LAUSR

The Caribbean region is well-known for its beautiful white sand beaches, crystal clear blue ocean waters, laid back lifestyle, and a false perception of an idyllic paradise that tourists can visit for a short period of time to recoup and regenerate. Over the past few decades, there has been increasing research on the significant environmental challenges that the region has faced not only from the effects of mass tourism on the resources, but also now the threats of climate change which have manifested itself in the region. The region has now been documented as one of the most vulnerable to climate change in the world (Fry 2005; Nurse et al. 2014; Mertz et al. 2009, Mimura et al. 2007). Moreover, with the recent spate of hurricanes like Irma, Maria, and Harvey all above category 3 bearing down on the region, leaving behind death, devastation, and destruction, the conversation about climate change is now at the forefront of political debate nationally, regionally, and internationally again. Climate change is no longer something that is predicted and will happen in a few decades for the Caribbean region. Rather, it is here and now, and its impacts are here to stay. In a recent special issue (2016) on BClimate Justice and the Caribbean^ published in Geoforum, multiple authors made the case of the need to address climate change in the region, particularly given that most of the islands have contributed small quantities to the global carbon footprints, yet they suffer the most devastating impacts of climate change. Following up on this debate on the need to focus on climate justice in the Caribbean is this symposium making the claims that environmental psychological variables associated with climate change are essential to address climate change. One of the questions that are always asked about climate change is whether there should be a focus on mitigation of climate change or adaptation to climate change. Regardless of whether one is chosen or the other, the deeper question to be addressed is how do we get individuals, policy makers, communities, and nations to engage in actions that either mitigate or adapt to climate change. This is where environmental psychology comes in. Environmental psychological variables include measures such as knowledge, perceptions, concerns, and behaviors (Lin 2013; Ortega-Egea et al. 2014). These measures provide an understanding of the ways in which groups think about and respond to climate change. From a global perspective, environmental psychological variables have been widely examined for climate change (See Leiserowitz 2006, 2017; Baptiste (forthcoming), Bord et al. 1998; Capstick et al. 2015; Vignola et al. 2013). The results have been mostly consistent with knowledge playing a significant role in understanding climate change and thereby influencing behaviors. What have not been as widely examined are the environmental psychological variables in those places that are most vulnerable to climate change threats like the Caribbean. This symposium was an attempt to add to the body of literature highlighting specifics on how different communities in the Caribbean think about, perceive, and ultimately respond to climate change. Each paper within the symposium raises unique themes that contribute to understanding a different aspect of environmental psychological variables. This conclusion paper will proceed by giving a brief summary of the main themes in each of the featured papers, followed by a synthesis of commonalities among the papers and themes that are not addressed. It concludes by raising larger concerns that must be considered for the Caribbean as it deals with the effects of climate change. * April Karen Baptiste [email protected]