Paper short abstract:

I examine the clash between the 'green' utopian landscape of (N)GOs and the contradictory idea of blighted cityscapes as experienced by residents in polluted urban areas, particularly the ways in which different actors make strategic use of various media to impose their visions of the island.

Paper long abstract:

Islands such as Jamaica and Curaçao are recognized for the intrinsic value of their diverse ecologies, while their tourism-based economies are strongly dependent on pristine natural landscapes and an Edenic image of the Caribbean that can be traced back to colonial times. This paper examines the clash between the 'green' global ideological landscape of NGO and government actors attempting to preserve paradise, and the contradictory idea of blighted cityscapes as experienced by residents in polluted urban areas. An analysis is given of the ways in which different actors have made strategic use of various media to impose their visions of the city and the island.