Abstract
The volcanic-hydrothermal geo-diversity of the Basse-Terre Island of Guadeloupe archipelago (Eastern Caribbean, France) is a major asset of the Caribbean bio-geoheritage. In this paper, we use Guadeloupe as a representative of many small island developing states (SIDS), to show that the volcanic-hydrothermal geodiversity is a major resource and strategic thread for resilience and sustainability. These latter are related to the specific richness of Guadeloupe’s volcanic-geothermal diversity, which is de facto inalienable even in the wake of climate change and natural risks that are responsible for this diversity, i.e., volcanic eruptions. We propose the interweaving the specificity of volcanic-geothermal diversity into planning initiatives for resilience and sustainability. Among these initiatives research and development programs focused on the knowledge of geodiversity, biodiversity and related resources and risks are central for the long-term management of the water resource, lato sensu. Such a management should include a comprehensive scientific observatory for the characterization, exploration, and sustainable exploitation of the volcanic-hydrothermal geodiversity alongside planning for and mitigating geophysical risks related to sudden volcanic-induced phenomena and long-term systemic drifts due to climate change. The results of this exercise for Guadeloupe could typify innovative paths for similar SIDS around their own volcanic-hydrothermal geodiversity.
Highlights
Volcanic islands are characterized by diverse biophysical, geographical, cultural, and political landscapes
Because local economies rely heavily on natural resources for tourism, volcanic islands are favored because of the great attractive power and scenic value offered by volcanic deposits, active volcanoes, and, in the case of subduction zone volcanoes, the presence of extensive hydrothermal systems
The hydrogeological functioning of the island of Basse-Terre is poorly understood due to the great complexity of the geological structures that further compounds the associated risks to the groundwater resource. This is evident in the poor quality of wastewater treatment as well as volcanic-hydrothermal-activity that accompanies La Soufrière unrest that threaten acquifers, deep ones, which represent a strategic stock for the whole island
Summary
Volcanic islands are characterized by diverse biophysical (e.g., volcanic or atoll island), geographical (e.g., remoteness), cultural, and political landscapes. Among these islands, Guadeloupe (Eastern Caribbean, France; Figure 1) is highly recognized for its biodiversity and is a hotspot of geodiversity, that brings together carbonate platform, coral reefs (both active and fossil), mangroves, tropical karsts, a great variety of volcanic deposits, on-shore and submarine thermal springs, and an active volcano presently in hydrothermal stage (Figure 2). Geotourism, intended as geological tourism, is a type of tourism that comprehensively explores and somehow exploits the site geodiversity (Downling and Newsome, 2018 [16]) and represents a formidable opportunity for sustainable economic development This is true for volcanic-hydrothermal sites, where, the potential hazards facing tourists, as well as residents, must be recognized and mitigated. Vincent (Andrews, 2021 [21]), a SIDS located 350 km south of Guadeloupe, testifies for this necessity
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