Barbuda: Changing Times, Changing Tides

This book explores the impacts of climate change, resilience, sustainability, indigeneity, cultural genocide, disaster capitalism, preservation of biodiversity, and environmental degradation on the island of Barbuda in the West Indies. It highlights projections of 21st-century climate change for the Caribbean region and its likely impacts on coastal ecosystems, potable groundwater resources, and heritage.

Format: Hardback
Length: 158 pages
Publication date: 16 December 2022
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

This comprehensive volume delves into a diverse array of themes, encompassing the profound impacts of climate change, resilience, sustainability, indigeneity, cultural genocide, disaster capitalism, biodiversity preservation, and environmental degradation. With a specific focus on the island of Barbuda in the West Indies, it offers invaluable insights into how climate change is reshaping our global landscape. The book explores the intricate interplay between climate and culture in the Caribbean, examining how climate has evolved across different spatial and temporal scales and how diverse natural and human factors have shaped Barbuda's climatic and cultural heritage. It highlights projections of 21st-century climate change for the Caribbean region, emphasizing its potential impacts on coastal ecosystems, potable groundwater resources, and cultural heritage sites.

Contributions from researchers from the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and Europe, spanning various disciplines such as archaeology, anthropology, paleoclimatology, environmental sciences, science education, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), enrich the volume's content. By adopting interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches that examine the long-term interactions between natural and social systems, this volume appeals to scholars, researchers, and students engaged in ethnography, social anthropology, climate action, development studies, public policy, and climate change.

The book's chapters are organized into four sections, each addressing a distinct aspect of climate change and its implications. The first section explores the historical and contemporary drivers of climate change in the Caribbean, including natural factors such as volcanic eruptions and oceanic circulation patterns, as well as human activities such as deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions. The second section examines the impacts of climate change on coastal ecosystems, including erosion, sea level rise, and the loss of biodiversity. The third section explores the challenges of sustainable development in the Caribbean, including the need for renewable energy sources, sustainable agriculture practices, and coastal protection measures. The fourth section explores the role of indigenous communities in climate adaptation and resilience, highlighting their traditional knowledge and practices that can contribute to sustainable development.

Throughout the volume, case studies and examples from Barbuda and other Caribbean islands provide concrete illustrations of the challenges and opportunities faced by communities in the face of climate change. These case studies showcase the resilience and creativity of indigenous communities in adapting to changing environmental conditions, as well as the challenges they face in preserving their cultural heritage and traditional practices.

In conclusion, this volume offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary exploration of climate change and its impacts on the Caribbean region. By shedding light on the complex interplay between climate, culture, and development, it provides valuable insights into the strategies and solutions needed to address the challenges posed by climate change. It is a must-read for scholars, researchers, and policymakers interested in understanding the complex dynamics of climate change and its implications for the future of our planet.

Weight: 490g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032326399