Day awards ceremony on the official observance date of June 25, which recognizes outstanding contributions to local marine conservation efforts.

    Planning and execution for the 2026 event is a collaborative cross-stakeholder effort. Teams from the Fisheries Division and the Local Area Management Authority (LAMA) lead coordination, with additional support from local watersports operators and a wide range of community partners across the Soufriere-Scotts Head region. Preparatory work has already included targeted educational outreach sessions in local neighborhoods and widespread public awareness campaigns to boost turnout and engagement.

    The 2026 iteration of SSMR Day aligns with Dominica’s broader national push to advance sustainable ocean governance, at a moment when small island developing states face accelerating climate impacts such as sea level rise, ocean acidification, and coral bleaching. Organizers emphasize that well-managed marine protected areas like SSMR are not just critical for preserving vulnerable ocean biodiversity—they also underpin the livelihoods of thousands of Dominicans who work in fishing, tourism, and coastal recreation, while building natural resilience to the climate and environmental shocks that threaten island communities.

    The Fisheries Division has issued a public call for widespread community participation in this year’s events, urging locals and visitors alike to support ongoing work to protect Dominica’s marine environment. Officials with the division note that collective action and sustained public awareness are the foundation of progress, and that through shared commitment, Dominica can continue to build a healthier, more sustainable future for its oceans and the coastal communities that depend on them.

  • New Flood Warning Procedures Being Developed for Antigua and Barbuda

    New Flood Warning Procedures Being Developed for Antigua and Barbuda

    Against a backdrop of escalating climate-driven extreme weather across the Caribbean, Antigua and Barbuda is taking a major step forward in strengthening its national disaster preparedness and climate resilience. The Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service (ABMS), in partnership with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), has announced it will host a two-day national institutional workshop focused on developing comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for flood forecasting and early warning, scheduled to run June 25–26, 2026 at the National Office of Disaster Services (NODS) facility in Saint John’s, American Road.

    This workshop is not an isolated effort; it forms a core component of the broader Early Warning Systems for Floods (EWS-F) Project, funded by the United States Department of State. It marks a defining milestone in Antigua and Barbuda’s long-term strategy to boost climate resilience, cut disaster risk, and build robust multi-hazard early warning infrastructure. The initiative is coordinated by ABMS as part of the agency’s ongoing institutional transformation under its Meteorological Renaissance 2030 agenda, aligned with the United Nations-led global Early Warnings for All (EW4ALL) initiative that aims to deliver early warning protection to every person on Earth by 2027.

    To reflect the cross-cutting nature of effective flood risk management, the workshop will bring together a diverse group of national stakeholders from across public, private, and academic sectors. Participating institutions include the Antigua Public Utilities Authority Water Business Unit, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Works, the Survey Department, the Department of Environment, the Development Control Authority, the St. John’s Development Corporation, the National Office of Disaster Services, Antigua and Barbuda Search and Rescue (ABSAR), private sector insurance representatives, The University of the West Indies, and ABMS itself. This broad participation underscores a growing global consensus that functional flood early warning systems depend on a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach: only when forecasters, infrastructure planners, land use managers, water resource regulators, emergency responders, academics, and private industry align their efforts can communities effectively protect lives, livelihoods, and hard-won development gains.

    Over the course of the two-day event, collaborating stakeholders will tackle a series of key objectives designed to build a durable, integrated flood warning framework. Participants will conduct a full review of end-to-end flood forecasting and warning workflows, clarify institutional roles, responsibilities, and cross-agency decision-making protocols, strengthen interagency coordination and communication channels, refine protocols for warning dissemination and turning warnings into concrete protective action, draft the first national Standard Operating Procedures for flood forecasting and warning, and lay the groundwork for a fully integrated, sustainable national flood early warning system.

    A central priority of the workshop is preparing national institutions for the rollout of the Urban and Flash Flood Information System (UFFIS), a cutting-edge flood forecasting and decision-support platform being rolled out as part of the EWS-F Project. When fully operational, UFFIS will deliver best-in-class capabilities for monitoring, forecasting, and issuing warnings for both urban and flash flood events. This technology will allow national authorities to accurately anticipate flood impacts, boost community preparedness, and make more informed, science-backed decisions at every stage of a flood emergency – before, during, and after the event.

    Notably, Antigua and Barbuda is set to become one of a small number of Caribbean nations, and potentially among the first three countries in the region, to access and benefit from this advanced technology. This positions the island nation at the leading edge of regional efforts to modernize flood forecasting and reinforce climate resilience through data-driven decision support systems.

    ABMS Director Dale Destin emphasized the transformative potential of the initiative in his remarks, noting that effective flood communications must extend beyond raw forecasts to deliver clear, actionable guidance that drives timely protective action. “This workshop represents a critical step toward building a truly integrated, impact-based flood early warning system for Antigua and Barbuda,” Destin said. “By bringing together all relevant stakeholders, we are strengthening the institutional partnerships and operational procedures necessary to ensure that warnings reach the right people at the right time and lead to meaningful action.”

    Destin added that the initiative is a key pillar of ABMS’s Meteorological Renaissance 2030 agenda and Antigua and Barbuda’s commitment to the global Early Warnings for All framework. It demonstrates that strategic investment in national meteorological and hydrological services delivers benefits that go far beyond basic weather forecasting, he explained: “Every dollar invested in the Meteorological Service strengthens public safety, protects critical infrastructure, supports economic development, enhances climate resilience, and reduces disaster losses. Strong meteorological services are not a cost; they are a national investment in resilience, sustainability, and prosperity.”

    Organizers expect the workshop to lay the critical institutional groundwork needed to successfully implement and sustain long-term flood early warning services across Antigua and Barbuda, directly advancing the country’s national climate adaptation goals and core disaster risk reduction priorities. ABMS has publicly thanked the National Office of Disaster Services for providing the event venue and supporting the landmark national initiative.

    Outcomes from the workshop will directly shape the final development of operational flood forecasting and warning SOPs, with the ultimate goal of ensuring all future flood warnings are timely, cross-agency coordinated, impact-focused, and actionable. In turn, this will strengthen the safety and climate resilience of communities across both islands of Antigua and Barbuda.

    As a cornerstone of national safety and sustainable development, ABMS is the national authority entrusted with delivering weather, climate, marine, and tsunami early warning services for the country. The agency’s work delivers measurable economic value, with estimates showing investments in ABMS generate annual avoided disaster losses and efficiency gains equivalent to as much as 6% of the country’s gross domestic product – equal to roughly 200 to 400 million Eastern Caribbean dollars (74 to 150 million USD) per year. ABMS’s forecasts, warnings, climate services, and hazard monitoring programs play an irreplaceable role in protecting lives, livelihoods, property, and critical infrastructure, while supporting national disaster risk reduction and climate resilience goals. Its services underpin key economic sectors from aviation and maritime transport to the blue economy, tourism, agriculture, water resource management, health, energy, and emergency management, making a substantial contribution to national safety, economic stability, and long-term sustainable development.