Carib Scope

分类： environment

  • Saint Lucia to benefit from new Caribbean infrastructure facility

    Saint Lucia to benefit from new Caribbean infrastructure facility

    Four Eastern Caribbean nations are positioned to gain transformative support for their climate action goals through a new regional partnership designed to streamline the delivery of climate-resilient public infrastructure projects.

    The collaborative program, dubbed the Caribbean Resilient Infrastructure Implementation and Skills Exchange (RIISE) Facility, was formalized via an agreement between Global Affairs Canada and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS). Funded entirely by the Government of Canada and operated under UNOPS management, the initiative will roll out first to four target countries: Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. A dedicated regional secretariat based in Bridgetown, Barbados, will manage incoming support requests from participating governments, coordinate logistics, and mobilize vetted specialized technical expertise to address on-the-ground project bottlenecks.

    Brenda Wills, Canada’s High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, emphasized that the new facility aligns with Canada’s long-standing diplomatic and development commitment to bolstering climate resilience across the Caribbean, a region disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change despite contributing minimally to global emissions. “Canada is proud to support RIISE as part of our longstanding commitment to strengthening climate resilience across the Caribbean,” Wills said. “By helping governments deliver resilient infrastructure more effectively, build local capacity and promote specialised expertise across the region, RIISE will generate lasting benefits for Caribbean communities while deepening the strong ties between Canada and the region.”

    Partners involved in the initiative note that while Caribbean governments have already laid out ambitious national agendas for climate adaptation and resilient infrastructure development, a large share of planned projects struggle to progress past planning stages due to systemic implementation barriers, including limited access to specialized technical skills, gaps in local project management capacity, and fragmented regional knowledge sharing.

    Giuseppe Mancinelli, UNOPS Director for Barbados and Caribbean Coordinator, explained that RIISE was developed directly in response to repeated requests from Caribbean national governments for practical, implementation-focused support that fills gaps left by existing development programs. “Caribbean governments have clear priorities and an ambitious vision for resilient and sustainable development. RIISE will provide timely access to the specialised expertise they need to overcome implementation challenges and turn those priorities into tangible results for communities. At the same time, it will strengthen national capacities and foster greater regional collaboration,” Mancinelli said.

    Unlike many existing climate infrastructure programs that focus primarily on financing or early-stage project planning, RIISE centers its support on the critical implementation phase of projects, working to complement rather than replace existing funding and preparation mechanisms. The facility will deliver customized support aligned with each participating government’s specific needs, including short-term targeted technical advice, temporary deployment of experienced infrastructure specialists, and structured cross-border knowledge and skills exchange programs.

    Participating governments have been advised to engage with the RIISE coordination team early in the project planning process to unlock initial support as the program gets off the ground. The initiative is scheduled for an official public launch on September 14, 2026, during the Caribbean Infrastructure Forum (CARIF) set to take place in Miami.

  • The Old Capital Is Now Tsunami-Ready, What Does That Mean for You?

    The Old Capital Is Now Tsunami-Ready, What Does That Mean for You?

    After nearly eight years of incremental planning, hands-on training, and widespread public outreach, Belize’s former capital city Belize City has formally received the UNESCO Tsunami-Ready designation, marking a major milestone in Caribbean coastal disaster risk reduction. As the 23rd community in the Caribbean region to meet the strict international preparedness standard, the milestone shines a spotlight on Belize’s years-long push to protect its vulnerable coastal population from one of the region’s deadliest natural hazards.

    The journey to recognition has not been smooth. The initiative first launched in 2018, starting with preliminary hazard modeling and the drafting of public evacuation maps, but progress stalled soon after the initial phase. Christa von Hillebrandt-Andrade, Deputy Director of the International Tsunami Information Center-Caribbean Office, explained that the extended delay nearly cost Belize the designation entirely. With U.S. funding for the project set to expire, the international team was prepared to redirect its support to another community that ultimately secured its own Tsunami-Ready status in Belize’s place.

    It was not until 2024 that momentum reignited, when Belize’s national and municipal authorities — including the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO), the National Meteorological Service (NMS), and the Belize City Council — restarted collaboration with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service to push the project across the finish line.

    Today, Belize City boasts a completed network of marked evacuation assembly points and clear directional signage installed across all high-risk coastal zones of the city. Henry Charles Usher, Belize’s Minister of Disaster Risk Management, clarified the function of these new gathering points for local residents: Designated staff from the Belize City Council, the City Emergency Management Organization (CEMO), and NEMO will be on site to coordinate crowds and guide evacuees to safe zones during an emergency, though transportation to the final safe areas is not guaranteed to be available for all evacuees.

