The Climate Conscious Podcast

5. Better Than Before: Resilient, inclusive and environmentally sustainable Caribbean Development | feat. Arica Hill

April 05, 2023 Derval Barzey Season 5 Episode 5
The Climate Conscious Podcast
5. Better Than Before: Resilient, inclusive and environmentally sustainable Caribbean Development | feat. Arica Hill
Show Notes

On the fifth and final episode of  Better Than Before, leveraging COVID-19 for a sustainable Caribbean,  host Derval Barzey speaks with Arica Hill, the Executive Director of the Environmental Awareness Group (EAG)– Antigua and Barbuda’s longest standing environmental NGO. 


Arica has more than a decade of experience in the environmental field. Her work focuses on providing people and communities with the resources they need so that conservation action can be locally led. Arica shares her unique perspective that sustainable development should be reflective of our culture and traditions, along with consideration for people and natural resources.

Additionally, Arica asserts that thriving ecosystems not only have ecological benefits, but economic benefits as well. Through the work of EAG, they have seen great success in improving and protecting Antigua and Barbuda’s biodiversity. 


In this conversation, we learn why low carbon initiatives in the Caribbean need to be reflective of our own priorities, vulnerabilities and systems, and not be based on foreign requirements. Also, dive into why sustainable development needs to be driven by strong policies that are backed by traditional knowledge, science and data.

The pandemic has changed many things throughout the Caribbean. We must learn from our past and start making positive changes for a better future. Now is the time to collaborate and share skills and knowledge to help the Caribbean attain environmentally sustainable, inclusive and climate resilient development.


Key Points

  • This episode explores the transition to inclusive, environmentally sustainable, and climate resilient development in the Caribbean after COVID-19.
  • Guest, Arica Hill, shares her unique perspective on what sustainable development means.
  • Learn about the work of the Environmental Awareness Group and their success in protecting Antigua and Barbuda’s biodiversity.
  • Low carbon initiatives in the Caribbean need to be reflective of our own priorities, vulnerabilities and systems.
  • Sustainable development needs to be driven by strong policies that are backed by traditional knowledge, science and data.
  • We must take action and share skills and knowledge in order to improve the Caribbean environment and attain sustainable development.


Connect with Arica:


Connect with CANARI:

●      CANARI Website

●      Twitter

●      LinkedIn


The Better Than Before series is supported under the “Amplifying local voices for a just and resilient COVID-19 recovery” project, which is being implemented by CANARI in collaboration with Panos Caribbean, with funding from the Open Society Foundations (OSF). Better Than Before is hosted by Derval Barzey, edited and produced by Breadfruit Media, with artwork by Carey Digital.  


The Climate Conscious Podcast