Although among the smallest of Caribbean island states, the Virgin Islands has long been a leader in the region in formulating climate change policy and establishing a governance structure to implement that policy.

It is therefore very disappointing to see the territory, within a matter of months, take backward-looking steps that have the potential to erase so much of what had already been accomplished.

The territory deserves better, and so do the many talented and dedicated individuals who worked so long to ensure that the local impacts of climate change are minimised. The actions of the current administration relative to climate change — which include revoking the membership of the Climate Change Trust Fund board in April — are almost akin to United States President Donald Trump removing the US from the Paris Climate Change Accords, and I suspect they were taken with as little forethought as Mr. Trump’s.

 

Judith Towle was the coordinator of the Island Resources Foundation’s programmes in the territory from 2003 to 2016.