Inspired by Islands
As a network of island communities and allies, we want to uplift the stories of islanders working to address the effects of climate change and the 7 key issue areas emphasized in the National Islands Policy Framework: Clean Energy, Watershed Planning, Food Security, Disaster Preparedness, Marine Economy, Waste Management, and Transportation. Check out these inspiring stories of island communities addressing climate change and creating sustainable solutions for a resilient future.
7 Key Issue Areas
The Generación Circular
Puerto Rico
The Generación Circular initiative based in Puerto Rico has the goal of working towards a circular economy and exploring best practices for solid waste management. Their proposal revolves around several assumptions: 1) That waste is a resource. 2) That waste management must take care of public health and protection of the environment as guiding values. 3) That implementing measures focused on achieving short-term savings is not an effective way to achieve economic well-being. 4) That waste management should be guided by comprehensive standards at the central government level. 5) That waste management is a shared responsibility between citizens, communities, government and the private sector.
St. Croix Refinery
U.S. Virgin Islands
The St. Croix oil refinery, once the largest in the Western Hemisphere, has a long history of environmental and health impacts on the surrounding community. After operating for nearly six decades, the refinery was ordered to shut down in 2012 due to extensive pollution violations. In 2021, the refinery reopened under new ownership, but was again shut down after five months due to near-daily releases of toxic gases, causing nearby residents to fall sick. Explosions caused oil to rain down on communities living downwind of the facility.
Environmentalists and community members continue to raise their concerns about the contamination and environmental issues caused by the refinery and its impact on air quality and public health. The St. Croix Environmental Association (SEA) brought together local and national partners to bring much needed attention to impacts of the refinery on the St. Croix community. Through actions such as townhalls, door-to-door outreach, and a community impact survey, the many partners were able to ensure that community voices were heard and believed. SEA is currently working with local non-profit partners to implement community based environmental monitoring.
Ala Wai Watershed Collaboration
O‘ahu, Hawai'i
The Ala Wai Watershed Collaboration is an innovative partnership of community members, representing civil society, business sector, government at the city, county, state, and national levels, that have come together with a shared vision for a more resilient and prosperous future for the Ala Wai, a very large watershed that feed directly into Waikiki and the heart of Hawaii’s economy. Over the years, this group has been convening to identify specific projects and needs of the community, and measure the progress of these projects through an online data portal. Through this came a holistic watershed plan that looks at the ways of leveraging federal resources, reducing that risk, and creating efficiencies through the entire system by taking a more holistic approach--- Mauka to Makai (ridge to reef approach). Specific projects in the watershed include invasive species management, community restoration projects, and climate change planning.
Guam Green Growth Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub
Guam
Guam Green Growth will be opening a Circular Economy Makerspace and Innovation Hub at the Chamorro Village. Entrepreneurs will be able to gather in a makerspace filled with tools and equipment (e.g. laser cutters, CNC routers, 3D printers) to transform waste products, such as plastic waste or used textiles and other products, into new marketable products.
In a time of business closures and rising unemployment, this initiative will give people an ownership role in the new green economy and in the transition to a cleaner and more sustainable Guam.
Pribilof Islands Marine Conservation Strategy
St. Paul Island
Alaĝum Kanuux̂ (meaning “the Heart of the Ocean”), is a proposed marine sanctuary in the Eastern Bering Sea around the Pribilof Islands, which sit approximately 200 mi north of the Aleutian Islands; roughly 500 mi southeast of the Siberian Coast, Russia; and about 750 mi west of Anchorage, Alaska. The Pribilofs are just 30 miles from the edge of the Bering Sea slope, which creates a distinctly productive marine area with an incredible richness of biodiversity. The Tribal Government nominated Alaĝum Kanuux̂ to the National Marine Sanctuary system in 2021 and it was successfully added to the inventory of nominations in 2022. The Tribal Government is currently in the process of building broad support for the designation of the area to recognize it as incredibly important for ensuring ecological, economic and cultural sustainability and resilience.
GROW initiative: Guam Restoration Of Watersheds Initiative
Guam
The Guam Restoration of Watersheds (GROW) Initiative aims to revive island landscapes and downstream coral reefs. Coordinated by the University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant, GROW partners use an interdisciplinary approach to test and develop novel tools to restore degraded watersheds, coral reefs, and fisheries. The GROW team conducts outreach to thousands of members of the community through watershed tours that raise awareness of land and sea interactions.
Visit uog.edu/seagrant to get involved
The Restoration of Puerto Mosquito
Puerto Rico
The mangrove forest at the mouth of Puerto Mosquito Bioluminescent Bay was severely damaged by Hurricane Maria. The mangroves protect the Pyrodinium bahamense bloom from washing out into the sea, which is essential for the bay's bioluminescence.
To address this issue, a specialized solar mangrove nursery has been established to reforest the area. This nature-based solution involves growing four species of mangrove in the nursery, and uses an innovative protocol to create the same inundation, salinity, and nutrient conditions as the bioluminescent bay. The project is being led by The Vieques Conservation and Historical Trust.
Indigenous Sentinels Network
St. Paul Island
The Indigenous Sentinels Network (ISN) is a tribally-owned program that empowers remote communities to monitor and respond to the effects of climate change. ISN provides Indigenous communities with tools, training, and support to collect and share data about their environment, culture, and economy.
ISN is rooted in Indigenous knowledge and Western scientific methods. It recognizes the diversity of data that are valuable in decision-making processes, especially in a rapidly changing environment. ISN’s goal is to provide remote, Indigenous communities with the capacity for ecological, environmental, and climate monitoring. ISN’s strength is that it is designed for and used by Indigenous participants. It incentivizes and scales the sustained use of data collection tools by Tribes and First Nations, NGOs, and state and federal agencies. ISN empowers deeper understanding that leads to actionable insights for decision-making at multiple levels (local to international).
“Actions like these and other initiatives can help island communities better manage their land and thereby become more climate resilient.”
-Celeste Connors, CEO of Hawaiʻi Green Growth Local 2030 Hub
“I grew up fishing in Guam, my house was close to the shoreline, and as I grew up I could see how the size and the quality of fish was reduced over time. So aquaculture is really an important opportunity, not only for improving and supporting economic activity but it's also something that will take the pressure off our marine fish stocks and increase our local food security.”
-Austin Shelton, University of Guam Center for Island Sustainability and Sea Grant
