Bahamas committed to marine protection goals — The Bahamas remains committed to setting aside 20 percent of its territorial waters as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2020, a Cabinet minister has confirmed. … “This would represent 43 newly-proposed marine protected areas, covering more than 8.1m acres of clear, blue ocean.”

Caribbean urged to develop regional bamboo industry — Jamaica’s Minister of Education, Youth and Information Senator Ruel Reid says the development of a regional bamboo industry is critical in further diversifying the Caribbean’s agricultural product offerings. Senator Reid … noted that the global bamboo industry, which values approximately US$60 billion, “is big business”, which the Caribbean must seek to exploit.

Caribbean tourism stakeholders work to protect and regrow coral reefs — The nonprofit Tourism Cares, the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), and the Grupo Puntacana Foundation in the Dominican Republic have partnered on a Coral Restoration Capacity Building Project to assist Dominica, the British Virgin Islands, and the US Virgin Islands, all of which suffered serious reef damage from the devastating storms of 2017.

Icelandic Drilling Company signs contract for geothermal project on St. Vincent — The project aims to deliver a 10MW geothermal power plant to the Caribbean island nation of St. Vincent & the Grenadines (SVG), transforming its energy sector, reducing its dependency on imported diesel, and providing a new sustainable and affordable source of energy based on an indigenous resource.

European Development Fund to finance second coconut project in the Caribbean — There will be a focus on the development of coconut nurseries, support to multiplication of varieties to increase coconut production efficiency, coconut waste management and the promotion of climate smart practices.

[Image: Cameron Khan]