    Despite the celebratory milestone, both national officials and international partners emphasize that the designation does not eliminate Belize City’s inherent tsunami risk, nor does it mark the end of preparedness work. “This is really just the beginning of the process,” Usher noted. “This is all about continuing to be ready, continuing that community engagement, preparedness, and education and awareness when it comes to tsunami.”

    Looking ahead, the government plans to expand the Tsunami-Ready framework beyond Belize City to build coordinated disaster preparedness across the entire country, with ongoing investment in public education, infrastructure upgrades, and community engagement to keep coastal populations safe as climate change increases the risk of extreme coastal events globally.

  • Flow partners with Grenada Green Group

    Flow partners with Grenada Green Group

    A new collaborative environmental project is taking root across Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique, aiming to cut plastic pollution and embed sustainable habits among young people through a school-centered recycling program.

    Flow Grenada, operating with financial backing from the Liberty Caribbean Foundation—the philanthropic branch of parent company Liberty Caribbean—has formally partnered with local environmental advocacy group Grenada Green Group (G3) to deliver the initiative. The partnership marked its official launch with the installation of the first custom-engineered plastic bottle recycling bin at St John’s Christian Secondary School, the first of 10 planned bins that will roll out to secondary schools across the three islands in the coming months.

    Unlike standard waste containers, the custom-designed bins are built to enable efficient, safe collection and sorting of plastic waste, creating a structured system to keep plastic out of community spaces and vulnerable coastal and marine ecosystems. The program will also help alleviate strain on the Perseverance dump, which has long operated beyond its intended capacity to handle Grenada’s growing waste output.

    The Liberty Caribbean Foundation has awarded G3 a $10,000 grant to cover all costs related to the bins’ design, manufacturing, and on-site installation. Beyond the physical infrastructure, the funding also supports extended outreach efforts to boost environmental literacy and teach responsible waste management practices to both students and their surrounding local communities.

    Rose-Anne Douglas-Hughes, Marketing and Communications Executive at Flow Grenada, emphasized that the company’s commitment to community impact extends far beyond its core telecommunications services. “At Flow, connecting communities goes beyond technology. We believe in creating opportunities that inspire positive change,” Douglas-Hughes explained. “Through this partnership with the Grenada Green Group, and with the generous support of the Liberty Caribbean Foundation, we are empowering students to become environmental champions while helping to reduce plastic waste across our islands. Every bottle recycled is one less bottle polluting our communities and marine environment.”

    Founded in 2025, G3 already manages a network of 45 recycling bins across Grenada and Carriacou. The organization’s leadership called the new partnership a major milestone in advancing its mission to build a cleaner, more sustainable nation. The school-focused program is designed to give students direct ownership of environmental stewardship: by participating in regular plastic bottle collection and recycling, and learning about the long-term ecological damage of unmanaged plastic pollution, young people are positioned to drive change beyond the school gates. The initiative also aims to encourage whole families and neighboring communities to adopt more eco-friendly daily habits.

    After the installation at St John’s Christian Secondary School, the remaining nine bins will be placed at partner schools in phases over the coming months. Each participating institution will act as a local environmental ambassador, showcasing how coordinated, small-scale collective action can deliver tangible, long-lasting benefits for the islands’ ecosystems. The collaboration aligns with core institutional priorities for both Flow and the Liberty Caribbean Foundation, which have centered their community investment on expanding access to environmental education, advancing climate and sustainability action, and driving inclusive local development. By empowering a new generation of environmentally aware citizens, partners project the initiative will make a meaningful, lasting contribution to protecting Grenada’s iconic natural landscapes and marine biodiversity for years to come.

  • Dominica among first Caribbean countries to benefit from new resilient Infrastructure initiative

    Dominica among first Caribbean countries to benefit from new resilient Infrastructure initiative

    Against a backdrop of growing climate risk and stalled development projects, a groundbreaking regional partnership has launched to empower Caribbean nations to deliver critical climate-resilient infrastructure. The Caribbean Resilient Infrastructure Implementation and Skills Exchange (RIISE) Facility, a collaborative effort between Global Affairs Canada and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), has already welcomed its first cohort of participating countries: Dominica, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

    Funded entirely by the Government of Canada and hosted by UNOPS, RIISE was designed to address a persistent gap facing small island developing states across the Caribbean. While regional governments have prioritized climate-resilient infrastructure and earmarked major investments for these projects, systemic implementation barriers often delay or derail delivery, leaving communities vulnerable to the increasing frequency and intensity of climate disasters like hurricanes and coastal flooding.

