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European support for Caribbean geothermal energy development

February 3rd, 2012

European Investment Bank logoThe European Investment Bank is providing financial support for geothermal energy development in the Eastern Caribbean:

The European Investment Bank has agreed to fund preparations for possible use of geothermal renewable energy to replace fossil fuels in the Caribbean. Potential electricity generation capacity from geothermal resources and feasibility of connections to other islands will be examined under the technical assistance programme to start shortly.

The European Investment Bank, the European Union’s long-term lending institution, will provide a EUR 1.1 million grant to enhance detailed planning and study the feasibility of exporting electricity generated by geothermal energy from Dominica to neighbouring islands Martinique and Guadeloupe. Electricity generation using geothermal energy uses water heated to a high temperature using geothermal resources available near the surface. The EIB’s support will evaluate a possible northern submarine interconnection from Dominica to Guadeloupe and a second link to Martinique in the south. Once the feasibility of cross-border interconnections is determined, subsequent studies will define the characteristics of the sub-sea cables and assess the environmental impact of the planned interconnection.

“Ensuring the most effective use of geothermal energy as a sustainable source of electricity generation offers immense potential for transforming energy use and economic growth in the Caribbean. The European Investment Bank is pleased to contribute to overcoming specific technical and engineering challenges essential to lowering the energy costs in Dominica and to significantly increase electricity generation from renewable energy sources in the East Caribbean.” said Plutarchos Sakellaris, European Investment Bank Vice President.

Read more in the full media release.

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Cuba shares agroecological expertise with Caribbean neighbours

November 18th, 2011

Papaya plants, CubaCuban farmers have been sharing their knowledge of eco-friendly agriculture with some regional counterparts:

Farmers and experts on agriculture from Haiti, Guadeloupe and Martinique are touring fields in Cuba this week, along with local colleagues, to exchange experiences to foment ecological fruit growing on Caribbean islands.

“I’m leaving with a different take on things,” Audrey Retory, who grows fruit and vegetables and raises barnyard fowl in Guadeloupe, told IPS. “There’s no reason for there to be an antagonistic relationship between agricultural production and nature.

“From now on I’m going to use vermiculture (composting using earthworms), which does not require a major investment, and I know that many people will see what I’m doing and want to replicate it,” she said.

“The experts and farmers have shared their know-how, and we have tried to take advantage of this great opportunity, to take the new knowledge back home to our fellow agricultural producers,” said Djuié Abdul, a farmer from Martinique who was one of the 22 participants in the experience.

To highlight Cuba’s experience in these techniques and transfer technology to the other three participating Caribbean islands – these are two of the central aims of the Caribbean Network for the Development of Agroecological Horticultural Systems (DEVAG), a four-year project launched in late 2009 with the support of the French embassies in Cuba and Haiti.

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“All of these farmers grow their own specific crops, but what they have in common is the weather and pests, which are a constant challenge on our islands,” the coordinator of the project in Cuba, Lilian Otero, told IPS.

“Cuba can show how, despite economic limitations, progress has been made in bioproducts and the application of agroecological practices,” she said.

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Otero … said “the idea is to create a network and for the farmers themselves to become promoters of these techniques, so that they spread on the islands, and continue to be practiced even when the project is over.”

Find out more in the original article from IPS News.

[Photo: havankevin]

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Martinique to host second International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas

October 11th, 2011

Second International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas
The Second International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas will be held in Martinique from November 7-11, 2011:

To share existing knowledge and lessons learnt between scientists and managers on the conservation of marine mammals, a first International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas (ICMMPA) was organized at the Marine National Sanctuary for the Humpback Whales of Hawaii by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in April 2009. This First International brought together 200 participants from 40 countries as part of the theme “Networks: Making Connections”.

The second International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas is being organized by the French Government (French National MPA agency) in collaboration with the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and major stakeholders in Martinique and will take place in Fort-de-France, Martinique (French West-Indies) from 7-11 November 2011.

The theme of this 2nd International Conference will be the protection of endangered species and their threatened habitats, with a view to discussing actions which impact negatively, gaps , lessons learnt and to develop scenarios, contingency and precautionary approaches.

This venue will also be used as an opportunity to inform stakeholders, marine mammal scientists and the wider public about Caribbean’s environmental and marine conservation efforts and to promote the Agoa sanctuary for marine mammals in the French West Indies.

Find out more about the conference at second.icmmpa.org.

Previous related posts on Green Antilles: Marine mammal sanctuary to be set up in the French Caribbean and Defending Caribbean Wildlife.

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Yale scientist does rain research in Dominica

April 11th, 2011

Rain over the mountains in DominicaAmerican researchers will be studying rain formation over the island of Dominica:

The scientists will use a fully equipped plane called the King Air to study this phenomenon. Dominica is a very mountainous country and clouds appear to form quickly overhead, drop a huge amount of rain, then just as quickly the rain stops it dry up and the clouds move away. They are particularly interested in finding out why.

