An island exposed to many risks and pressures
Martinique, at the crossroads of different tectonic plates, is subject to a certain number of natural risks: earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, tropical cyclones, which are subject to a prevention plan. Human activities also have an impact on natural balance. Thus, anthropic pressures (notably agriculture and urbanization) accentuate soil erosion, the fragmentation of natural environments and pollution. Invasive exotic species, such as Miconia, are also a threat to biodiversity. Tourism also contributes to the pressure on resources (water, energy) and to the production of waste.
The dedicated areas that protect natural balance
Martinique, which is one of the world's biodiversity hotspots, is deploying actions to preserve the evolutionary dynamics of life. The national nature reserve of La Caravelle, the national nature reserve of the islets of Sainte-Anne and the marine reserve of Prêcheur-Albert Falco have been created for this purpose. An integral biological reserve also exists on one of the slopes of Mount Pelée. The Regional Nature Park of Martinique aims to reconcile environmental protection and economic activities, particularly through ecotourism projects.
The environmental challenges of agriculture
The colonization of the territory was based on intensive agriculture (sugar cane and banana cultivation) and urbanization which led to deforestation, soil degradation and environmental pollution. Runoff water loaded with chemical inputs has also contributed to the eutrophication of the coastline and the fragility of marine ecosystems. The contamination of the environment with chlordecone remains today a subject of environmental and health concern. This organochlorine insecticide, considered as persistent, was used from 1972 to 1993 to fight banana weevils. Its use polluted not only the soil, but also the water table and the entire food chain. Exposure to chlordecone is also a health risk factor. The stability of the molecule results in its persistence in the soil and requires the monitoring of contaminated areas. A map of the polluted areas is made available by the State. A "plan IV chlordecone" was created for the period 2021-2027, aiming to implement actions to limit the exposure of inhabitants to the pesticide. The north-western territory of the island would have been spared by chlordecone. It is there, in Fonds-Saint-Denis, where agriculture is organic, and based in part on ancestral knowledge and local and adapted species, promoted by the association L'Esprit Lasoté.
The sargassum invasion, or the symbol of global pollution
Martinique is confronted with the episodic stranding on its coasts sargassum algae: Sargassum fluitans and Sargassum natans. The proliferation of these brown algae has direct economic repercussions on the territory (seaside activities and fishing) but also represents environmental impacts (disruption of local biodiversity), and health risks for the people exposed. This phenomenon is linked to intensive agriculture in the Amazon. In other words, massive deforestation and intensive use of inputs - phosphates and nitrates - generate a leaching of soils, whose effluents are then found in the river and then in the ocean, where they create conditions favorable to the development of Sargassum. The currents then carry the algae to the Caribbean Sea. Sand mists from the Sahara would also contribute to the movement of Sargassum. Global warming could lead to a more frequent occurrence of these sand mists.
The territory's energy challenges: getting out from petroleum dependence
Martinique's energy mix in 2019 highlighted a high dependence on fossil fuels (mainly imported petroleum products), mostly linked to the transport sector. However, the territory has begun its energy transition, in accordance with French regulations, which aim to achieve energy autonomy for the territory by 2030. Martinique intends to develop renewable energies (photovoltaic, wind, biomass) and to control energy demand (the installation of solar water heaters and LEDs have helped reduce consumption). Mobility remains a major challenge. It is a question of decarbonizing transport, by encouraging the modal shift from cars to public transport and active mobility, but also of developing electric vehicles. Because every gesture counts, passengers are also invited to participate in efforts to reduce energy consumption.
Martinique in the face of climate change
Global warming could strongly affect Martinique, especially with the intensification of extreme phenomena (tropical cyclones, floods). The rise in water levels and coastal erosion could threaten not only infrastructures but all human activities and resources (water and biodiversity).
For "decolonial ecology"
Conceptualized by Martinican researcher Malcolm Ferdinand, “decolonial ecology” combines, according to him, “the demand for the preservation of the Earth's ecosystemic balance and the decolonial demand”. It relates not only to the struggles for the climate but also to the social, feminist or anti-racist fights. The idea is to integrate into environmental thinking “human or environmental destruction” implemented by different forms of domination: imperialism, colonization, slavery. A concept in resonance with the history of Martinique.