    To solve this challenge, RIISE will operate out of a regional secretariat based in Bridgetown, Barbados. The hub combines local Caribbean leadership with UNOPS’ decades of global operational expertise and project management experience. Its core mandate is to work directly with participating national governments to map unique implementation bottlenecks, coordinate cross-border support requests, and connect local project teams with specialized technical assistance that many small administrations cannot access independently.

    Unlike one-size-fits-all development programs, RIISE tailors its support to each country’s specific needs. Available assistance ranges from short-term targeted technical advice to temporary placements of seasoned infrastructure specialists, as well as structured platforms for Caribbean nations to share on-the-ground knowledge and lessons learned with one another. This peer learning component is designed to build long-term local capacity, rather than relying on permanent external support.

    Brenda Wills, Canada’s High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, emphasized the initiative’s alignment with Canada’s longstanding commitment to Caribbean climate action. “Canada is proud to support RIISE as part of our longstanding commitment to strengthening climate resilience across the Caribbean,” Wills said. “By helping governments deliver resilient infrastructure more effectively, build local capacity and promote specialized expertise across the region, RIISE will generate lasting benefits for Caribbean communities while deepening the strong ties between Canada and the region.”

    Giuseppe Mancinelli, UNOPS Director for Barbados and Caribbean Coordinator, noted that Caribbean nations have already laid out clear, ambitious priorities for sustainable, climate-resilient development, but often lack the specialized support to turn plans into tangible community impact. “RIISE will provide timely access to the specialized expertise they need to overcome implementation challenges and turn those priorities into tangible results for communities,” Mancinelli explained. “At the same time, it will strengthen national capacities and foster greater regional collaboration.”

    For the four initial participating countries, RIISE opens immediate access to additional resources and expertise to streamline project delivery, improve the quality of infrastructure outcomes, and advance long-term climate adaptation goals. The launch marks a new chapter in collaborative climate action, uniting a global multilateral body, a donor nation, and regional governments around a shared goal of building safer, more resilient communities across the Caribbean.

  • CCCCC short story competition for Caricom citizens

    CCCCC short story competition for Caricom citizens

    As small island developing states on the front lines of accelerating climate change, the Caribbean region has long faced existential threats from rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and ecosystem degradation. Now, the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) is turning to young people to reimagine what a sustainable, climate-resilient future could look like for the region, launching a new youth-focused short story competition on July 27, 2026.

    Open exclusively to nationals of Caribbean Community (Caricom) member states between the ages of 18 and 25, the competition invites emerging writers to craft original short stories centered on a deliberate, evocative prompt: “Imagine a climate-secure future for the world. Inspired by the Caribbean.” Unlike traditional climate action initiatives that prioritize technical policy and scientific data, this competition centers narrative and creative vision as core tools for driving climate engagement.

    Danelle De Coteau Campbell, Lead Communications Specialist at CCCCC, emphasized the unique value of creative storytelling in climate discourse. “The future of climate action will be shaped not only by data and science but also by the stories we tell and the ideas we inspire,” Campbell explained. “Through this competition, we are inviting young people to imagine a climate-secure Caribbean and commit to protecting our culture, our people and our homes. This is our way of handing them the pen to shape that vision. We are excited to see how participants will bring their ideas to life, and in doing so, spark meaningful conversations about the shared future we all build together.”

    The storytelling competition is a core component of CCCCC’s broader regional strategy to center youth as active, leading voices in the Caribbean’s collective climate response. Beyond showcasing young creative talent, the initiative also aims to broaden public understanding of the unique climate challenges facing Caribbean communities and elevate homegrown, Caribbean-led solutions that address local needs.

    To enter, participants must submit an original, previously unpublished short story between 1,500 and 2,500 words through the official competition portal hosted on CCCCC’s website, caribbeanclimate.org. The competition strictly prohibits AI-generated submissions, requiring all entries to be fully original works created by the entrant.

    Prizes for top entries include a MacBook Neo for first place, with additional awards granted to second and third place finalists. Full entry guidelines, eligibility details, and submission instructions are available to the public on the CCCCC website.

    The launch of this creative competition marks a new approach to youth climate engagement, framing imagination as a critical catalyst for action in one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable regions.

