The Green Link Newsletter

Where others see challenges, we see opportunities and the first quarter of 2025 has proven just that. The OECS Environmental Sustainability Division entered the year with
renewed vigour, continuing our mission to build a resilient, climate-smart future for our region. This edition of GreenLink reflects the momentum we’ve built together as we move from advocacy to action.

In March, we celebrated the International Day of Forests, reaffirming our commitment to the forests that sustain our ecosystems and support livelihoods. We also launched Power Below the Surface: Harnessing Geothermal Energy in the OECS, spotlighting our region’s drive toward clean,
renewable energy.

With support from the European Union’s Euroclima programme, we hosted a regional climate finance training workshop in Saint Lucia, followed closely by the Third NDCFI Investment Forum in Grenada, where regional and international leaders mobilised partnerships and financing for climate action. Meanwhile, biodiversity planning is gaining momentum in Anguilla, Montserrat, and the Virgin Islands under the BioSPACE Project a testament to the OECS’ commitment to inclusive environmental governance.

The OECS Environmental Sustainability Division is pleased to share the latest edition of The GreenLink. In the last quarter, we’ve proudly championed the region’s environmental priorities on both global and regional stages. At COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, we advocated for Small Island Developing States' climate resilience and sustainable development needs (SIDS), ensuring our voices resonated where they mattered most. Biodiversity COP16 saw us advancing biodiversity conservation efforts, while our involvement in INC5 helped shape the groundwork for a much-needed global plastics treaty to combat plastic pollution. Back in the region, we joined forces with partners at the EU-OECS Sargassum Conference to address the challenges of sargassum proliferation and took part in the UNCCD COP16 to combat land degradation and desertification. The fourth OECS / Hewanorra Honey Show highlighted sustainable apiculture and the vital role of pollinators in preserving healthy ecosystems an inspiring reminder of the power of community-driven initiatives.

The year ahead presents us with new opportunities and challenges and it’s crucial that we continue to build on the momentum of 2023.
In this edition of The GreenLink, you’ll find inspiring stories on some of the OECS endeavours including representation of the Region at COP28 in the UAE, a two-cohort Regional Drone Training Workshop in Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Lucia, respectively, and a regional Geothermal Energy Awareness Workshop conducted in Grenada. Thank you for joining us on this journey. Together, we can make a difference.

I’m sure you’ve complained about the unprecedented heat these past few months regardless of where you live – maybe except in the North Pole – but you would have noticed the polar ice caps melting anyway. I hope this does not sound too corny, but this edition of GreenLink is just hot off the press, and we have lots to share! We’ve shared highlights from the recently concluded OECS 10th Council of Ministers on Environmental Sustainability (COM:ES)10 in Anguilla, where several important decisions were made to ensure that the OECS region has a robust environmental sustainability framework. Our economic, social and physical prosperity, among many other things, depends heavily on this. Oops! I almost forgot that we also hosted a milestone 10th Annual Environmental Sustainability Exhibition in partnership with the Government of Anguilla. In this edition, we’ve also shared highlights from our Safety at Sea training programme and our regional Communication Workshops for the focal points of the BioSPACE and ILM Projects. We’ve shared the first two documentaries in our Stories in Biodiversity series – yes, there are links to view them – upcoming activities, environmental days, etc. I think I’ve said enough because you are ready to start reading! Enjoy this version of The GreenLink, and let’s continue our partnership to build environmentally sustainable paths and futures!

Time flies when you are having fun and 2023 seems to be going by quickly. We are excited to share with you the first edition of The GreenLink, a publication of the OECS Environmental Sustainability Division. We begin this edition with a quick overview of initiatives being undertaken by the OECS to deal with the threat of Climate Change and the road to COP28, an annual global conference to tackle the issue collectively. Given the urgency to tackle this existential threat, the OECS is executing a new project, exploring geothermal energy in the region. Additionally, with recent increases in the cost of energy globally, this is exciting news for our people. We’ve summarized the project details for you in this edition and will keep you updated on the progress in our future editions. There’s more good news! On February 2, World Wetlands Day, France pledged three million Euros to mangrove restoration in the OECS. Mangrove forests are an essential resource in dealing with climate change. In addition to World Wetlands Day, we’ve highlighted some of the OECS activities in recognition of major global environmental days this year, including International Day of Forests and World Water Day. We’ve also highlighted the OECS adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) after Biodiversity COP15 last year. I think I’ve shared enough right now. Dive right in and look at the photos and videos we’ve prepared for you, familiarize yourself with the ESD’s staff and enjoy the read! We’re working together to create a better future for OECS citizens!

