Healthy rainforests are key to the planet’s survival. But how exactly do these unique ecosystems work? What are the principles of carbon sequestration? How does biodiversity contribute to the flourishing of the forest? Conservation International has commissioned a research team to investigate these questions and many more. They’re studying flora and fauna and conducting ‘rapid [...]
Archive | October, 2011
Sea urchin research in Bermuda may increase understanding of how to fight cancer, effects of ageing
Scientists at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences have received a multi-million dollar grant to study how sea urchins fight aging and cancer: The Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS) has been given a grant of $3 million to help fund research into cancer and ageing. The funds will go towards the International Centre for [...]
National climate change consultation to be held in St. Lucia
In St. Lucia, the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) will be holding a national consultation on climate change adaptation: The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) is implementing a project in Saint Lucia that will catalyse action by civil society to counteract the negative impacts of climate change. This is being done in partnership with the [...]
New risk assessment finds that Haiti is the country most threatened by climate change
The 2012 Climate Change Vulnerability Index lists Haiti as the country that is most vulnerable to the effects of climate change: The fourth release of Maplecroft’s Climate Change and Environment Risk Atlas includes a new Climate Change Vulnerability Index (CCVI) that analyses and maps climate change vulnerability down to 25km² worldwide. It reveals that some [...]
Energy Awareness Week in The Bahamas
Sustainable energy will be the focus of Energy Awareness Week in The Bahamas: Alternative energies solutions to complement the nation’s dependency on fossil fuels is the focus of Energy Awareness Week, November 4 – 7. The Government is urging Bahamians to accept the reality of adapting to alternatives because the days of cheap fossil energy [...]
Oxitec reports on field performance of genetically-engineered male mosquitoes for dengue control in the Cayman Islands
The BBC reports on the success of Cayman Islands field trials where genetically engineered mosquitoes have been used as a means of dengue fever control: Genetically modified mosquitoes could prove effective in tackling dengue fever and other insect-borne diseases, a UK-based scientific team has shown. The male mosquitoes are modified so their offspring die before [...]
Turks and Caicos Islands “not ready” for renewable energy?
The CEO of the leading power supplier in the Turks and Caicos Islands is of the opinion that solar and wind energy are not viable power sources for the territory: AMID calls for Turks and Caicos to embrace fully wind and sun energy as an alternative to fossil fuels, a leading electricity supplier says that [...]
Operation Wallacea in the Caribbean: conservation research in Cuba and Guyana
Operation Wallacea (OpWall) is: an organisation funded by tuition fees that operates biological and conservation management research programmes in remote locations across the world. These expeditions are designed with specific wildlife conservation aims in mind – from identifying areas needing protection through to implementing and assessing conservation management programmes. The videos above highlight OpWall’s work [...]
New environmental and renewable energy investment projects in Jamaica
The Hampden Kent Group has announced three environmental investment projects in Jamaica: Three renewable energy projects include a solar panel production facility, a waste-based energy production facility, and self-contained sustainable shrimp farming modules, has been announced for Jamaica by the Hampden Kent Group. … The first Jamaican project is the formation and development of a [...]
Forestry news from Jamaica
In this International Year of Forests, lots of positive news coming from Jamaica’s Forestry Department. The Department has published a Manual of Dendrology: The culmination of nearly 2 years of fieldwork and research, the 494 page book describes 150 species of trees indigenous to or naturalised in Jamaica. Each tree description is accompanied by a [...]
