Carib Scope

分类： environment

  • COE places eight provinces under Green Alert ahead of rainy weekend

    COE places eight provinces under Green Alert ahead of rainy weekend

    Residents of the Dominican Republic are bracing for a wet and potentially hazardous weekend, after national emergency authorities issued a green alert for seven provinces and the National District in response to a confluence of weather systems set to drive heavy rainfall across the eastern Caribbean nation over coming days.

    The Emergency Operations Center (COE), the country’s lead agency for disaster preparedness and response, activated the green alert for eight population centers, including Greater Santo Domingo, the National District, northern San Cristóbal, Monte Plata, Monseñor Nouel, San Pedro de Macorís, Hato Mayor, and Sánchez Ramírez. The alert comes after meteorologists confirmed multiple overlapping atmospheric conditions that will ramp up precipitation across the country starting this week.

    Forecasters from the Dominican Institute of Meteorology (INDOMET) explained that a lingering tropical trough positioned near the country, paired with unusually high atmospheric moisture and local geographic effects, will push rainfall intensity upward beginning this afternoon. Through the affected regions, the agency projects scattered moderate downpours, accompanied by rolling thunderstorms and sudden wind gusts that could catch residents off guard.

    Unsettled conditions are projected to persist for a full 24 hours after the initial rain event develops. Warm regional surface temperatures, combined with moisture-laden winds flowing in from both the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, will continue to create ideal conditions for shower and thunderstorm formation. A rare lack of dry, airborne Saharan dust — which normally suppresses strong rainfall development across the Caribbean during tropical storm season — has further amplified conditions favorable for heavier, more sustained downpours.

    Adding to the precipitation risk is the lingering influence of former Tropical Storm Fay. The storm’s remnants have weakened into a low-pressure system that is currently tracking northeast of the Caribbean basin. As it moves, it will pump additional moisture into the atmosphere over the Dominican Republic, amplifying the effects of the existing trough.

    This combination of factors has elevated the risk of disruptive flooding, with COE warning that both urban flash flooding and rural river flooding could occur between Friday and Sunday. To keep residents safe, COE has issued clear safety guidance for communities in the alert zone: authorities have urged people to avoid crossing swollen rivers, streams, and ravines, even if water levels appear passable. They also advised the public to stay away from beaches, rivers, public swimming areas and all other open bodies of water until unstable weather conditions pass and the alert is lifted.

  • Marine scientist warns New Providence faces loss of liveable land as climate risks grow

    Marine scientist warns New Providence faces loss of liveable land as climate risks grow

    As climate change drives accelerating sea level rise globally, low-lying island nations like The Bahamas are on the front lines of existential risk. During the recent Bahamas Climate Week, hosted by the Baha Mar Resort Foundation, leading marine ecologist Dr. Kathleen Sullivan Sealey delivered a stark warning: many of the most densely populated communities on New Providence, the country’s most populous island, could lose large swathes of liveable land within the next few decades if proactive planning does not begin immediately.

    Dr. Sealey, who serves as Professor Emerita at the University of Miami and a board member of the Bahamas Academy of Sciences, based her assessment on long-term climate projections extending to 2050 and 2100. She highlighted a dangerous trend unfolding across New Providence: rapid residential development is concentrated in the island’s southern regions, the very areas projected to face the most severe land inundation. “For New Providence, everybody’s moving south,” she explained. “They’re the highest density Bahamian homes in areas that we’re going to have the greatest loss of liveable areas. So we’re going to need managed retreat from some areas.”

    The ecologist emphasized that the country cannot afford to delay discussions about the future of at-risk communities. Planning for managed relocation, she argued, needs to start decades before displacement becomes unavoidable, to give affected families time to adapt and prepare. “We have to introduce that idea in managing those coastlines,” she said. “You may live in this home, but your children and grandchildren may not be able to live there. We need better resources and governance of those resources so they’re more equally distributed.”