An understanding of the relationship between clouds and mountains can help scientists draw important conclusions about water distribution and help them to predict how much water to expect as well as determine policy on how to divide water.

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The team will operate out of Martinique, which is just about 25 miles to the South of Dominica.

Read more about this research at TheDominican.net.

Atmospheric scientist Ronald B. Smith of Yale University has previously carried out meteorological research in Dominica, and has published a number of papers reporting the results, including the one embedded below.


[Photo: Chuck Nicholson]

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Mapping the Saba Bank

November 29th, 2010

Diving the Saba BankKai Wulf of the Saba Conservation Foundation reports on a recent research diving expedition on the Saba Bank:

From November 12th to 22nd , a team of eight scientists and conservation practitioners from Holland, Martinique, Bonaire and Saba came together on Saba for a mapping expedition to the Saba Bank. The expedition forms part of a joint project called CARIBSAT, between Martinique, Saba and Bonaire, to test a way to use satellite images to map the life on the bottom of the ocean. Both Bonaire and the Saba Bank need a good map of bottom life, showing different types of coral reefs, seaweed fields and sand bottom. In Martinique a detailed map was made a few years back, which was then compared to satellite images showing various colors reflected back from the bottom, which can be translated into corals, seaweeds, rocks and sand. Once this translation was made for Martinique, it could in theory also be applied to satellite images from other areas such as the Saba Bank, providing a map of the bottom. To ensure that this map resulting from satellite imagery would in fact be correct, the expedition went out to the Saba Bank to get video imagery of as many parts of the Bank as possible and measure the exact spectrum of light reflected back from the bottom. A total of 200 camera “drops” were made, lowering a camera from the boat to film a few tens of meters of the bottom, while measuring the light both at the bottom and at the surface. A number of dives were also made to film longer video transects, in order to carefully describe everything growing on the bottom. The dives were also used to count lobsters, conch and fish species.

This same exercise will also be undertaken on Bonaire, which has much shallower coral reefs and a different bottom structure. Once al the work has been analyzed it will result in a map for the Saba Bank and for Bonaire that will show various types of marine habitats.

The scientists expressed concern for the amount of dead coral reef they found at many places, presumably killed as a result of the 2005 Caribbean wide coral-bleaching event, attributed to global climate change. They also noted a paucity of fishes.

Get more information at the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance blog.

Previous related posts on Green Antilles: Oil exploration on the Saba Bank, Biodiversity of Saba Bank collection, and Managing the environment in the Dutch Caribbean.

[Photo: dcnanature.wordpress.com]

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Marine mammal sanctuary to be set up in the French Caribbean

November 18th, 2010

Underwater GuadeloupeA conservation area for the protection of marine mammals is to be created in the waters of the French West Indies:

On 5th October 2010, in Montego Bay (Jamaica), during the meeting of the Parties to the Convention of the Caribbean Sea (the Carthagène agreement and SPAW protocol), the French government officially announced, through Mr. Ferdy Louisy, Vice-President of the Agency of the Protected Marine Areas, the creation of the sanctuary for marine mammals in the French West Indies, i.e. the territorial waters and ZEE of Guadeloupe, of Martinique, of St-Martin and of St-Barthelemy.

The birth of AGOA (name of the goddess of the sea in Amerindian mythology) constitutes a major advancement in matters regarding the protection of marine biodiversity and affirms the position of France as the lead country in the conservation of Cetacea, and in particular the whales.

The creation of the sanctuary concludes several years of efforts on the part of the ONGs which initiated the project, of the services of the State (DIREN Martinique and Guadeloupe) which initiated the project and of all the actors which took part in the creation of the sanctuary within the framework of a steering committee ensuring widespread dialogue.

While at the same time the pressures develop, the sanctuary is in keeping with the stakes. With an area of 138,000 km ², Agoa will make it possible to reinforce the protection of emblematic but threatened species, like the cachalot, the hump-back whale or the fin-back whale, to sustainably manage their habitats and to ensure that they are considered in the development of human activities.

Read more in the complete article at Barnacle Grenada.

A previous related article on Green Antilles: Defending Caribbean wildlife.

[Photo: cnszym]

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pesticides hazard in the french west indies

July 19th, 2010

Nothing can beat itSome months ago I wrote a post about recent articles linking high rates of prostate and breast cancer in Martinique to the long term use of toxic pesticides in the banana industry. Another recently published study corroborates these findings:

A study published last month in the Journal of Clinical Oncology and in Guadeloupe confirms that chlordecone, which disrupts the endocrine system, is responsible for a significant increase in the risk of prostate cancer, the cause of half the cancers detected on [Martinique and Guadeloupe].
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The product was banned in mainland France in 1990 but special provision was made for its use to continue in the Antilles until 1993. It had been banned in the US since 1976.
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Martinique and Guadeloupe must now cope with massive contamination of soil, river water and sediments by a substance that remains toxic for centuries. “About 80,000 people live in areas were the soil is contaminated and 13,000 absorb more chlordecone than the reference dose per day, simply by eating their own vegetables. We must help local people learn how to live with a problem which is here to stay: the half-life of chlordecone in the ground – the time it takes half the quantity present to disappear – is 600 years,” .. says [Professor William Dab, head of the Science Committee for the Martinique and Guadeloupe Chlordecone Plan].

