The Maritime Industry and its impact on the Sustainability of Caribbean Small Island Developing States.

Caribbean Small Island Developing States have the special attention of the United Nations system due to their small size, remoteness, lack of resilience and being susceptible to natural disasters and economic shocks. With no economy of scale and an economy relying on one or two main activities that may be seriously affected by factors outside of their control, these small Island Nations are more seriously affected than most other nations when such events take place.

Covid-19 heralded the collapse of global tourism and in the case of the Caribbean region, Cruise tourism. Since most of the Islands in the region rely heavily on tourism with the industry providing between 30 and 75% of their GDP the result is obvious. Governments have become unable to provide basic services when their populations need it the most. Unemployment has increased as has the corresponding social issues such as domestic violence.

Children have been unable to go to school where some countries provide meal programs for the less advantaged. Those children go hungry.

Sustainability affects every part of our lives and is the art of achieving a balanced tringle of Environment, people and money.

The people of social aspect of sustainability is often forgotten or ignored but each side of the triangle is equally important since it is the people that make sustainability happen. Without their buy in it will not be possible.

All vessels calling to SIDS leave a footprint on the local population whether they like it or not. Do you know the size of your organisations footprint or which aspects of the local society , environment or economy it affects?