    Dr. Sealey added that the country’s climate vulnerability has been drastically worsened by decades of unregulated coastal development that eroded the natural ecosystems that once buffered coastlines from storms and rising seas. Mangrove forests have been cleared, coastal wetlands have been filled in to create developable land, construction has been permitted just meters from the shoreline, and other critical natural defenses—including coral reefs, seagrass beds, and coastal dunes—have been severely degraded across the archipelago.

    “We collectively have not taken very good care of our islands,” she stated. “We’ve been sold this lie that environmental destruction is necessary for economic development, that jobs require loss of our natural environment, and that is a lie. There have been historic losses from coral reefs, seagrasses, mangroves and dunes.”

    These cumulative losses have gutted The Bahamas’ natural resilience to intensifying climate impacts, leaving coastal communities far more exposed to storm surges, chronic flooding, and erosion, Dr. Sealey explained. “Coastal development has already reduced our natural defences,” she said. “It’s far, far, far more expensive to restore or put in new coastal defences like seawalls than it is to protect the original coastline. We have an already weakened coastal ecosystem that is not prepared to take on these changes from the climate.”

    Beyond New Providence, Dr. Sealey flagged Grand Bahama as the nation’s most at-risk island from sea level rise, warning that rising ocean waters could split the island into eight separate landmasses, drastically reshaping its geography and requiring major infrastructure overhauls such as new cross-island bridges. Freeport, the island’s economic hub, faces the highest risk of displacement and infrastructure damage, she added.

    To address the growing crisis, Dr. Sealey outlined a multi-pronged policy roadmap for The Bahamas. First, the country must begin developing formal managed retreat and community relocation frameworks immediately to prepare for inevitable displacement in high-risk zones. Second, policymakers should prioritize expanded protection and restoration of coastal wetlands, improve national wastewater and stormwater management systems, and implement stricter oversight of new coastal development to stop further erosion of natural defenses. Finally, she called for widespread adoption of nature-based climate solutions to protect existing high-value coastal infrastructure, alongside the development of a comprehensive national climate action plan that unifies these priorities.

    “We need to be starting and looking very seriously at nature-based solutions and mitigating high-value, high-risk assets that exist along the coast today,” she said. “We need a national climate action plan. Everybody knows this — to protect and restore coastal wetlands.”

  • Environment Ministry dismantles 73 illegal structures in Hoyo Claro

    Environment Ministry dismantles 73 illegal structures in Hoyo Claro

    A multi-agency enforcement operation in the Dominican Republic has successfully removed 73 unauthorized structures illegally built within the protected boundaries of the Hoyo Claro Natural Monument in the Verón region. Led by the country’s Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, the intervention brought together a coalition of law enforcement and environmental bodies including the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the National Environmental Protection Service (SENPA), the Dominican Republic Army, and the General Directorate of Migration, alongside specialized environmental enforcement technicians and legal experts to execute the land recovery mission.

    During on-site inspections, authorities identified a wide range of illegal constructions, from a fully formed concrete building to a partially completed development. Heavy construction equipment was deployed to safely demolish the structures and clear all leftover building materials from the protected natural site. Interestingly, officials noted that many of the structures appeared to have been vacated in the days immediately before the operation launched. While teams found leftover food in cooking vessels at the locations, no individuals were present on site during the demolition work.

    In a statement following the operation, the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources reaffirmed that this action aligns with the government’s long-standing zero-tolerance policy against unauthorized occupation and development in the country’s network of protected natural areas. Officials also confirmed that routine monitoring will continue at the affected sites to block any new attempts at encroachment. This operation is part of a broader national strategy outlined in Decree 615-26, a landmark policy that designates the prevention and crackdown on environmental destruction as both a high national priority and a core matter of Dominican national security.