  • Dominican Constitutional Court upholds ruling on Jaragua National Park boundaries

    Dominican Constitutional Court upholds ruling on Jaragua National Park boundaries

    SANTO DOMINGO — In a landmark decision that has sparked debate over environmental protection and private land rights, the Constitutional Court of the Dominican Republic has formally upheld a lower court ruling that mandates the Ministry of Environment revise the country’s official National Cadastre of Protected Areas (SINAP). The update is required to reflect longstanding territorial adjustments outlined in 2004’s Law 266-04, which calls for the removal of four disputed parcels of land from the official boundaries of Jaragua National Park.

    The court’s ruling, registered as case TC/0568/26, rejected two separate appeals brought by the Ministry of Environment and the General Administrative Prosecutor’s Office. This rejection leaves intact an earlier decision from the Superior Administrative Court, which ruled in favor of private developer Inversiones del Sur, SRL in the years-long land dispute.

    The boundary adjustment at the center of the case is tied to the creation of the Southwest Region Tourist Hub, a major development initiative first formalized under Laws 202-04 and 266-04 that redefined portions of Jaragua National Park’s official limits. The high court’s decision drew on authoritative technical evidence to support its outcome: a 2025 geospatial assessment compiled by the National Directorate of Cadastral Surveys, which definitively concluded that the four contested parcels do not fall within the boundaries of Jaragua National Park, nor any other legally protected area in the country.

    Despite the majority’s ruling, the decision has not come without opposition. One justice issued a formal dissenting opinion, arguing that the legal mechanism of an amparo action — a court proceeding typically used to protect constitutional rights — is not the appropriate avenue to formalize private property claims or adjust the boundaries of specific protected land parcels. The dissenting justice warned that the ruling could set a problematic precedent that undermines collective environmental rights enshrined in Dominican law, raising questions about how future land disputes involving protected natural areas will be resolved.

  • Gouddossier 5: Matawai slaat alarm over aangevoerd materiaal voor goudwinning

    Gouddossier 5: Matawai slaat alarm over aangevoerd materiaal voor goudwinning

    On July 27, an indigenous community in Suriname sounded the alarm after a large shipment of equipment suspected to be used for illegal gold mining was delivered to the border between Atjoni and the Matawai people’s traditional territory. The incident has sparked swift pushback from community leaders and environmental advocates, who are demanding an immediate end to the encroachment.

    Visual evidence obtained by local media outlet Starnieuws clearly shows heavy machinery, water pumps, barrels of fuel oil, and other specialized gear consistent with small-scale and industrial gold mining operations already staged at a makeshift camp within the territory. Marlon Valentijn, captain of the Matawai community, traveled to the site immediately after receiving reports of the incursion to assess the situation firsthand.

    In an interview with Starnieuws, Valentijn stated that camp occupants were given an unambiguous order to leave the area immediately. “We do not want any gold mining activities on our land,” he stated firmly, emphasizing that the Matawai have never consented to extractive operations in their traditional homeland, and the entire community remains united in blocking any attempts to begin mining. During his inspection of the camp, Valentijn encountered two Brazilian men who told him their project supervisor is based in Paramaribo, Suriname’s capital. He confirmed that a substantial volume of equipment has already been moved into the area, and additional excavators are reportedly en route to the site.

    Valentijn announced that relevant national authorities have already been notified of the incursion, and the community is taking all available steps to prevent the unauthorized mining operation from expanding. The situation has also been brought to the attention of John Goedschalk, presidential climate advisor for Suriname and a prominent environmental activist. Goedschalk described the new incursion as deeply worrying, and extended his full and unreserved support to the Matawai community in their opposition to the mining.

    He rejected outright any attempt to develop gold mining operations in the Matawai territory, stressing that no extractive activity should be forced on a community that has clearly stated it does not welcome such projects. For his part, Captain Valentijn said he chose to speak publicly about the incident to make the Matawai’s position clear to all outside parties: no form of gold extraction will be accepted on their traditional land.

    “We want everyone to know that this activity is not permitted on our territory,” Valentijn said, adding that the community will formalize its opposition in official communications with national authorities. He reiterated that all people occupying the camp and all mining equipment must be removed from the area without delay. This latest conflict over unauthorized gold mining comes amid a broader ongoing public debate in Suriname over unregulated extractive activity across the country’s interior, with previous investigative reporting exposing systemic governance gaps and unaddressed environmental damage along key waterways including the Marowijne River.

