9 Needham’s Point

BLUE ECONOMY

Barbados’ geographical location within the Eastern Atlantic Ocean places the country in the immediate vicinity of where some of the most devastating results of global climate change takes place. Weather systems largely originate in the Atlantic Ocean and as they move into the Caribbean region and interact with the increasingly warmer sea temperatures, can become Category 5 hurricanes.

However, while there is danger, there is also opportunity as the Caribbean Region’s largest resource is its coastal and marine asset. A World Bank report estimated that the oceans contributed over US$ 400 billion to the Caribbean. Barbados therefore has an ambitious plan to establish the island as a global hub for sustainable projects, in climate resilience and ocean innovation, policies and solutions that could be scaled and distributed globally.