  • CAF announces US$1 Billion response fund for potential ‘Super El Niño’

    CAF announces US$1 Billion response fund for potential ‘Super El Niño’

    The Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF) has announced a landmark $1 billion initial funding package to shore up regional defenses against the projected high-intensity “Super El Niño” event forecast for 2026–2027, aiming to shield vulnerable communities from the climate phenomenon’s projected widespread harms. The multilateral development bank has warned that this upcoming El Niño could reach exceptional severity, triggering cascading economic and social disruptions across the region’s diverse geographies, from crippling droughts and record-breaking heatwaves to catastrophic flooding and extreme rainfall events that will hit different nations unevenly. Drawing on peer-reviewed scientific projections, CAF estimates the disaster could cut total regional gross domestic product by as much as 2%, while pushing an additional 4.8 million vulnerable residents into extreme poverty. Key productive sectors that support millions of livelihoods—including agriculture, livestock raising, and fisheries—face direct output losses, while widespread damage to critical public and private infrastructure, broken global and regional supply chains, and broad-based price increases will compound downward pressure on overall economic activity across the bloc. “This initial funding allocation demonstrates our proactive commitment to helping regional governments pre-empt climate risks, protect at-risk populations, and mount rapid, effective responses when emergencies strike,” said CAF Executive President Sergio Díaz-Granados. To maximize the impact of the initiative, the bank will coordinate closely with national and local government agencies, peer regional and national development banks, civil society organizations, and other key stakeholders to strengthen both pre-event preparedness systems and rapid-response capabilities for when disasters occur. As a core component of the strategic plan, CAF will host the inaugural Meeting of Ministers of Economy of Latin America and the Caribbean on the Financial Management of Natural Risks in Panama City, scheduled for January 27–28, 2027. The high-level gathering will center on the unique fiscal and financial challenges that climate-driven natural disasters pose for regional governments, while creating a structured space for policymakers to share tested best practices for risk mitigation and response. Complementing the in-person policy dialogue, CAF also plans to draft a comprehensive White Paper compiling evidence-based emergency response best practices tailored to the region’s specific needs, and will roll out targeted technical assistance programs to help national and local authorities upgrade their disaster preparedness and response capacity ahead of the projected event.

  • Dominica women entrepreneurs eligible for new US$550,000 clean energy programme

    Dominica women entrepreneurs eligible for new US$550,000 clean energy programme

    Against a backdrop of accelerating climate action and growing demand for inclusive green economic growth across the Caribbean, the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has launched a landmark new initiative designed to unlock the potential of women entrepreneurs working in clean energy. The three-year project, named the SheTrades Caribbean Tech It Up Facility, carries a total investment of US$550,000 and is backed by the Government of Canada through its Supporting Resilient Green Energy (SuRGE) Programme, delivered via CDB’s existing SheTrades Caribbean Hub.

    Running from 2026 through 2028, the program opens eligibility to women-led businesses across nine Caribbean countries: Dominica, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname. Unlike generic small business support schemes, this initiative is tailored specifically to bridge the gap between early-stage clean energy innovation and market-ready commercial products and services, with the dual goal of expanding women’s meaningful participation in the region’s fast-growing green economy.

    The scope of support covers a broad spectrum of high-priority clean energy areas, including cutting-edge clean energy innovation, energy-efficient technologies, scalable renewable energy applications, and integrated smart energy systems. Beyond direct financial assistance, participating ventures will gain access to targeted technical capacity building, business management training, introductions to global financing partners, and pathways to integrate into regional and international clean energy value chains.

    The initiative is designed to meet entrepreneurs where they are, accepting applicants across all early development stages—from initial concept and academic research to prototype development, field testing, small-scale pilot projects, and early-stage commercialization. It is open not only to formal registered businesses but also to individual women scientists, independent researchers, and technology developers working in the clean energy space.

    A centerpiece of the facility is the SheTrades Tech It Up R&D Grant, which will award a single US$100,000 prize to one outstanding women-led project focused on energy efficiency, renewable energy, or smart energy systems. Proposals will be evaluated by a panel against strict criteria including the novelty of the innovation, technical feasibility, potential for intellectual property protection, commercial scalability, projected environmental impact, and the project’s ability to generate long-term, sustainable economic opportunities for local communities.

    The winning recipient will not only receive the substantial grant funding but also gain access to a full package of wrap-around support: one-on-one technical mentorship from industry experts, tailored business development coaching, dedicated guidance on intellectual property registration and protection, and targeted support to prepare the solution for market entry. As part of the program’s collaborative mandate, the grant recipient will also be required to partner with Caribbean and Canadian academic institutions that conduct leading clean energy research and innovation.

