MESSAGE FROM EDITOR

Sanya Compton

editorchrysallis@gmail.com

This fourth and special issue falls under the theme “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for a better future – is the Caribbean SDG ready?”. Achieving sustainability is now at the forefront of our current global crisis – the COVID 19, coronavirus pandemic. This health crisis has destabilized social norms, economies and livelihoods as we know it. Weaknesses and inefficiencies have been exposed and the need for creative, innovative and practical sustainable solutions has reached a critical point. Highly vulnerable regions such as the Caribbean are among the hardest hit with their high dependencies on trade (exports and imports of goods and services) and tourism coming to (in many cases) a screeching halt due to the shutdown of operations within these sectors.

At the 2015 General Assembly of the United Nations (UN), 17 Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by all UN Member States as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This 15-year plan sets out actions for all countries to achieve a better and more sustainable future by addressing global challenges especially those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. Five years into this initiative, where are we [the Caribbean] as a region? What have we done thus far to meet these goals? What does and could the future of sustainability look like within the region as we adjust and readjust under this [COVID 19] global pandemic? There may always be more questions than answers, but the solutions must begin at some point.

This Chrysallis issue highlights only a few of the initiatives and activities that some of the region’s leading researchers, experts and institutions have been able to share with us. From actions on sustainable tourism, terrestrial and marine protected areas to improving capacity in areas such as climate change and agriculture, ocean governance, education, national readiness and gender. Much of this research has been done over the past two years and gives a sense of what is being accomplished throughout the region. Given the current global status, this issue is both timely and relevant and places emphasis on the imperative need for national, regional and international sustainability; we are all in this together.

The issue also includes: words of encouragement and advice from fellow postgraduate student researchers and leaders; contributions from our recently launched “Research Spotlight Series”; and highlights from the recently concluded “NERD Day” hosted at the UWI – Cave Hill.

We at Chrsyallis hope you enjoy the issue and would like to thank you for your continued support over the years.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Sustainable transitions and sustainable pathways for tourism

Caribbean Protected Areas Gateway contributes to SDGs 14 and 15

Making Saint Vincent and the Grenadines ready for Climate Change

Implementing the Ocean Sustainable Development Goal in the Wider Caribbean: state of play and possible ways forward

Environmental education as a tool for sustainable development: the case of the reef guardian schools’ pilot program in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

United Nations Sustainable Development Goals: Sustainable cities and communities, are we in Barbados ready?

Exploring Gender in Marine Governance within the Wider Caribbean Region

Words of Wisdom: What advice do your fellow postgraduate researchers and leaders have to offer?

Faculty of Science and Technology: NERD Day 3.0

Special feature – “Research Spotlight Series”

Announcements