Hello Readers,
Another edition of GreenLink is hot off the press, and we are overly eager to update you on what has taken place since our last edition. Here, we highlight activities held in observance of International Biodiversity Day and World Environment Day, a visit by the European Union Delegation to Saint Lucia, key takeaways from the 2nd Caribbean Nationally Determined Contributions Finance Initiative (NDCFI) hosted by the OECS Commission in collaboration with the Government of Saint Lucia, among others. Look out for some amazing photographs from a regional photo competition on Resilient Caribbean Cities, and information on key outcomes from the 9th OECS Council of Ministers of Environmental Sustainability meeting (COM-ES 09) held in St. Vincent & the Grenadines.

The OECS Environmental Sustainability Division has been fully engaged, supporting the Organisation’s hosting of the 6th Sitting of the OECS Assembly in Antigua & Barbuda on March 18, 2022, under the theme: The SHIFT: Embracing New Platforms and Innovative Models for Leadership in Sustainability. The Commission, through the ESD, also supported the Nippon foundation-WMU Closing the Circle Programme Conference held in Dominica from April 4-7,  2022 which sought to explore challenges and opportunities to address pressing issues of Marine Debris, Sargassum, and Marine Spatial Planning in the Eastern Caribbean.

We take this opportunity to thank all of our readers for the feedback provided via the online form. We paid acute attention to your comments, and are pleased to inform you that your concerns have been incorporated into this revised thrust. For starters, we have added a Youth Corner, intended to highlight environmental youth clubs, schools, and projects in the OECS.

In this edition, we highlight work being done within the Department of Natural Resources in Anguilla, including Sargassum Monitoring and Management, Shallow Reef, and Sea Grass Monitoring. We also zone in on how climate resilience in the water sector is being built
in Saint Lucia, through the EU GCCA+ and CCCCC. If you are interested in learning about mangroves and how important they are to
marine ecosystems, then you’re viewing the right edition of GreenLink!

This year, regional OECS governments had to contend with, among others, a persistent global health crisis, intensifying weather systems fueled by climate change, a volcanic eruption, limited financial and fiscal space, and reduced opportunities for international funding to sustain and implement programmes geared towards the sustainable development of our people.
As a result, the OECS Commission has itself had to readjust its priorities to adequately respond to the needs of Member States in these challenging times. Resilience is a core value of the OECS Commission, and always a foremost consideration in the implementation of the mandate of the Organisation.

Therefore, despite the challenges of 2021, our team has continued to work diligently to meet the needs of our Member States by delivering key results in all of our thematic areas.

These are challenging times, and it is no secret that these are challenging times, and it is no secret that the effects of COVID-19 have crippled world economies. The OECS region has not been spared in this dilemma. We continue to grapple with COVID-19 case management, marked by significantly increased pressures on regional health systems, coupled with the spinoff challenges of unemployment, limited educational instruction, and limited social interaction. Further compounding our situation is the natural phenomena of the hurricane season, and a volcanic eruption, in the case of Saint Vincent & the Grenadines.

This second edition of The GreenLink will update you on the OECS Environmental SustainabilityDivision’s progress on work in key areas, and issues relating to Biodiversity and Ecosystems Management, Sustainable Energy, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Management, Oceans Governance, and Fisheries. We also take a critical look at our COVID-19 realities in the context of their impact on the environment.

On June 18, 1981, seven small islands with common interests began an interesting journey together, to promote solidarity and cooperation. Forty years on, what a journey it has been! We look back on the footprints of environmental sustainability within this, our treasured OECS. “Life begins at 40”, they say, so…let’s live on!!!

This is another informative, educational and exciting edition and we invite you to join us for the next issue. Yes, you! Drop us a line at greenlink@oecs.int. We will be happy to discuss how we can win together for a more sustainable OECS environment!

Happy New Year and best wishes for a safe and productive 2021. I am delighted to present this inaugural edition of GreenLink – the quarterly newsletter of the OECS Commission’s Environmental Sustainability Division. Over the years, the Division has undertaken several projects in OECS Member States that have resulted in tangible and intangible benefits to our citizens. These projects have included works on slope stabilization, biodiversity conservation, energy efficiency, and climate change adaptation and mitigation, to name a few. Our mandate as a Commission is to improve the lives of OECS citizens through sustainable interventions. While the emergence of COVID-19 has staggered the pace of implementation, our drive and commitment to serve you remain resolute. Our current realities have amplified the need to keep you informed about ongoing interventions spearheaded by the Division, and by extension, the Commission, in a timely manner. We hope that GreenLink will serve as a catalyst for change in the way that we engage you, our valued stakeholders. I take this opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of all who have made this inaugural issue a reality. Your creative thoughts have served up a unique blend of rich articles and contributions, which we hope that you, our readers, will savour.