Category: Podcast

“I am most interested in the SARTRAC theme of transformational adaptation; using sargassum, that is currently viewed as a threat to livelihoods, to generate benefits for the poor, in developing countries in the Caribbean and West Africa. This makes me particularly excited as I am from the Caribbean myself. I am excited about our planned…

“In my research I have also found that there is very little research on Sargassum in central America and west Africa compared to the Caribbean. Every day, I learn something new about Sargassum. Today I found out that entrepreneurs are making plates out of Sargassum! In my PhD research, I am most looking forward to…

“Our research in SARTRAC focuses on these two relatively unexplored physical drivers for Sargassum proliferation in the Tropical Atlantic: the convergence of winds and re-circulation of currents which lead to accumulations of Sargassum and which trap nutrients driving optimal conditions for Sargassum growth. Over the next two years we aim to quantify the variable partitioning…

“Developing countries, and small island developing states in particular, face numerous challenges in managing and adapting to transboundary and transnational environmental risks. These challenges relate to: capacity deficits, resourcing, and transference of institutions from one part of the world to another. I am excited to be working with our partners in Jamaica, Barbados and Ghana…

“We are researching the policy response from states and regional organisations in the Caribbean, and are analysing the effect of different governance regimes as well as environmental parameters on sargassum policy. In Bermuda, for example, Sargassum historically provides forage and habitat for birds and beach-dwelling creatures, as well as anchoring sand to stabilise sand dunes.…

“We are learning that Sargassum is strongly influenced by winds and currents, in some years growing more profusely in nutrient rich waters of the Amazon outflow, then swept either west to the Caribbean or east towards west Africa, according to the whim of those highly variable currents and winds. With improved understanding of cause and…