Senior fisheries and marine expert Professor Robin Mahon has expressed concern that Barbados is inadequately protecting some of its natural wetlands and is calling on the government to introduce environmental protection and management legislation.
A professor emeritus at the Center for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES) reacted to recent proposals for large-scale marine developments planned for the St. Lawrence Gap region.
‘I think we’re falling short,’ Mahon said Barbados todayhe questioned how Barbados could be about coping with climate change when such developments in the popular South Coast region were being considered.
“The prime minister has certainly spoken a lot about climate change and said some really good things on the world stage, but we still haven’t gotten our way. We are still willing to do so, but it has the impact of climate change,” he pointed out.
A respected marine biologist argued that the planned development could lead to “destruction of wetlands where reeds, sedges and other vegetation sequester carbon”.
“Yes, it is small, but here in Barbados everything is small, and many small pieces of wetlands, forests, dunes and other habitats are all maintained and managed for social and economic benefit. We need to get serious about guarantees,” Mahon said.
Officials of the St. Lawrence Harbor Village Development Project have ensured that the mangroves and other environmental features will be preserved, despite the wrath of residents in the area.
New developments reportedly include restoring natural waterways, building floating islands and retail spaces for local businesses, and general landscaping of the area.
It requires a dredged safe waterport and a swing bridge for boats entering and exiting the waterway.
Professor Mahon, however, has expressed reservations about preserving the area’s wetlands, saying he believes it will disappear.
“The plan is basically to dig it out and turn it into a boat lagoon, so there won’t be any floating islands or anything like that,” he said.
Pointing to the nearby Graemehall Wetlands and the closed nature reserve, he said, “While they play a role in climate change resilience,” these are not likely because officials seem unwilling to protect them. said the future of the region and others was uncertain.
Recalling that environmental legislation was proposed and drafted over 20 years ago, Mahon said: We can only guess why. ”
“Such legislation would include a statement containing habitats considered valuable and in need of protection. We would be subject to that law, and no one would suggest digging up the wetlands even if they knew the law existed,” he said.
“We are distinguished by the absence of environmental legislation…and not only that, but we do not have protected areas. Not one,” he said.
He also raised questions about the effectiveness of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which resulted in the cessation of development of the area.
“It would be easy to say that all of this would be addressed in an environmental impact assessment. We know that in many cases this easing will be a day behind and a dollar shortfall,” he said.
“If the project goes that far, negative EIA conclusions could be overruled by the relevant ministers. It would not be considered a type of development, and arguably dredging this wetland would disrupt ecosystem function, even if the surrounding trees remain.”
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