Faced with extreme climatic phenomena
As an island state, Barbados is particularly exposed to extreme weather phenomena. From June to the end of November is the unpredictable hurricane season. Fortunately, the island lies just to the south of what climatologists call the "Caribbean hurricane belt", so it is hit by violent hurricanes only relatively rarely. However, storms, although natural, are becoming more frequent, and more violent, as a result of climate disruption.
In addition to tropical storms, global warming is also causing sea levels to rise, threatening the island. Rising sea levels are already endangering public health, as salty seawater seeps into the island's underground freshwater reserves for human consumption. Added to this are increasingly severe droughts, while rainfall is expected to be reduced by up to 40% by the end of the century. As a result, Barbados, like half the Caribbean islands, is facing a water shortage.
In 2022, Barbados became the first country in the world to benefit from a brand new IMF (International Monetary Fund) fund. The fund is called the Resilience and Sustainability Fund, and its aim is to help poor countries exposed to climatic hazards to better equip themselves to cope. The island has received nearly 300 million US dollars.
These funds should help Barbados achieve the ambitious climate target it has already set itself: to be carbon neutral by 2030. To achieve this, it aims to use 100% renewable energy by 2030, and to equip itself with more suitable infrastructures, particularly in terms of water purification. The country is also promoting the introduction of electric vehicles, offering tax breaks to those wishing to acquire them.
The sargassum invasion
For over a decade, Barbados has been the victim of an invasion of the dreaded Sargassum. With their scientific names Sargassum fluitans and Sargassum natans, these two brown algae are a scourge for the entire Caribbean region. These naturally holopelagic marine plants, which are carried along by currents rather than anchored to the ground by roots, multiply excessively. In some places, they form deposits more than a metre high on beaches. The phenomenon is new, and still poorly understood: it is not yet known whether this proliferation is favored by global warming or by the increase in nutrients in the water due to agricultural discharges. Whatever the case, the consequences are particularly harmful: many marine animals become entangled in the algae, particularly turtles when they lay their eggs, and the sargassum emits a stench as it decomposes. Rotting seaweed releases ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, which are also a health hazard. As well as the ecological consequences, the economy itself is affected: fishing is made difficult by these brown tides, which hamper boats, tourism is reduced by the smell of rotten eggs, and the real estate market falls along the coast.
Fortunately, since its first brown tide in 2011, Barbados has begun to put in place a defense system, particularly after 2018, a black year in the matter, which earned a declaration of national emergency. The authorities have now set up a system for collecting unwanted algae. The algae are then collected before they decompose, so they no longer cause an olfactory nuisance. We've also recently seen the emergence of local initiatives aimed at turning this scourge into a genuine ecological opportunity. Such is the case of the biotech company Red Diamond Compost, which aims to transform seaweed into organic compost, thus replacing the synthetic fertilizers that are causing a major pollution problem on the island with this natural alternative.
Plastic waste in the crosshairs
Another scourge that washes up on Barbados' shores is plastic waste. Here again, Barbados is determined to take the bull by the horns, and has thus banned single-use plastic since 2019. Plastic bags, straws and other disposable cutlery are now banned from import, sale and distribution. At the same time, the island state is increasingly developing infrastructures to improve recycling.
Deploying ecotourism
Barbados has a national park, created in 1966 by order of Queen Elizabeth II. Farley Hill National Park consists of a colonial-era mansion surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. Not only does it offer hikers spectacular panoramic views of the Barbadian coastline, it also provides a prime habitat for flora and fauna.
Another site of interest to nature lovers is the Andromeda Botanic Garden in Bathsheba. It was created in 1954 by Iris Bannochie, a Barbadian horticulturist. At a time when there were virtually no cultivated gardens on the island, this self-taught scientist founded her own private collection here, using plants brought back from her travels around the world. In the 1950s, she was responsible for introducing 90% of the ornamental plants found in Barbados! This botanical mecca is the only Caribbean partner of the prestigious British Royal Horticultural Society.
Taking advantage of this natural wealth, Barbados has been developing a genuine local ecotourism policy since the 1990s. The country has developed greener public transport, including a fleet of some fifty electric buses. Eco-friendly hotels are also springing up all over the island, offering travelers locally grown, pesticide-free food, natural cosmetics and equipment powered by renewable energies.
