Hurricane Maria Destroyed Their Little Island in the Caribbean. Now They Rebuild It – Only Better

Dominica, a small country in the Caribbean, has faced more than its fair share of hurricane disasters and major tropical storms over the years. Now, it plans on becoming the world’s first climate-resilient nation.

The island has little to do with the climate change that has harmed its land and economy. Greenhouse gases caused by bigger countries have been increasingly warming the planet, upping the chances, intensity and duration of hurricanes.

After Dominica’s worst storm – Hurricane Maria – destroyed over 90% of its structures overnight in 2017, the government began working on a “hurricane-proof” transformation, seeking support and funding from other countries. Part of the country’s plan is to ban plastic to make Dominica look more pristine, attracting tourists and boosting economy. The island also aims to build climate-resilient buildings and an agricultural system focusing on consuming local fresh produce, rather than mainly exporting bananas.

The government also established the Climate Resilience Execution Agency of Dominica (CREAD) early last year, aimed at making sure every sector reconstructing after Hurricane Maria was also implementing climate resilient strategies.