St. Thomas Resilience Plan

The crystal-clear waters that surround Saint Thomas characterize its beauty, history, and the locals’ connection to the land; however, a changing climate resulting in sea level rise, increased storm activity, drought and saltwater intrusion are threats to the island’s assets and economic activity. St. Thomas’ location within “hurricane alley” triggers a precarious cycle of storm damage and recovery. In the past 30 years, eight major hurricanes (Hugo 1989, Marilyn 1995, Bertha 1996, Georges 1998, Omar 2008, Irma 2017, Maria 2017) have caused significant damage and loss of life across the island. Despite the continuous risks climate change presents to vulnerable communities and systems on the island, resilience is the cornerstone of St. Thomas’ history, people, and culture.

The purpose of the studio focused on the island’s vulnerability to climate change and sea level rise to address the gaps between the island’s most pressing challenges and envision what a resilient island would look like. The studio’s resiliency plan aimed to approach the island’s interconnected challenges through five categories of action that are grounded in values of solidarity, justice, and respect towards the St. Thomas community.