  • Consistency is the measure of environmental leadership

    Consistency is the measure of environmental leadership

    For democracies around the world, the handover of power between administrations brings far more than the transfer of infrastructure, public budgets, and public service responsibilities. It also carries an unwritten, intergenerational duty to protect the natural heritage that belongs to both current citizens and generations yet to come. This non-negotiable responsibility, the statement from Grenada Land Actors argues, should never shift based on a project’s location, the size of its associated investment, or the prevailing political mood of the moment.

    Grenada’s population has a long track record of showing profound care for their island’s unique natural landscapes. The widespread public mobilization to defend Camerhogne Park made this clear: when residents believe a beloved public space is under threat, they are ready to organize, rally, and demand a seat at the decision-making table. Thousands of Grenadians united around a core conviction: public natural spaces and environmental assets deserve formal protection, and communities must have a meaningful say in decisions that alter these landscapes.

    Today, that same level of public concern is growing around new development proposals impacting ecologically significant sites across the country, including La Sagesse, Mt Hartman, Levera, and Woodford. While each of these areas carries distinct ecological characteristics, social needs, and economic potential, all of them force stakeholders to confront the same four foundational questions about Grenada’s environmental governance.

    First, are environmental impact assessments conducted for these projects open and fully transparent to the public? Second, have communities that will be directly affected by development had the chance to provide genuine input before final decisions are made? Third, is key environmental data about proposed projects easily accessible to ordinary citizens, rather than locked behind bureaucratic barriers? Fourth, do development decision-makers strike a fair balance between long-term ecological health and short-term economic gains from new projects?

    Crucially, these questions do not amount to opposition to all development. The group emphasizes that Grenada needs new investment, expanded job opportunities, and sustained economic growth to thrive. Tourism, infrastructure improvements, and private sector investment all have critical roles to play in building the country’s future prosperity. But sustainable development cannot be measured only by whether a construction project is completed. It must also be judged by the quality and inclusivity of the process that leads to project approval.

    Transparency, public accountability, and meaningful community participation are not barriers to progress, the statement argues. Instead, they are core components of effective democratic governance. Projects developed through open, collaborative dialogue between developers, officials, and local communities tend to earn broader public trust, minimize costly conflict, and deliver better outcomes for all stakeholders over the long term. This is why consistent application of environmental principles matters so much: if the government celebrates public participation when one community raises concerns, it must extend that same respect to other communities seeking answers about their local environments. If officials commit to environmental protection at one site, those same standards must be applied everywhere.

    When environmental principles are enforced selectively, the entire framework of environmental governance loses public credibility. Grenada has repeatedly made formal international and domestic commitments to strengthening environmental governance, expanding public access to environmental information, and increasing citizen engagement in development decision-making. These promises must be reflected not only in official policy documents, but in every day decision-making for every proposed project. Every major development, whether at Camerhogne Park or any other site across the country, deserves the same standard of open process, reliance on scientific evidence, and meaningful community input.

    The group stresses that environmental protection is not a partisan political issue. Wetlands do not shift their ecological value based on which party holds office. Endangered species do not adjust their conservation needs to align with election cycles. Coastal ecosystems cannot speed up their recovery just because one administration is more popular than its predecessor. These fragile natural systems depend on consistent, cross-generational stewardship that outlives individual governments.

    For citizens, the responsibility to protect Grenada’s natural heritage goes beyond reacting to individual high-profile projects. Residents should demand permanent governance systems that are transparent, predictable, and fair, no matter who holds public office. For governments, in turn, informed public participation should be embraced as a marker of a strong democracy, not dismissed as an inconvenient obstacle to development.

    Grenada’s natural heritage is one of the nation’s most valuable economic and cultural assets. Protecting it does not require choosing between conservation and economic development. Instead, it requires building a new model of development that honors the needs of both people and the natural environment.

    Ultimately, effective environmental stewardship is not measured by campaign speeches or policy promises. It is measured by how consistently leaders uphold their stated principles when facing difficult, high-stakes decisions. If Grenada aims to build a resilient, prosperous future for all its people, consistency — not political convenience — must become the foundation of the country’s environmental governance.

  • Tyfoon Noul bereikt China: honderdduizenden geëvacueerd in Guangdong

    Tyfoon Noul bereikt China: honderdduizenden geëvacueerd in Guangdong

    The strongest typhoon to hit Chinese territory this year, Typhoon Noul, made landfall in southern China over the weekend, bringing destructive gale-force winds and torrential rainfall that have forced mass evacuations and widespread disruptions across Guangdong Province and Hong Kong.

