As a young girl, Shania Scotland imagined herself in a courtroom, passionately arguing cases as a lawyer. But as she grew older and more attuned to the environmental challenges facing her home, Dominica, her ambitions shifted. Today, she stands not behind a bench, but in the field—working with farmers, youth, and coastal communities to build a climate-resilient future.
“I actually wanted to be a lawyer,” Shania recalls. “I wanted to be a lawyer since grade five. I never really saw myself in the environmental scene because, like many others, people told me to go into law or medicine to get a good job. Nobody really told me about the environment, but I still had a passion for it.”
Now pursuing her master’s degree, Shania’s research is focused on assessing climate-resilient tourism infrastructure in Dominica using a building classification model. But her commitment to environmental advocacy goes far beyond the classroom.
Shania credits much of her environmental awareness to growing up in an agricultural household and the influence of her high school geography teacher, Ms. Cuffy. “I liked geography just overall. One of my high school teachers, Ms. Cuffy, was so passionate about everything. But it wasn’t just the theory; she also taught us about the social side of geography, how what we do as people impacts the planet through global warming. That really pushed me toward this field.”
Shania’s work spans diverse projects focused on climate resilience and environmental data analysis. She has contributed to efforts to address building materials and assessing their vulnerability, to analysing climate data for drought conditions affecting Canadian farmers.
As an Agroclimate Analyst at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Shania Scotland conducted monthly drought assessments across Canada using data from over 500 weather stations. She created detailed drought severity maps with ESRI ArcGIS for the Canadian Drought Monitor. Her work also contributed to a UN presentation analyzing long-term drought trends using Palmer Drought Indices.
Currently, Shania leads efforts to gather information through surveys and direct engagement, carefully from local farmers to help identify their specific needs and challenges. She explains, “We pilot how different organic chemicals can be used... and we do assessments where we meet with farmers one-on-one and we discuss with them what exactly their situation... What type of crops are most vulnerable for them, what types of crops are scarce, when in the year they are scarce... looking at their water intake, how much they're spending on their water bills on a monthly basis... It’s a lot of information that you have to kind of gather to set the scene as to what that farmer genuinely needs to feel like their gap.”
Nevertheless, working in the Caribbean’s agricultural and environmental sectors presents unique challenges, especially when collecting meaningful data. Shania highlights that while climate impact statistics are abundant, they often fail to show what actions are being taken or how these efforts are helping communities. She believes the field needs more qualitative data—stories, local experiences, and practical solutions—to understand and improve climate resilience truly.
She explains, “I keep seeing the same data—impacts, stats, numbers—but nothing is showing what actions are being taken or how they’re helping people. That’s the data I want to see now.” Although qualitative data can be subjective and difficult to collect, Shania insists it’s vital to bridge this gap. She also stresses the importance of managing diverse partnerships with varying agendas: “There are so many players with different agendas, but you have to keep moving forward and not give up.”
For anyone looking to break into climate work, Shania Scotland offers thoughtful guidance drawn from her journey. She stresses the importance of staying informed, even when it feels difficult. She admits, “I hate the news because it’s depressing,” but recognises that there’s “nothing better than being informed.” Shania shares how she made a habit of listening to international news regularly, saying, “Just start. Just listen. Listen to what’s going on. Observe what’s going on. And I think that’s the first step.” She believes that keeping up with both local and global events helps you understand where you want to focus your efforts, even if the news isn’t always perfect or objective.
Alongside staying informed, Shania encourages resilience and patience. “Don’t give up, keep pushing. There’s always a way,” she says. “Sometimes you get it done right away and sometimes it takes time. And you have to embrace the process either way.” Her advice is clear: success in this sector isn’t just about passion — it’s about persistence, flexibility, and learning to navigate challenges while keeping your eyes on the bigger picture.
By staying curious and informed, and by embracing the ups and downs of the journey, anyone can find their place in the evolving world of climate work.
Article By: Mhea Bardouille
