WILLEMSTAD - From October 21 to 23, the research project Island(er)s at the Helm presented four years of groundbreaking findings on climate change adaptation in the Caribbean during a major conference in Curaçao. The event brought together a diverse audience of researchers, policymakers, students, artists, and community members, exploring how Caribbean islanders are adapting to climate change in locally meaningful ways.
The project, led by Dr. Francio Guadeloupe (KITLV), was organized in collaboration with the Intercontinental University of the Caribbean, the University of St. Martin, TU Delft, Utrecht University, and the University of Amsterdam.
Cultural Roots of Resilience
The first day featured presentations by Aruban researchers Gregory Richardson and Charissa Granger, who explored the cultural dimensions of climate resilience. Richardson discussed how harvest festivals such as Seu, Simadan, and Dia di San Juan celebrate historical connections to land and food production, despite modern-day scarcity. Granger emphasized the role of music and dance in fostering community cohesion during economic, political, and environmental stress.
Granger also warned against systems that marginalize islanders through tourism development and foreign real estate interests, calling for an approach that prioritizes people over profit. Keynote speaker Kathryn Yusoff, from London, invited the audience to reflect on how much of human life is structured in “inhuman” ways—organized not to sustain life, but to exploit it, including in the Caribbean context.
Climate and Architecture Perspectives
On the second day, researchers Kees Nooren and Aga Kus presented their findings on climate and architecture. Nooren reconstructed Bonaire’s historical landscape through sediment analysis, revealing insights into precolonial agriculture and diet. Kus examined how local communities adapt housing designs to environmental challenges.
Keynote speaker Nelson Mota highlighted the benefits of ethnographic approaches in architecture, urging designers to integrate social and cultural needs into construction practices. Participants also visited Rooi Catootje to observe restoration work and discuss its effects on water management and flood prevention.
Faith, Policy, and Identity
The third and final day focused on governance, belief systems, and postcolonial identity. Lysanne Charles, Yvette Ruzibiza, and Anna Younes shared research from across the Dutch Caribbean. Charles led creative policy reflection sessions on St. Maarten, Saba, and St. Eustatius, engaging both excluded citizens and policymakers. Ruzibiza studied how Seventh-day Adventists on St. Eustatius approach climate concerns through faith, while Younes analyzed Saba through the lens of settler colonialism, exploring how islanders relate to land and one another.
Keynote speaker Melanie Newton from the University of Toronto reflected on the intersection of colonial history, justice, and ownership, focusing on Balliceaux Island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Economist Keston Perry discussed Caribbean sovereignty and reparations, warning that current compromises in negotiations are deepening ecological harm in the region.
Workshops and Local Initiatives
Workshops highlighted practical and educational approaches to climate adaptation. Pedzi Flores-Girigori, a Curaçaoan official and researcher, presented her early warning system for fisheries in Boca Sami, emphasizing community involvement in policymaking.
Mikayla Vieira Ribeiro, a writer and researcher, is building an archive of Papiamentu/o literature and poetry on ecology, recording oral works for future generations.
Professor Simon Richter (University of Pennsylvania) demonstrated how animated YouTube videos can effectively communicate climate stories to broad audiences, including policymakers. In collaboration with artists and activists in Bonaire, he continues to advocate for stronger climate action from the Dutch government.
Aruban educators Jantine de Groot and Rose Barros shared how they convinced the government to invest in food forest projects involving schools and vulnerable communities, restoring people’s connection to the land.
Curaçaoan anthropologist Dimitri Cloose discussed the limits of environmental policies that ignore local ecological practices, while Jude Finies, director of the Terramar Museum in Bonaire, presented how museums can integrate ecological issues into exhibitions to engage the public in critical research.
Broad Participation and Next Steps
The conference attracted a wide range of academics, policymakers, cultural professionals, artists, activists, and civil society members, both in person and online. The full livestream of the plenary sessions is available at youtube.com/@islandersathelm/streams.
Over the next two years, the project’s results will be translated and adapted for Caribbean audiences, including educational materials and policy recommendations. A publicly accessible publication summarizing the project’s findings will also be released in due course.
The conference underscored a central message: climate adaptation in the Caribbean must be shaped by islanders themselves—rooted in culture, community, and care for the land.
