Empowering Caribbean Voices: A Community Approach to the Blue Economy

Let's step out of our comfort zones, embrace humility, and show empathy as we work towards a more equitable future. Too often, critical human elements wrapped into terms like #bluecarbon and #blueeconomy go unmentioned and, therefore, lack crucial funding.?

In 2020, I founded the AQUA Caribbean Blue Economy Conference, sponsored by Luerssen Yachts and co-produced by the amazing Zena Collins. With a humble budget of just 10k euros, we aimed to inspire like-minded individuals and build partnerships with actionists and INGOs as allies to Caribbean communities. I’m an evangelist for equitable collaboration, firmly believing that we can use our skills, investments, and relationships to improve our oceans and people's well-being.?

Through honest and open dialogue, the AQUA Caribbean Blue Economy conference addressed the critical barriers affecting our communities, e.g., business incubation and the need for capacity building & Mentorship, which is critical to developing the equitable Caribbean Blue Economy. How can we ensure that the wealth of the Caribbean Sea stays in the Caribbean? How can we empower Caribbean people to better manage, explore, research, restore, protect, and create new opportunities at this pivotal stage of our history? To guide this dialogue, I wrote "A Framework for the Equitable Caribbean Blue Economy," Sir Arthur Lewis Community College included my paper in the Hunter J. Fran?ois Library Blue Economy Bibliography 2021. This white paper was produced to create a pathway that informs the Caribbean Blue Economy through a wider set of values and visions when planning for a sustainable ocean economy for the Caribbean’s future generation. The framework recognizes that more can be achieved in partnership and collaboration once done equitably. It aims to put native people in charge of their futures by empowering local communities to support transformational change in equitable partnership with international NGOs, academia, and the business sector.?

The whitepaper, which is provided free on my webpage, provides five key recommendations:?

1. Provide access to the ocean and ocean opportunities through education?

2. Make social impact a strategic business priority of funders and industry?

3. Modernize the academic science research model and invest in local science talent?

4. Empower local nonprofits and strengthen collaboration at the organizational level?

5. Create legacy projects?

Why You Should Add A Little More Equity to Your ESG Strategy?

You cannot truly develop a high-integrity, nature-people-positive business in the region from which you are sourcing your materials, testing your innovation, or leading conservation efforts unless the region can equitably benefit from the commercial opportunities that exist far beyond when you have gone.?

Better is Possible?

Let's work together to find ways to support projects that create opportunities for 'equitable collaboration in the Caribbean Blue Economy' through innovative and entrepreneurial solutions with people empowerment front of mind. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune, but it needs a heart that is wired to place and core values that revolve around kindness, generosity, empathy, and people empowerment.

Written by

Veta Wade - [email protected]

"I use systems thinking, co-design, DEI practices and futures thinking in my work."

You can hire me for:

- Remote support, idea storming, and concept design.

- A keynote or guest lecture.

- Working together 1:1 on experimental projects

#Sustainability #Blue Economy #ESG #Consultancy #Fisheries #Aquaculture #Fisheries