Coral bleaching. Image: Ken Clifton
Oceans

Research finds that in the Caribbean, overseas territories are more vulnerable to coral bleaching than independent countries

According to a new study, independent Caribbean island countries tend to be less vulnerable to coral bleaching than overseas territories: “We were surprised to find that independent islands have lower social-ecological vulnerability than territories…. Territories — such as the Dutch islands of Sint Maarten and Saba — tend to be …

Guaiacum officinale, an endangered Caribbean plant. Image: via Wikipedia
Biodiversity

Caribbean scientists receive training in endangered species assessment

Scientists from six Caribbean countries recently participated in a training course in The Bahamas on how to assess potentially threatened and endangered species for classification on the IUCN Red List: Fourteen Bahamian and eight Caribbean experts took part in a week of training in Nassau on how to assess threatened …

Aloe vera. Image: Georgia Popplewell.
Event

Event: 4th Congress of the Cuban Society of Natural and Traditional Medicine

The 2018 edition of the Congress of the Cuban Society of Natural and Traditional Medicine, also known as BIONAT 2018, is currently underway in Cuba: Science, nature and tradition for life, is the slogan that will reflect the event [being held September 3 to 7] at Havana’s Convention Center and …

Cuba coast. Image: Alessandro Caproni
General

Green Antilles link roundup: August 11, 2018

Strengthening Cuban coastal landscape in the face of climate change — The Cuban authorities in the 1990s began to modify the management of coastal areas, which was accelerated with the implementation in 2017 of the first government plan to address climate change, better known as Life Task. Reinventing islands —The …

Saint Lucia solar installation. Image: Rocky Mountain Institute via New Energy Events
Energy
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Five renewable energy projects to watch in the Caribbean

New Energy Events highlights five Caribbean renewable energy projects they’re keeping an eye on. They are: Paradise Park, 37 MW Solar PV, Jamaica Developer: Eight Rivers Energy Company The largest solar plant in the Caribbean is exected to come online in mid-2018. At the time of signing, the 8.54 US …

Coral reef, Cuba. Image: rparsons86
Biodiversity

How low-input agriculture helps Cuba’s coral reefs stay healthy

The key takeaway from this bioGraphic article is “Every decision you make on land affects the ocean as well.” Especially for islands: [W]hen the Soviet bloc fell in the early 90s, it abruptly turned off the spigot for Cuba’s sugar subsidies and regular shipments of food, gasoline, farming equipment, synthetic fertilizers, …

Ciego de Ávila Meteorological Center. Image via: radiomoron.cu
Climate Change

Cuban meteorological centre to provide training for CARICOM scientists and researchers

The Cuban government will be organizing training in disaster risk reduction for scientists, researchers and specialists from the Caribbean Community. The training will be delivered at the recently inaugurated Meteorological Centre in Ciego de Ávila: The weather center in this Cuban province will train specialists from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), …