The full article can be found in the UK Guardian, re-published from Le Monde.

Previously on Green Antilles: Pesticides and cancer in Martinique.

[Photo: Georgia Popplewell>]

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epic announces winners of eastern caribbean seabird poster competition

June 29th, 2010

Winning poster by Jordan Simmons of AntiguaEnvironmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) has announced the winners of their recent poster competition, which was held to raise awareness among young people about seabirds and their importance to Caribbean ecosystems:

Three pupils from Dominica, Antigua and Martinique have secured their schools EC$300 for books on nature conservation. Emma Farley, Jordan Simmons and Christelle Brunot are the winners of Environmental Protection In the Caribbean’s (EPIC) Eastern Caribbean poster competition, ‘Why are Seabirds Important?’. The pupils will receive prizes of binoculars and the book ‘Birds of the West Indies’ by H. Raffaele et. al.

Emma Farley of Ross University Preparatory School, Dominica, wins the 6-8 year old category with her colourful collage of breeding terns. Lisa Sorenson, President of the Society for the Conservation and Study of Caribbean Birds (SCSCB) applauded Emma’s lively poster, ‘this artist showed how the seabirds and humans alike are dependent on a healthy marine ecosystem to survive’.

Winner of the 9-11 year old category is Jordan Simmons, of St John’s Catholic Primary School, Antigua, with his striking depiction of a variety of seabird species and their relationship with mangroves. Nils Navarro Pacheco artist and coordinator of the Caribbean Wildlife Art Working Group praised the artist for his, ‘Interesting, creative and technical use of collage’.

Christelle Brunot of Collège Dillon 2, Martinique, wins the 12 + category with her bold poster of a Brown Pelican. Natalia Collier, President of EPIC, complimented the artist on her portrayal of the pelican gliding over a pristine sea and Christelle’s plea to Caribbean people to ‘protect our flora and fauna’.

Read more about the competition and EPIC’s work in the field of seabird conservation.

EPIC is a regional conservation organisation, with headquarters in St. Maarten. Previously on Green Antilles: EPIC environmental education in St. Maarten.

[Photo: Jordan Simmons/birdlife.org]

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high crab mortality in martinique

May 27th, 2010

Crab, MartiniqueFrom theRepeating Islands blog comes information about a recent decline in the population of mantou crabs in Martinique, and a consequent ban on crab hunting:

In a press release, the Martinique Regional Directorate of the Environment (DIREN) reminds the public that, due to significant amount of deaths of mantou crabs (also known as mangrove land crabs, mud crabs, or Ucides cordatus) found in April, their habitats are being monitored with the help of the Division of Veterinary Services, particularly in the areas of Sainte-Anne, François, and La Trinité. To date, analytical results of toxicology tests are not yet known. Given significant mortality rate observed in adult specimens occurring before the period of reproduction of this species, fishing of the land crabs could seriously harm the survival of the species.

As a precautionary measure, a decree has been placed to prohibit fishing, trapping, transporting, purchasing, or selling these endangered crabs. The prohibition began on May 20, 2010, and will last for at least six months, after which, it may be renewed.

In April rangers of the Regional Natural Park of Martinique reported anomalies in land crab populations in the mangroves and pond at the Réserve Naturelle de la Caravelle. Besides a high mortality rate, other characteristics included dangerously soft shells, disorientation, and other unusual behavior. Other areas where crabs were affected include Cap Chevalier and Génipa.

See more at Repeating Islands.

[Photo: Jean & Nathalie]

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white-breasted thrasher

May 18th, 2010

White-breasted Thrasher

There are two subspecies of White-breasted Thrasher (Ramphocinclus brachyurus), and both of them have a very small range. The subspecies Ramphocinclus brachyurus brachyurus is found in the wild only on the Caravelle peninsula of Martinique, and the subspecies Ramphocinclus brachyurus sanctaeluciae is found in an area on St. Lucia’s north-east coast.

In Martinique, part of the Thrasher’s habitat is protected by its inclusion in the Caravelle Nature Reserve. The St. Lucian Thrasher is a protected species, but St. Lucia’s protected areas don’t include the Thrasher’s habitat range.

BirdLife International reports that in St. Lucia

…ongoing habitat degradation and loss is caused by agriculture, charcoal-burning and wood-cutting, and there are potentially devastating plans to build a highway through the centre of the thrasher’s range. A resort and golf course are being constructed … on a site that is estimated to hold c.25% of the global population.

The White-breasted Thrasher is classified as an endangered species.

More on the White-breasted Thrasher from BirdLife, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Arkive.

This post is part of a series to celebrate the Caribbean Endemic Bird Festival.

[Photo: Ross Tsai]

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