The Caribbean’s postcard-perfect beaches and vibrant culture are under siege as climate change fuels twin threats: a predicted above-normal 2025 Atlantic hurricane season and record-breaking sargassum seaweed invasions. 🏝️💥
Tour operators and hoteliers are sounding alarms as these challenges disrupt the region’s $60 billion tourism industry. "It’s like fighting two battles at once," says a Barbados resort manager. "Guests cancel trips over storm fears, then arrive to find beaches buried under smelly seaweed."
Scientists link both crises to warming oceans. Warmer waters supercharge hurricanes while creating ideal conditions for sargassum blooms. 🌡️🔬 The seaweed, while harmless, piles up meters high, releasing hydrogen sulfide gas that irritates lungs and deters sunbathers.
But there’s hope! 💡 Entrepreneurs are turning sargassum into biofuel and fertilizer, while AI-powered weather models help resorts prepare for storms. The question remains: Can innovation outpace climate impacts fast enough to save paradise?