    Dr. Isaac Solomon, CDB Vice-President for Operations, emphasized that the facility addresses a long-standing gap in regional innovation support. Too often, he noted, promising clean energy ideas developed by women entrepreneurs remain stuck in the early stages, unable to access the resources needed to reach commercial markets. This initiative, he said, is designed to remove those barriers and turn promising concepts into tangible impact.

    Her Excellency Brenda Wills, Canada’s High Commissioner to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, echoed that sentiment, noting that the program delivers overlapping benefits for the region. By supporting women-led innovation, it advances women’s economic empowerment, while also accelerating the transition to low-carbon energy systems that boost climate resilience and drive long-term sustainable development across the Caribbean.

    Beyond the immediate support for participating businesses, the initiative is expected to deliver broader systemic benefits for the region. It aims to increase women’s representation in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) entrepreneurship, foster deeper collaborative ties between academic research institutions and private sector ventures, and expand inclusive economic opportunities across the Caribbean’s emerging green economy.

    Applications for the competitive R&D Grant are scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2027, and will be accepted exclusively through CDB’s Submittable Portal. CDB has confirmed that full detailed eligibility criteria and official application guidelines will be published to the public in advance of the opening of the call for proposals.

  • LIVE: ECCB Launch – Office of Financial Conduct

    LIVE: ECCB Launch – Office of Financial Conduct

    A new United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) assessment released ahead of the 2026 UN Climate Change Conference (COP31) has delivered a stark warning: global greenhouse gas emissions are projected to reach 36.8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2025, putting the world dangerously close to exceeding the 1.5°C warming limit outlined in the 2015 Paris Agreement. The 2026 Emissions Gap Report finds that even if all current nationally determined contributions (NDCs) are fully implemented, global temperatures are still on track to rise by 2.7°C by the end of the century. This trajectory would bring more frequent extreme weather events, widespread ecosystem collapse, food and water insecurity for billions of people, and irreversible damage to coastal communities from sea-level rise. UNEP Executive Director, Andrea Meza, emphasized that the gap between pledged action and what is scientifically required to stay below 1.5°C remains alarmingly wide. “What we are seeing right now is a failure of political will from the world’s largest emitters,” Meza said in a press briefing accompanying the report. China, the United States, India, and the European Union collectively account for nearly 65% of global annual emissions, and the report notes that these major economies have slowed their pace of decarbonization since COP30 in 2025, with many rolling back climate policies in response to lobbying from fossil fuel industries. The report does highlight some bright spots, however: renewable energy capacity grew by 12% globally in 2025, driven by plummeting costs for solar and wind power, and 35 countries have now implemented carbon pricing mechanisms that cover more than 20% of their domestic emissions. Small island developing states, which contribute less than 1% of cumulative historical emissions but are among the most vulnerable to climate change, have once again called on wealthy nations to fulfill their $100 billion annual climate finance pledge, which has yet to be fully met 10 years after it was promised. Ahead of COP31, which will be hosted in Brazil, negotiators are expected to focus on new global targets for cutting methane emissions from agriculture and fossil fuel extraction, as well as establishing a new loss and damage fund to support vulnerable countries coping with climate disasters. Climate scientists stress that deep, rapid cuts in emissions this decade are critical to avoiding the worst impacts of climate change, and the Emissions Gap Report makes clear that current action is nowhere near enough. “We still have the tools to avoid the worst outcomes, but we have less than three years left to make the dramatic cuts needed to stay on track for 1.5°C,” said the report’s lead author, Dr. Fabian Romero of the International Institute for Environment and Development. “Delay is not an option if we want to protect current and future generations from the worst effects of a warming planet.”

  • Ministry of Climate Resilience undertakes Renewable Energy Learning Mission in Morocco

    Ministry of Climate Resilience undertakes Renewable Energy Learning Mission in Morocco

    A high-level delegation from Grenada’s Ministry of Climate Resilience, the Environment and Renewable Energy (MCRERE) has traveled to Morocco for a five-day knowledge-sharing mission focused on renewable energy development, running from September 28 to October 2, 2026. Led by Permanent Secretary Peron Johnson, the delegation includes two key senior leaders: Leslie Smith, Director of Renewable Energy, and Titus Antoine, Director of Climate Resilience.

