CCMI alarmed by UPM attack on conservation

(CNS): The Central Caribbean Marine Institute, a non-profit conservation and research facility on Little Cayman, has said the proposed changes to the National Conservation Act could have “catastrophic and destructive implications for the environment”. CCMI said in a release that the amendment bill paves the way for Cabinet “to make irresponsible decisions regarding environmental health by avoiding expert consultation” and represents “a perilous step backwards for sustainable development and data-driven decision making in the Cayman Islands”.

The CCMI is well-respected on the global scientific stage for its research in Cayman waters. Its patron since 2003 is Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh. As a Cayman-based non-profit, CCMI obeys local laws and has embraced the advances its host country has made over the years to protect its environment.

However, the NPO is now clearly very concerned about the effect of the proposed changes to the conservation law and has argued that environmental protections are essential to the future of the Cayman Islands. CCMI General Manager Kate Holden and board member Christopher Humphries have written to the ministry, Cabinet and MPs about the amendment bill.

“CCMI is opposed to the proposed changes to the National Conservation Act and stands firmly in support of evidence-based decision-making guided by representative government departments to safeguard the environment and its natural resources, ensuring access to these vital assets and prosperity for future generations,” they wrote in the correspondence.

The NPO raised its concern about the move away from international standards of sustainable development, the elimination of requirements for consultation and oversight from respected professionals in the decision-making and governance process, and the implications of the changes, such as removing the requirement for environmental impact assessments (EIAs).

Holden and Humphries said these important reviews “balance development goals with environmental protection by considering the short-term and long-term consequences of a proposed action, weighing potential mitigation strategies, and evaluating alternatives”.

Bypassing existing environmental protection measures would lead to avoidable, severe, compounding, and irreversible impacts on sensitive Caymanian ecosystems, particularly those already experiencing multiple stressors, they said.

“In 2023, the oceans suffered the longest and most severe marine heating event recorded in history. Coral cover on Little Cayman’s reefs, a benchmark for regional marine health, declined from 26% (2023) to 9% (2024). Meanwhile, disease has continued to decimate reefs across the Caribbean. Considering the impacts of these and other factors, including the spread of invasive species, we are in a state of environmental crises, both on land and in the water,” the letter states.

Given this crisis, the pressures from activities such as development and resource use need to be minimised or effectively managed more than ever.

“A healthy marine environment in the Cayman Islands will be essential to resisting and adapting to the intensifying impacts of climate change on our shores. Intact coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove ecosystems, for instance, are all critical for buffering wave energy and storing carbon dioxide (CO2) from
the atmosphere,” the CCMI said.

“As a low-lying, small island state, Cayman is particularly vulnerable to already changing weather patterns and the predicted increase in extreme weather in the coming years. A healthy and functioning environment is critical to societal well-being. Sustainable planning and effective governance are basic yet critical requirements.”

Holden and Humphries also noted the problems these amendments could present on the global stage for this jurisdiction and the scientific work that takes place here.

“These proposed changes also present challenges to meeting international obligations and achieving effective environmental management nationally,” the letter noted. “EIAs are an internationally recognised duty, enshrined in international laws, to which the Cayman Islands are signatories, such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).

“EIAs are the process whereby the potential environmental consequences of an activity, such as development, are evaluated by technical experts to identify the likely areas of highest risk and to propose options for reducing that risk.”

Making their plea to Cayman’s politicians, the scientists said that Cayman’s natural environment is an intrinsic part of its identity and critical to the lives, livelihoods and lifestyles of its people.

“The NCA is designed to ensure that our environment continues to provide the benefits and services that are critical to the well-being and growth of our community,” they said as they urged the government to reconsider this backwards step.

See the full CCMI letter below: