Exercise 34C Appreciating the challenges of development Key Skills
Success criteria
I can identify disadvantages of development and consider other possibilities.
Read the case study and look at the photos below of Jamaica. Then answer the questions that follow. Jamaica
Development is usually an improvement, but it can have negative effects when not done properly. Jamaica is an island nation in the Caribbean, which is popular with tourists for its white sandy beaches and coral reefs. Some 9% of Jamaicans work in tourism. There are many all-inclusive resorts, where the accommodation, food, drink and activities are included in a package holiday. While this brings in many tourists, many do not leave the resort, so local businesses do not benefit. Many of these resorts are foreign-owned, with the profits sent out of Jamaica. Some environmental activists have suggested that the Jamaican government should promote small-scale community tourism instead.
The mangrove forests that grow along Jamaica’s coastline absorb CO2, reduce erosion from the sea and protect the coast from storms. Mangrove trees are salt-tolerant, which means they can live on seawater and grow in low-oxygen soil. They also provide shelter for fish from other predators. Since 2000, over 770 hectares of Jamaica’s mangrove forests have been cleared to make way for coastal developments. As a result, some areas of the coastline have had to be strengthened to prevent erosion and flooding. The government of Jamaica plans to restore the mangrove forests and to use more solar and wind power. However, it takes 20–30 years to restore a mangrove forest. In 2021, drone footage showed 5 hectares of mangrove forest and sea grasses had been cleared in Green Island to build a five-star luxury resort, which will create 3,500 jobs for locals and accommodate 4,000 tourists.