    Hosted by the Kingdom of Morocco via the Moroccan Agency for Sustainable Energy (Masen), this mission is designed to let the Grenadian team study firsthand Morocco’s decades-long progress in scaling up renewable energy and advancing its own just clean energy transition. The structured program covers a wide range of critical topics, from national renewable energy policy formulation and strategic spatial planning to project development, climate finance mobilization, investment structuring, and on-the-ground practical insights into renewable energy technology deployment and large-scale infrastructure buildout. Beyond knowledge gathering, the mission also creates space to explore potential bilateral collaboration avenues between Grenada and Masen that could support future clean energy projects in the Caribbean.

    As a core component of the itinerary, the delegation has conducted technical site visits to some of Morocco’s most prominent utility-scale renewable energy facilities. These include the 140-megawatt Tangiers I Wind Farm, the massive Noor Ouarzazate Solar Complex – one of the largest concentrated solar power facilities in Africa – and the Casablanca-based Renewable Energy Cluster, a hub for innovation and industry collaboration in the clean energy sector.

    During their time in Morocco, the delegation also paid a formal courtesy visit to the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Embassy in Rabat, where they met with senior embassy officials to discuss the future of energy development across the OECS bloc. The talks centered on aligning regional approaches to renewable energy expansion, strengthening cross-border collaboration and knowledge sharing, identifying regional investment opportunities, and designing collective measures to boost energy resilience for all OECS member states.

    This mission comes at a pivotal moment for Grenada, as the island nation works to deliver on the commitments laid out in its national Vision 75 Agenda. Key priorities that the mission will support include accelerating the deployment of renewable energy capacity, strengthening domestic energy security and climate resilience, reducing the country’s heavy reliance on costly imported fossil fuels, and attracting the international investment needed to complete the transition to a low-carbon energy system.

    Policymakers in Grenada expect that the technical insights and practical experience gained during the Morocco mission will directly contribute to ongoing efforts to update national energy policy and roll out new clean energy programs. It is also anticipated that the trip will help Grenada identify proven renewable energy technologies, innovative climate finance models, and replicable project development frameworks that can be adapted to the unique geographic and economic context of the small island developing state, while also opening doors to deeper regional cooperation on energy issues across the Caribbean.

    The Government of Grenada has formally extended its gratitude to the Kingdom of Morocco, Masen, and Morocco’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs for facilitating this exchange, noting that the opportunity for cross-border knowledge sharing, partnership building, and collaborative action will advance not only Grenada’s clean energy goals but also those of the entire OECS region.

  • Dominican Republic faces increased rainfall and flood risk through Sunday

    Dominican Republic faces increased rainfall and flood risk through Sunday

    Residents of the Dominican Republic are preparing for widespread wet weather through the early next week, as a convergence of distinct weather systems brings an extended period of elevated precipitation to the island nation. Leading meteorological analyst Jean Suriel has outlined that the upcoming rainfall will stem from three key interacting factors: a low-pressure trough positioned over the region, moisture-laden winds blowing in from both the Caribbean and Atlantic basins, and lingering atmospheric remnants left behind by former Tropical Storm Fay.

    Suriel warned that the combination of these conditions will not only produce sustained rainfall, but also spawn more severe hazards through Sunday. Heavy downpours, sudden thunderstorms, intense lightning strikes, and powerful gusty winds are all on the forecast, pushing the risk of dangerous urban flooding and fast-moving flash floods to higher-than-normal levels.

    The distribution of rainfall will vary across the country through the first half of Thursday. By Thursday afternoon, the most intense precipitation is projected to hit six regions: the southern, southeastern, eastern, northeastern, and northern portions of the country, as well as the Central Mountain Range. Meanwhile, the border region along the country’s edge will only see milder, moderate showers that are not expected to cause major disruption.

