By: Emma Lewis
Back in the Cold War era, the smallest of the Windward Islands, the island of Grenada, was engaged in a political (and geopolitical) struggle, which included an invasion, social unrest, assassinations and the overthrow of a government.
Fast forward to 2025, and citizens of this green, teardrop-shaped island are engaged in a different kind of battle - for the preservation of their environment in the face of growing foreign developments that are not properly monitored or regulated. This struggle may not be as dramatic as the events of the 1980s, which were relatively short-lived. This fight is for the long term. It is exhausting. It tests the patience of dedicated environmental defenders, confronting powerful interests.
They have no intention of giving up, any time soon.
As in physical battles, there are victories, large and small, in the courts. The grassroots NGO Grenada Land Actors (GLA), won a very important legal case last year, first filed in March, 2021 - over three and a half years earlier. The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court of Appeal ruled that their case should proceed; and that the issue of “standing” - that is, whether or not GLA has the right to bring an environmental challenge, should be determined at the full trial of the case. For a detailed explanation of the case and the principles behind it, visit the GLA website, where you will find a description headlined "Judgement Day."
Nevertheless, the wheels of justice turn slowly. Patience!
GLA’s battle is on three fronts: the Six Senses resort at La Sagesse, which opened last year and claims to be environmentally friendly, despite already extensive harm inflicted on the natural mangrove, sea turtle and bird habitat; the Levera wetland, a National Park including Grenada’s only Ramsar Site of International Importance, threatened by developments by a Singapore-based company; and Mt. Hartman Estate, home to Grenada’s Critically Endangered Grenada Dove - its National Bird - where a new development was underway without the required permissions. At least two of these developments are on or near significant pre-Columbian archaeological sites; there is often an intimate connection between the Caribbean’s cultural heritage and its natural one.
There are other rights-related concerns. Late last year, GLA supported the citizens of La Sagesse, who were protesting the blocking of their beach to public access - not only in breach of local coastal protection laws but also preventing citizens from enjoying their right to enjoy the beauty of their natural surroundings.
And so, the voices of the people must be heard - and supported.
Grenada signed the Escazú Agreement in 2019, and ratified it in 2023 (full text here). Now, Caribbean politicians have a bad habit of signing international environmental and climate change agreements, with a flourish and one or two grand speeches in overseas fora, while something quite different is taking place at home. Now that the grandstanding is over, the work begins. Not only do Grenada’s government officials need to study the details of the Escazú Agreement thoroughly; they need to implement it in a meaningful way - recognizing that it is, in essence, a human rights agreement. Once ratified, this is also the first legally-binding instrument in the world to include provisions on environmental human rights defenders - and in fact the first environmental agreement adopted in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Small places matter, too. The Coral Cove Group in L’Anse aux Épines, a quiet residential community, is taking on battles of its own. The area
“is coming under increasing pressure for commercial and high-rise residential development. Remaining natural areas are being squeezed,”
says the group, which has been working with a community association to draft a Local Development Plan. The group maintains that the small island of Grenada (12 miles wide and 21 miles long, a land area of 120 square miles) simply cannot sustain large, high-rise developments.
The Coral Cove Group has rescued critically endangered Hawksbill sea turtles, organised coastal cleanups, lobbied for beach access and fought against a planned Chinese hotel development approved under the Citizenship by Investment scheme, which is still being widely promoted. Its most recent tussle has been over plans for a polluting boatyard in Mt. Hartman Bay - a stone’s throw from the Grenada Dove’s sanctuary. On January 29, 2025, Coral Cove sent an open letter to Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell demanding the termination of a Government lease granted to the developer. After being forced to take the Planning and Development Authority to court to obtain access to planning documents (Coral Cove won in October 2024) the battle is not yet over. The group noted at the time:
“This case aligns with the principles of the Escazú Agreement…which guarantees public access to environmental information and emphasizes transparency from public authorities on matters that impact communities and the environment.”
Let’s look at the long-term goals of GLA’s and Coral Cove’s legal challenges. While the Government of Grenada is reaching out to international developers and enthusiastically promoting its “Citizenship by Investment” programme (which GLA describes as “Colonization 2.0,”) where are the Grenadian people in all of this? Saudi Arabia and China are waiting in the wings, with promises of assistance and investment. Apart from public relations press releases, what does the public really know about plans for the future of their island? Greater transparency - a key pillar of the Escazú Agreement - is needed. While investors and Government officials wax lyrical over developments like Mt. Hartman, much of this has gone over the citizens’ heads.
This begs the question: How do Grenadians themselves play an active role in highlighting critical environmental concerns, as the Escazú Agreement specifically encourages? There is a vital role for the local press here too, of course.
There is a positive and very hopeful development on the horizon, in response to this question of empowerment: GLA recently announced an important project funded by the Fund for International and Multilateral Advocacy (FIMA) and the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI). It is aimed at increasing public awareness and understanding of environmental laws and rights in Grenada; strengthening community participation in environmental decision-making; and empowering citizens to take an active role in environmental governance by training them as community monitors. This 2025 project will undoubtedly reinforce the key principles of Escazu - and perhaps could be replicated across the Caribbean.
Empowerment of citizens is key.
In the words of Grenada Land Actors:
“Citizens across the Caribbean are increasingly stepping up as defenders of the environment. As climate change continues to exacerbate the region’s vulnerability to natural disasters, community-led initiatives have become pivotal in advocating for sustainable practices that align with the Caribbean’s unique needs. Grenada Land Actors’ fight represents a broader movement across the region—a fight for transparency, accountability, and an environmental future that prioritizes sustainability over short-term profits”
The citizens of Coral Cove stress:
Look everyone. We are fighting for more than just the boatyard. We are fighting for the right of the public to have access to all planning applications. This is a basic right in any democratic country…We need to win this case and establish once and for all the right of access to public information. If a developer wants to put a multi-storey car park next to your house, you have a right to know the details so that you can submit your objections.
Grenadians - the island’s environmental defenders in support of its citizens - are fighting back against the combined, overwhelming forces of a government that appears to be in the tight embrace of foreign investors. 2025 is going to be an interesting and perhaps pivotal year for this island, which has encountered conflict before, and is ready for the fight. There is certainly room for optimism.
You can find out more about Grenada Land Actors and the three developments that are areas of concern on their website, where you can also sign up for their mailing list. Email them at info@grenadaland.org.
If you would like to know more about the Coral Cove Group and support their work, you can go to their website and sign up for their mailing list via contact@coralcovegrenada.org. They are in need of funding for their ongoing legal challenges.
Comentários