The battle for access to Jamaica’s billion-dollar beaches

In this week’s newsletter: Activists are accusing the government of privatising the coastline to support the country’s thriving tourism industry, at the expense of locals• Don’t get Down to Earth delivered to your inbox? Sign up here Every year, millions of visitors from across the globe visit Jamaica to enjoy its gorgeous beaches, fuelling a multibillion dollar tourism industry. But, in recent years, its picture-perfect coastlines have become a battleground for access after successive governments privatised its shorelines to support the country’s thriving all-inclusive hotel industry.The complex row, which has seen protesters clashing with police and campaigners tearing down barriers around privatised properties, is now playing out in the country’s courts. We take a closer look at each side’s case, and what’s at stake.European heatwave is worst ever and impossible without climate crisis, scientists sayA sad inevitability’: after decades of climate warnings, why is Europe so unprepared for rising heat?‘But we’re just 1% of emissions’: do smaller countries’ climate efforts matter? Continue reading...