Although released over 40 years ago, “HOT HOT HOT” seemed to have taken the road march for 2024, given the unbearable heat. In addition to the recent destruction caused by Hurricane Beryl, Vincentians are frequently reminded that the signs of climate change are impossible to ignore.
Unfortunately, over the last decade, many have suffered devastating loss resulting from the increasingly steady stream of severe weather events. Understanding that as islanders we depend heavily on nature for our lives and livelihoods, ‘building back better’ must go beyond concrete and mortar and prioritise the protection and conservation of natural resources while building local communities through inclusive, equitable and participatory actions.
As the strongest storm to have impacted SVG since the 1900s with Category 4 winds and storm surges, Beryl’s destruction was evident. Many Vincentians, especially those from the Southern Grenadines, have been left homeless with lifetimes worth of investment and memories vanished in less than 24 hours. Furthermore, important economic sectors such as tourism, agriculture and fisheries, which depend on the health and quality of natural resources, have been severely disrupted due to damage to critical ecosystems such as corals, seagrass beds, mangroves and other forms of vegetation.
Against the backdrop of climate change, nature’s ability to function and provide services needed for our well-being requires a delicate balance between economic development and environmental conservation. However, it is important for us to ensure that our daily actions are less likely to disrupt this balance. Littering, overfishing, mass tourism, poor coastal development, and wastewater from agricultural practices, homes, and businesses entering our rivers and seas are added pressures that persist.
Healthy ecosystems are nature’s defence against the harsh impacts of climate change. Coastal ecosystems, like mangroves and coral reefs, for instance, shield coastal communities from storm surges and erosion. To ensure we continue to receive these benefits from nature, Vincentians can play active roles as stewards. In doing so, we can also ensure that future generations are able to enjoy the breathtaking Tobago Cays, hiking along lush hillsides, savouring mouth-watering mangoes from Stubbs and experience the offerings of locally owned businesses in thriving communities.
Sadly, protecting our shared resources, such as the marine environment, as ‘stewards’ is often seen as the duty of environmental groups only and associated with beach clean-ups. However, meaningful stewardship is multi-faceted, providing benefits to local communities and small businesses as well as avenues for community engagement and participation in managing resources.
Now more than ever, sound approaches to building back better and supporting climate resiliency must not depend on business as usual. They should place great importance on approaches that incorporate nature-based solutions, social justice, and inclusivity. These approaches through stewardship are not just the role of the Government or environmental NGOs ; they should be woven into all that we, as Vincentians, do daily. With all hands-on deck, the following are some great ways to catalyse stewardship actions:
- consider the impacts of everyday practices and development activities on natural ecosystems;
- engage in activities which seek to protect, restore and rehabilitate natural ecosystems such as beach and river cleanups;
- learn more about sustainable agriculture practices, such as crop diversification, agroforestry, and soil conservation;
- adopt an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries, supporting local sustainable fishing practices;
- encourage and support forms of tourism which are inclusive and regenerative such as community-based tourism (CBT);
- learn more about, and engage with, local initiatives and community groups which practice environmental stewardship; and
- advocate to decision makers forstrong policies which support sustainable resource management.
As we brace ourselves for the upcoming hurricane season, it is with no doubt our resilient spirit “will see us through”. The road to recovery in the aftermath of Beryl will be long and difficult, but the protection offered by coastal ecosystems and the coming together of people provide lessons learnt on the importance of stewardship in building back better for the future.
This article was written to raise awareness about the critical role of environmental stewardship in building climate resilience in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. For more information on how you can get involved, please see our Pioneering a Blue-Green Economic Development Model for Coastal Adaptation, Livelihoods and Sustainability in St. Vincent project or contact [email protected].