    The wet pattern will ramp up in intensity on Friday, when the core of the trough moves into the Dominican Republic, compounded by the indirect effects of a separate low-pressure system developing over the Atlantic Ocean. From Friday through the weekend, moderate to heavy showers will remain a regular occurrence, paired with ongoing thunderstorms, strong gusty winds, and the potential for small hail in higher elevation areas of the Central Mountain Range and other mountainous regions.

    Conditions are set to improve by Monday, according to Suriel’s forecast. As the trough shifts away from the Dominican Republic, overall rainfall totals will drop significantly. However, isolated scattered showers may hang on for an extra day, fueled by residual marine moisture and the lingering remnants of the combined weather systems. Alongside the tapering rain, the country can expect a sharp rise in temperatures, with hot, sweltering conditions returning by the start of the workweek.

  • Regering wil loadshedding uitbannen en schakelt verder over op gas en zonne-energie

    Regering wil loadshedding uitbannen en schakelt verder over op gas en zonne-energie

    Suriname is pushing forward with an ambitious energy sector overhaul, aiming to eliminate rolling blackouts (known locally as loadshedding) and shift its national power grid away from heavy fuel oil dependence toward cleaner natural gas and solar energy. This strategic roadmap was laid out by President Jennifer Simons in her 2027 annual address to the nation.

    The plan centers on targeted new investments in the energy sector that will address long-standing, widespread power outages that have disrupted daily life and economic activity across the country. Beyond solving current infrastructure gaps, the investments are designed to prepare Suriname for a projected rise in electricity demand as the nation’s economy and population grow in the coming years.

    According to President Simons’ address, the national Electricity Sector Plan has already received formal approval from the Surinamese government. The year 2027 will mark a major ramp-up of implementation efforts, advancing the country’s overarching goal of delivering reliable, affordable electricity to all citizens by 2030, dubbed the “Energy for All by 2030” initiative.

    A key milestone on the 2027 timeline is the launch of the BIO-SWEET project, scheduled to begin mid-year. This multi-purpose infrastructure project will extend both electricity access and clean drinking water to 26 underserved communities across Suriname. It also includes provisions to expand the national power transmission grid into the largely undeveloped eastern region of the country, opening new opportunities for economic growth in that area.

    In her address, the president highlighted that progress toward the clean energy transition is already well underway. Over recent years, the government has expanded renewable power generation capacity through the addition of three new utility-scale solar power plants. It has also completed critical upgrades to existing power distribution networks to reduce transmission loss and improve reliability, and launched pilot projects testing small-scale mini-hydropower systems for rural communities.

  • Regering geeft opdracht goudbedrijven te sluiten die regels overtreden

    Regering geeft opdracht goudbedrijven te sluiten die regels overtreden

    In a landmark address marking a turning point for environmental governance in the country, President Jennifer Simons has announced sweeping new enforcement measures that will see unregulated, non-compliant gold mining companies shuttered across the nation. The policy shift, unveiled September 30 during Simons’ 2027 annual address to the nation, comes in direct response to severe, long-running contamination of the ecologically and culturally vital Saramacca River, paired with years of insufficient enforcement of existing national environmental regulations.

    Simons made clear that the Saramacca River crisis must serve as a catalyst for systemic change, noting that the waterway is far more than an environmental asset for local communities: it is their primary source of drinking water, a key provider of food, and a core pillar of their centuries-old traditional way of life.

    To back up the new closure order, the national government has already issued formal instructions to the National Environmental Authority (NMA) and its supporting regulatory bodies to begin immediate implementation of the policy. Beyond closing rule-breaking operations, the administration plans to significantly strengthen the capacity of regulatory agencies tasked with overseeing the gold mining sector. President Simons emphasized that robust legislation alone cannot protect the nation’s natural resources if consistent oversight, inspection, and meaningful enforcement are not put into practice.

    Alongside stricter enforcement of existing environmental rules, the government is also pivoting toward fostering alternative, sustainable economic models that balance conservation and inclusive development. Key priority sectors identified for investment include eco-friendly sustainable tourism, regenerative agricultural practices, and other business models that deliver net positive benefits for natural ecosystems rather than degrading them.