The St.VincentClimate Compliance Conference

2012-2021Annual Report

Richmond Vale AcademyLearning! teaching and growing together from all across the world

June 2013

Table of Contents

04 Climate Compliance Conference

05 Activists

06 Research and Studies

07 Teaching Project

10 Climate Workshops

12 Spreading Awareness

14 Waste Reduction

16 Climate Center

18 Biodiversity

The St. Vincent Climate Compliance Conference2012-2021

With a ten years’ perspective, Richmond Vale Academy launched its St. Vincent Climate Compliance Conference 2012-2021, aiming at forming the future of St. Vincent into that of being a climate compliant country, one of the first of its kind globally.With an eye to the planetary boundary concept, counting nine different such planetary boundaries, mankind is now technologically able to study Earth systems at a planetary level and establish the environmental thresholds within which mankind must keep the Globe in order to keep its systems functioning and in balance.

Never before has so much scientific data, books and other publications been available to people like you and we, and never before has there been such a broadly based consensus among all but ardent deniers that Global Warming and Climate Change is real and that also actions by man are causing the Earth system to collapse, causing irreversible damage to the Earth and live as we know it.It is with science as a foundation and an eye to these nine planetary boundaries the Climate Compliance Conference has been born, as a way for we, the ordinary people, to take concrete actions and at the same time establish knowledge that will allow for actions in a new kind of environmental movement, based locally in St. Vincent and shown globally for others to follow.

Inviting International Climate Activists

Richmond Vale Academy has a long history of inviting international volunteers to its’ programs. Since the start in March 2012, 29 International Climate Activists from 15 different countries have been participating for six months in The St. Vincent Climate Compl iance Conference . Activists have come from Venezuela, Brazil, Canada, St. Vincent, Germany, Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, Mexico, South Korea, Norway, Hungary and Spain.

The climate conference has conducted extensive research in St. Vincent about food, disaster and energy security.

Research and visits has been made to Ministry of Forestry, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Agriculture, The SVG Government Renewable Energy Unit, Ministry of Technology, Walliabou Agriculture Station, Taiwanese Embassy Orange Hill Farm, The Botanical Garden, The Vinlec Hydro Electric Power Station, The Sustainable Grenadines Inc., Tobago Keys Marine Park, The Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary, Water Desalination Center Bequia, Lennox Lampkin Organic Farm Rose Hall, Madam Ground Organic Farm Spring Village, The SVG National Trust, Rose Hall Cultural Development Organization and Belmont Livestock & Multiplication Centre. The conference participants have also conducted visits to several local farms and families in the nearby area around the Academy.

Teachers have further participated in a 10 week course in Project Management organized by CID and a 10 week Medicinal Plant workshop organized by the Garifuna Heritage Foundation.

Extensive theoretical research has been made under the following headlines:

Mother Earth, Global Warming and Climate ChangeFood Production and Food SecurityBig Issues of our timeAdaptation and ResilienceEnergy Water

In 2012 the activists from the Climate Compliant Conference started teaching in schools about different aspects of global warming and climate change, including the Greenhouse effect, burning fossil fuels, the advantages of organic gardening, healthy living, renewable energy, waste reduction, etc.

All together 40 lessons have been given in the Chateaubelair Methodist School, in Fitz-Hughes Government School, Petit Bordel Secondary School, Rose Hall Government School, Troumaca Ontario Secondary School, Troumaca Government School and West-Wood Methodist School Coulls Hill.

In total 80 students have received 5 lessons during a period of 6 months in 2012.

The climate activists have run 1 GAIA Environment Club in Coulls Hill for 4 months and is currently running one GAIA Club combined with a community garden in Chateaubelair. Every week about 10-15 children participate in lessons and activities in regards to Organic farming, nutrition, healthy living, reduce-reuse-recycle trash, building a playground and a gazebo classroom. The club maintains and develops the organic “Mandala” garden. The children also join in for sport and culture activities such as: cricket, volleyball, drawing, drumming and music lessons.