    According to China’s National Meteorological Center, the storm moved inland over the coastal region of Huidong County, Huizhou City, Guangdong, on Sunday afternoon. The Hong Kong Observatory confirmed the typhoon carried maximum sustained winds of 110 kilometers per hour as it crossed into Guangdong’s interior, where it gradually weakened after landfall. Even as its intensity diminished, Noul still unleashed severe wind gusts and extreme rainfall across large swathes of the region, leaving damage in its wake.

    Precautions ahead of the storm led authorities to evacuate more than 715,000 residents across Guangdong by Sunday, state broadcaster China National Radio reported. That figure marked a sharp increase from the 340,000 people evacuated just a day earlier, as the storm’s projected path shifted and threat levels rose. State-run CCTV also documented downed trees across multiple coastal locations in Guangdong, including Huilai County, as strong winds swept the shoreline ahead of landfall.

    In Hong Kong, the storm triggered major travel disruptions and safety incidents: Hong Kong International Airport canceled roughly 350 flights on Sunday, while local authorities confirmed at least nine people across the city suffered storm-related injuries. A day earlier, as Noul approached the special administrative region, a section of a large scaffolding structure attached to a high-rise building collapsed amid worsening conditions. Hong Kong Police confirmed no injuries were reported from that incident.

    Meteorologists warn that heavy rain and strong winds will continue to impact parts of southern Guangdong and southeastern Fujian Province in the coming days as the remnants of Noul move slowly inland. Fishing boats across the region have already anchored in sheltered harbors, including the Shenzhen-Shanwei Special Cooperation Zone, to wait out the storm’s aftermath.

    Noul also brushed Taiwan over the weekend: the island’s Central Weather Administration reported the storm passed over waters south of Taiwan on Saturday before continuing west toward mainland China, leaving only scattered rainfall on the island with no major damage reported.

    This storm marks the third significant typhoon to impact China in July 2026. Earlier in the month, Typhoon Maysak hit southern China on July 3, followed by Typhoon Bavi, which made landfall in eastern China on July 11 and forced the evacuation of more than two million residents.

  • CCCCC Launches Short Story Competition for CARICOM citizens

    CCCCC Launches Short Story Competition for CARICOM citizens

    On July 27, 2026, the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) launched an innovative new initiative to center youth voices in regional climate action: the CCCCC Youth Short Story Competition. Open exclusively to CARICOM citizens between the ages of 18 and 25, the competition invites young writers to craft original narratives responding to a targeted, forward-looking prompt: “Imagine a climate-secure future for the world. Inspired by the Caribbean.”

    Unlike traditional climate policy initiatives that lean heavily on technical data and scientific research, this competition frames storytelling as a core tool for driving climate progress. Lead Communications Specialist Danelle De Coteau-Campbell emphasized that climate action’s future depends just as much on shared narratives and inspired ideas as it does on empirical data. “Through this competition, we are inspiring the youth to imagine a climate secure Caribbean and to protect our culture, our people and our homes and this is our way of handing them the pen,” De Coteau-Campbell explained. “We are excited to see how participants will give life to their ideas and in doing so, inspire meaningful conversations about the future we all share.”

    The short story competition is not a standalone project, but rather a key component of CCCCC’s broader regional strategy to position young people as active, leading contributors to the Caribbean’s climate adaptation and mitigation efforts. It also aims to boost public awareness of the unique climate challenges facing Caribbean small island and coastal states, while highlighting homegrown solutions developed by regional stakeholders.

    Entry requirements are clear to ensure originality and accessibility: all submissions must be original, previously unpublished works between 1,500 and 2,500 words, and AI-generated content is strictly prohibited. Entries must be submitted through the official competition portal hosted on CCCCC’s website, caribbeanclimate.org, where prospective participants can also find full guidelines, eligibility rules, and judging criteria.

    To incentivize participation, the competition offers tangible prizes for top-placed entries: the first-place winner will receive a MacBook Neo, with additional prizes awarded to second and third place finalists.

    For more than two decades, CCCCC has led regional efforts to address climate change impacts across the Caribbean, a region disproportionately vulnerable to sea level rise, extreme weather events, and shifting climate patterns that threaten livelihoods, cultural heritage, and community stability. This competition marks a new approach to engaging the generation that will bear the brunt of future climate change, inviting them to shape the vision of the future they will help build.