National Geographic: Dominica Is On Track to Be the First Climate-resilient Nation in the World

LONDON, Nov. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Commonwealth of Dominica is making headlines again for its outstanding strides against climate change. This time, National Geographic praised the small Caribbean island for how well it recovered after Category-5 Hurricane Maria in 2017 and its "ambitious goal to fully adapt to climate change". The article, penned by Sarah Gibbens, speaks of the lingering trauma the people of Dominica went through and, importantly, how the island bounced back gracefully, with an inspiring plan to become "the world's first climate-resilient nation", as promised by Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit.

Initially, experts estimated that it would take at least three years for Dominica to recover from Maria. However, only two years later, National Geographic notes that Dominica's economy is growing and diversifying, ecotourism is on the rise, a new modern hospital has opened, hundreds of new hurricane-proof houses have been handed over to Dominicans and many more are coming.

"Uniform building codes, varied agricultural products, new geothermal energy plants, improved healthcare facilities, reliable transportation infrastructure on land and at sea," cites the author when describing some of the responsibilities the new Climate Resilience Execution Agency of Dominica (CREAD) is tasked with.

Crucial to raising capital for the reconstruction and modernisation of virtually all aspects of life in Dominica is the country's Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme, classed as the most prestigious in the world. This is a legislated initiative that allows carefully picked investors to obtain second citizenship from Dominica in exchange for a contribution to a government fund that then sponsors socio-economic initiatives, or an investment into a pre-selected luxury ecotourist resorts which, in turn, attract "high-end spenders". Premier Skerrit often describes CBI as a "lifeline" in Dominica's immediate recovery post-Maria.

For example, entire dislocated communities were offered free modern homes, newly built in safer areas, to a standard able to withstand the harshest weather disasters, using exclusively CBI funds. Furthermore, after the hurricane, a much stronger sense of community grew among local businesses, CBI hoteliers, residents, authorities and even voluntourists, as they joined forces to clear the roads, rivers, homes and rainforests of debris and let the island heal.

Earlier this month, the Financial Times' PWM magazine released a documentary focused specifically on how CBI transformed Dominica and why it's a good time to invest in the 'Nature Isle of the Caribbean'.

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