A backyard farm has been started at Fitz Hughes Pre School with vegetables and rabbits and a playground of tires has been built in Chateaubelair.

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Next to the six “Let’s Talk Green” workshops that were held in the local villages to kick of the conference, the St. Vincent Climate Compliance Conference is holding different workshops spreading awareness about Global Warming and Climate Change, about the challenges that St. Vincent is facing in the coming decades and educating people the importance of adaptation strategies.

Both in 2012 and 2013 a big workshop was held at Richmond Vale Academy at the occasion of Earth Day, in 2012 under the theme “One Day on Earth” and in 2013 under the theme “The Face of Climate Change”. Different workshops and debates were held at the Academy, as well as a guided tour around the Climate Center, showing an example of how to adapt to a changing climate. Workshops about organic gardening, waste reduction, the Climate Compliance Conference, movements to save the earth etc. were organized on both occasions. Debates on adaptation capacities were held with the guests and different workshops for children were organized.

The Conference started a new initiative to invite schools to the Academy, holding workshops about Global Warming, educating the new generations about all different aspects of creating a more sustainable future for St. Vincent and for our Earth. The Girls High School of Kingstown was the first school to attend the workshop at the Academy, organized by the Climate activists.

In total 450 people have attended the workshops.

Following the “Let’s Talk Green” workshops, different Climate Clubs have been started in different villages in North Leeward, the region were the Conference has been operating. Adult clubs s well as Kids clubs have been started in nearby villages, teaching about waste reduction, organic gardening, renewable energy, healthy living and the importance of growing and buying local.

The Climate Compliance Conference has been raising public awareness about the Climatic Changes and how to adapt and prepare for the effects of Global Warming in St. Vincent through TV, Radio, Newspapers and Social Media. The Climate Compliance Conference is spreading awareness about its existence and its actions through public speaking in local and international Universities, Colleges and other public fora.

The conference has produced eight TV Programs in co-operation with TV Focus North Leeward, reaching 10 000 to 20 000 people in St. Vincent weekly.

TV Programs featured are:

“Let’s Talk Green”, “One Day on Earth”, “RVA Climate Compliant”, “Head out of sand, Coastal Clean Up”, “The Dangers of Plastic”, “Trash Pick Up March”, “Trash Pick Up competition North Leeward”, “Earth Day 2013” .

Other TV Coverage: SVG TV News February 2012, NCN TV ‘Close Up’ - Guyana (x2), TV Hatoscsatorna, Zold Zona Enviroment Program, Hungary

Seven Radio Programs and Interviews about the Climate Compliance Conference have been on the air on NBC Radio, We FM, Star Radio, Hitz FM and Nice Radio.

Newspaper articles, reports and interviews have been published in Searchlight, The News and The Vincentian, which are the 3 main newspapers of St Vincent. Abroad articles have been published in Lithuania, Norway and Hungary.

The conference is reaching out to thousands of people around the world using Social Media and has over 4000 likes on Facebook and 1500 visitors on the Richmondvale.org website monthly.

The conference has talked to more than 2100 people abroad in Universities, Colleges and other locations in Norway, Venezuela, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, USA, Guyana, England and Colombia.

The conference has taught in St. Vincent at the University of the West Indies Open campus, SVG Community College, The Drummers Movement, The SVG Rotary Club as well as Jehovas Witness Group, Church of Christ in Kingstown. The Climate Conference was present at St.Joseph's Convent Marriaqua High School – Career Day – reaching another 170 people in St. Vincent directly.

Richmond Vale Academy has started a new tradition of cleaning up the environment on a regular basis.

During the first year of the Climate Compliance Conference 5 big events were organized where people where mobilized to clean up their environment.

Actions were the Easter Beach Clean Up, UN Environment Day, World Coastal Clean Up Day, Trash March and the Trash Pick Up competition between primary and secondary schools in North Leeward.

