Guadeloupe National Park
Guadeloupe is one of the world's biodiversity hotspots. The archipelago boasts remarkable ecosystems, including endemic species of plants, terrestrial molluscs, birds, reptiles, amphibians and bats. Marine biodiversity is also significant. The territory's waters are home to humpback whales, which come here to breed. The Guadeloupe National Park 's mission is to preserve the various natural environments it shelters: marine areas, tropical forests and the Basse-Terre mountains. Another of its missions is to raise public awareness of the environment, through events, training programs and other activities.
Natural and man-made risks
Guadeloupe, located in the Antilles arc at the crossroads of various tectonic plates, is subject to a number of natural hazards: tropical hurricanes, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Human activities also have an impact on the natural balance. Anthropogenic pressure (development of agriculture, artificialization of soils) accentuates soil erosion, fragmentation of natural environments and pollution. The introduction of invasive species such as the lion-fish also poses a threat to biodiversity. Tourism also contributes to pressure on resources (water and energy) and waste production.
Waste management: an important issue
The structuring of waste management systems is still in its infancy in Guadeloupe. Local authorities have set up management plans for household and industrial waste. The aim was to put an end to dumping in the "ravine" (i.e. in rivers), at the side of the road, to uncontrolled incineration and illegal dumps. One of the region's challenges is to deal with its historical liabilities. Former landfills have been closed and others transformed into waste treatment and recovery centers. In 2009, Guadeloupe began widespread deployment of selective waste sorting. The region has set itself the ambitious goal of a "Zero Waste Archipelago" by 2035, by defining waste prevention, recovery and recycling targets. The number of drop-off centers and recycling centers has increased significantly in recent years, and the circular economy is slowly being put in place to reduce the waste of resources. While landfill is still in the majority, 43% of waste is now recycled, half of it locally.
The environmental challenges of agriculture
The colonization of the region was based on intensive agriculture (sugar cane and banana cultivation) and urbanization, which led to deforestation, soil degradation and environmental pollution. Runoff water laden with chemical inputs has also contributed to the eutrophication of the coastline and the fragility of marine ecosystems. Environmental contamination by chlordecone remains a major health and environmental concern. This organochlorine insecticide, considered persistent, was used from 1972 to 1993 to combat banana weevils in a context of intensive monoculture. Its use polluted not only the soil, but also groundwater and the entire food chain. Exposure to chlordecone is also a health risk factor. The molecule's stability means that it remains in the soil, and contaminated areas need to be monitored. A map of polluted areas is available from the French government.
Agriculture remains the activity responsible for the most significant pollution of aquatic environments, along with wastewater treatment, and ahead of industry. Another phenomenon highlighted by the Guadeloupe Water Board is the salinization of certain freshwater aquifers and their pollution by pesticides. Faced with these problems, agro-ecology initiatives are beginning to emerge in the region.
The Sargasso invasion or the symbol of global pollution
Since 2011, Guadeloupe has had to deal with episodic strandings of seaweed - Sargassum fluitans and Sargassum natans. The proliferation of these brown algae has direct economic repercussions on the region (seaside activities and fishing), but it also has environmental impacts and disrupts local biodiversity: when the algae are in the water, they form huge sheets that no longer let light through, affecting corals and fish. These seaweed rafts are also problematic during the turtle nesting season, when turtles are unable to reach the beaches to lay their eggs. When sargassum washes ashore, it decomposes and produces hydrogen sulphide, a toxic gas that causes nauseating odours. In high concentrations, this gas can become harmful, causing discomfort to sensitive people and animals, and accelerating the deterioration of electrical appliances.
The origin of this phenomenon has yet to be determined, but according to some studies, it is linked to intensive agriculture in the Amazon, whose nutrients seem conducive to their development. In other words, massive deforestation and the intensive use of inputs - phosphates and nitrates - lead to the leaching of soils, whose effluents then find their way into the river and then the ocean, where they create conditions favorable to the development of sargassum. Currents then carry the algae to the Caribbean Sea. Sand mists from the Sahara also contribute to the movement of Sargassum. And global warming could lead to more frequent occurrence of these sand mists.
At present, the only solution adopted by local authorities is mechanized collection of seaweed from beaches. Some are opting for floating booms, in an attempt to block the algae before it runs aground.
The 2022-2025 national plan to prevent and combat sargassum aims to implement actions ranging from forecasting sargassum arrivals, through collection techniques on the coast and at sea, to recycling. Despite these resources, it is still common to see shoals of sargassum washed up on the archipelago's beaches.
The energy challenges of the territory
Guadeloupe is facing increasing energy demand and dependence on fossil fuels. This is at odds with the objectives of the energy transition, which aim to reduce consumption and "decarbonize" energy. Mobility remains a major challenge, as most journeys require the use of a vehicle. The transport of people and goods is the most energy-intensive sector. It accounts for 52% of the archipelago's greenhouse gas emissions, while energy production accounts for 7%. The region is aiming for energy autonomy by 2030, by controlling energy demand and developing renewable energies, for which measures have been put in place (compulsory solar water heaters for new buildings, development of photovoltaic solar energy, geothermal energy, biomass, wind power). The Bouillante geothermal power plant (commissioned in 1996), the only one of its kind in the Caribbean and the first in France, is a prime example of green energy.
Guadeloupe and climate change
Ongoing global warming could have a major impact on the archipelago, particularly with the intensification of extreme phenomena (hurricanes, flooding). Rising sea levels and coastal erosion could threaten not only infrastructures, but all human activities and resources (water and biodiversity). Ocean acidification contributes to coral bleaching.
The dysfunction of water in Guadeloupe
The subject is a delicate one, given its scale. Between 65% and 85% of the water distributed by the public water network is lost to the environment between the point of abstraction and the user's tap. This is due to the age of the pipes, which are riddled with leaks. The estimated cost of renovating the network is 600 million euros. In September 2021, the Syndicat mixte unique de gestion de l'eau et de l'assainissement en Guadeloupe (SMGEAG) was set up to take over from the various local public utilities, which had been failing for years. SMGEAG has an investment capacity of 170 million euros for the first three years. Rehabilitation work will be carried out on a section-by-section basis.
For years, Guadeloupe has been living with the rhythm of water turns, partial cuts to save resources and maintain the pressure needed to supply homes. Households and businesses, as well as tourist accommodations, are organizing themselves by equipping themselves with buffer tanks or rainwater harvesting systems to make up for this occasional water shortage.
The passage of storm Fiona on September 16, 2022, which caused a great deal of damage, damaged the drinking water network, which was already facing major structural difficulties. During his visit to Guadeloupe, Jean-François Carenco, the French Minister for Overseas Territories at the time, activated the "Orsec eau potable" plan to ensure water supply to the population.