A playground made out of used tires was built in the Chateaubelair community garden that is run by the Climate Compliance Conference activists.

In total an estimate of 5,5 Tons of Trash was removed and brought to the landfill in Belle Isle.

Event Participants Trash Bags xEaster Beach Cleanup 20 20

UN Environment Day 20 30

World Coastal Cleanup 100 160

Trash March 100 200

Trash Pick Up Competition 70 140

x

Total 310 550

The Climate Compliance Conference is transforming the Richmond Vale Academy into a Climate Center for St. Vincent. With an aim for self-sustainability big achievements are being made in food production, water conservation and energy security.

A big focus during the last period has been put on Food Production in order to become more food secure; there are 4 greenhouses, growing organic vegetables in full production, a compost production with animal manure and kitchen waste, drip irrigation is set up in the greenhouses, seeds and seedling are being produced on big scale and use of natural pesticides has become a habit. There are over 30 sheep, 4 pigs, 13 piglets and 50 chicken for meat and egg production. 1 Bee Hive is established for pollination and honey production. Big areas are being used for fruit trees; a 2 acre fruit forest with over 20 different Caribbean fruit trees, 3 acres of passion fruit, 1,5 acres of lime trees, 1 acre of wax apple trees, 1 acre with orange and papaya trees and a 3,5 acre banana field. The Academy produces its own bread, yoghurt, jam and ice cream.

In terms of Energy Security a small Biogas plant has been installed and 4 Solar Heaters for hot water are functioning. The Academy is looking into funding for a photovoltaic Solar Panel to reach full renewable energy sustainability and informational meetings were held with the SVG Energy Unit in regards to this. Actions to save electricity are being monitored on a weekly basis.

In terms of Water Conservation rain water is being harvested for the irrigation of the vegetable gardens, as well as a smaller rain water collection is installed to provide water for the animals. Plans are on the table to harvest more rainwater for showering and washing clothes. Public water will be reduced to a minimal; for drinking and for kitchen use. Actions to save water are being monitored on a weekly basis.

The Climate Compliance Conference has transformed Richmond Vale Academy to be St. Vincent’s first Climate Centre. A school, which is aiming to produce most of its own food, and its own renewable energy, and which is targeting self-sustainability.

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T h e C l i m a t e C o m p l i a n c e C o n f e r e n c e h a s b e e n researching Ecosystems and Biodiversity in St. Vincent. Biologist Chris Hatten has conducted research of birds, bats and insects in the area.

The activists, together with Chris Hatten, have set up Barn Owl Nesting Boxes around the academy.

An action to preserve Sea Turtles was carried out together with Tobago Keys Marine Park.

Plans are on the table to invest more time and effort in the preserving of the biodiversity in St. Vincent.

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At the end of a very good first year the St. Vincent Climate Compliance Conference needs to praise everybody for the support in this successful and meaningful year.

In the first place thank you to all the activists, local and international to give your time, input and knowledge to Richmond Vale Academy, supporting us in our quest to make St. Vincent a climate compliant country. Thank you for all the energy you brought to us.

Thank you to all the people who were involved in some kind of way in bringing our message forward, thank you for all the participants in the climate clubs, thank you for all the people in the local communities for your assistance. It has been a pleasure to work with you, and we hope to build further on these beautiful partnerships that we started.

Thank you to all the authorities of St. Vincent that have been supporting us with the Climate Compliance Conference.

Thank you for all the people who have been teaching us about different subjects, such as renewable energy, biodiversity, forestry, fisheries, organic farming, etc.

A big thank you for Focus North Leeward for airing different TV programs on the TV station, allowing us to reach out to thousands of people.

And a very special thank you for Mountain Top Springs Limited, which has been sponsoring different projects that the Climate Compliance Conference has been executing so far. Thank you for all the support.

A big thank you to all from the Project Management and from the staff at Richmond Vale Academy.

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