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| Saint Lucia | |
 | |
| This page is part of the Small Island Developing States Project | |
| Capital | Castries |
| Population | 156,300 |
| Land Area | 619 sq km |
| GDP (US$) | $0.90 B |
| GDP Per Capita | $4,800 |
| CO2 Emissions | 0.4 megatons |
| CO2 Per Capita | 2.2 tons |
| NAPA† | none |
| Natl. Comm. to the UNFCCC | November 2001 |
| † = National Adaptation Program of Action Megaton = 1 million tons (1 billion kg / 2.205 billion lb) | |
Saint Lucia is a small island developing state (SIDS) located north of Trinidad and Tobago between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.1 Like other island nations, it faces extreme vulnerability to projected climatic changes such as sea level rise and the increased intensity and frequency of extreme weather events.2 These events entail environmental, social and economic consequences. Therefore, adaptation and mitigation plans play an integral role in the future of St. Lucians.
Background
Saint Lucia is a volcanic and mountainous island with a total land area of 619 square km (239 sq miles), or roughly 3.5 times the size of Washington D.C. Part of the Windward Island Chain, St. Lucia is situated north of Trinidad and Tobago, between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.3 St. Lucia’s coastline measures 158 km (98 miles), with the capital town, Castries, located in a bay on the northwest coast of the island.4 The island’s lowest point reaches zero feet at the Caribbean Sea and the highest point on the island, Mt. Gimie, reaches 950 m (3,117 ft).5
St. Lucia’s population was estimated in mid-2000 at 156,260 inhabitants. Of these inhabitants, nearly half of the people live in or near Castries. The two other main towns are Vieux Fort, located in the south of St. Lucia with 14, 512 inhabitants, and Soufriére on the southwest coast with 8,478 inhabitants. The approximately 55,000 other inhabitants live in villages near the flatter coastal regions.6
It has a tropical climate that is moderated by trade winds from the northeast.7 St. Lucia’s yearly average temperature is 27°C (80°F), ranging from 18-29°C (65-85°F) from December to May and 24-35°C (75-95°F) from June to November, with the rainy season occurring from May to August.8 The average annual rainfall on the coast is 2.3 m (91 inches) and 3.8 m (150 inches) on the inland mountains. St. Lucia is vulnerable to hurricanes, which hit the Caribbean during the late summer months.9
The Saint Lucian territory was disputed between France and England for two centuries, finally being ceded to the United Kingdom in 1814 and receiving independence in 1979.10 Today it is populated by 153,000 inhabitants, mostly of African origin and many of whom are descendants of slaves imported by the British during the 19th century to work on sugar plantations.11 English is the official language, although many St. Lucians also speak French and Spanish. Kwéyòl, St Lucia's second language, is also widely spoken by the locals.12 Although 67.5% of St. Lucians are Roman Catholic, there are many other religions practiced on the island, including Roman Catholic 67.5%, Seventh Day Adventist (8.5%), Pentecostal (5.7%), Rastafarian (2.1%), Anglican (2%), Evangelical (2%), other Christian (5.1%), other (1.1%), unspecified (1.5%) and none (4.5%).13
Saint Lucia's government, based in the capital town, Castries, is a parliamentary democracy.14 The queen is the formal head of state, but her purpose is largely ceremonial. The bicameral Parliament is comprised of an 11-member Senate and a 17-member House of Assembly. The Governor General appoints a Prime Minister from the House of Assembly – usually from the ruling party – who presides over the Cabinet.
In recent years Saint Lucia has seen energy demand increase 4.31% annually, largely as a result of the tourism industry. There is no fossil fuel extraction on St. Lucia, but fuels such as gasoline, jet kerosene, and diesel are imported for use in electrical generation, agriculture, tourism and transport.15 Proposed strategies for a more sustainable energy economy include the establishment of a Renewable Energy Feasibility and Project Investment Fund, promotion of solar power, increased building efficiency, and other sustainable energy projects.16
The economy of Saint Lucia is primarily based on tourism, which comprised 48% of the GDP in 2005. In addition, the country is dependent on exports, including bananas, clothing, cocoa, vegetables, fruits, and coconut oil.17 St. Lucia has undergone periods of economic decline since the 1960s due to fluctuations in the banana trade and the tourism industry. However, the government has been able to resist these to a degree by encouraging agricultural diversification. The St. Lucian gross domestic product (GDP) in 2006 was US $899 million, with a GDP growth rate of 4.5% and a per capita GDP of US $4,803.18
Impacts and Threats
Saint Lucia is very susceptible to climate change because of its low-lying location relative to sea level and high exposure to extreme weather. Impacts expected include increased damage from weather events, amplified drought conditions, changes in agricultural patterns and the sinking of low-lying areas.19
Castries Harbor from Morne Fortune, St. Lucia
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/15193764@N07/3171825469/. Permission: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License..Saint Lucia is vulnerable to tropical storms and hurricanes that occur between the months of July and August, and as the territory lies over a tectonically active area it is also vulnerable to potentially severe earthquakes.20 Drought also poses a significant threat to the island. According to the IPCC’s climatic predictions for the next century, precipitation in the Caribbean will decrease by 15 to 20%.21 Drought will likely result in land use changes as vegetation and crops move to higher elevations, which could seriously impact the island’s agriculture and tourist-reliant economy.
In the context of climate change, the main environmental components of the coastal zone, which are likely to be under threat from climate change impacts in St. Lucia are beaches, coral reefs, mangroves and the diverse species which occupy these coastal habitats. Based on predicted climate change scenarios, particularly projections of reduced rainfall and increased temperatures, such bio-diversity is expected to be lost. Sea level rise may precipitate the intrusion of salt water into fresh water lenses, particularly in low-lying coastal areas, threatening the supply of fresh water. In addition, food and agricultural productivity may be affected due to changes in precipitation patterns and the increased temperature and humidity could lead to a greater frequency of heat waves.22
In addition to the physical impacts are a number of social and economic factors that contribute to St. Lucians’ vulnerability to climate change. These include a high unemployment rate, the absence of a diversified economic base and the heavy dependence on two main economic sectors, tourism and agriculture. Climate change will exacerbate the existing vulnerabilities, placing additional stress on the ability of individuals, communities and the economy in general, to adequately provide for the welfare, health and security of the population.
Other social impacts of climate change to St. Lucians include: damage to public health infrastructure due to the occurrence of extreme events such as hurricanes and flooding; socio-economic and physical dislocation due to loss of property, infrastructure and other man-made and natural resources caused by sea-level rise.23
Mitigation and adaptation strategies
In order to combat the variety of significant risks due to climate change, the St. Lucian government has undertaken several initiatives aimed at both mitigating its own emissions and adapting to the inevitable effects of climate change.
Mitigation
In 2005, St. Lucia emitted 0.4 million tons of CO2, or 2.2 tons of CO2 per person (other GHG data is unavailable). This per capita rate is 51% of the global average and 11% of the United States average.24 The Global Sustainable Energy Islands Initiative (GSEII) has been involved with St. Lucia in order to reduce its use of fossil fuels by becoming more energy efficient and developing a renewable energy infrastructure. In 2001, the government adopted a 10-year Sustainable Energy plan, which called for a 20% (7 MW) renewable energy portfolio and a 15% reduction in energy consumption by 2010. A progress review in 2006 determined that some efficiency and small-scale renewable projects had been completed, but larger renewable energy efforts had been less successful. Nevertheless, the government renewed its commitments for 2010 and worked with the GSEII to develop a new implementation plan to help these goals. The progress towards the 2010 goals is unclear.25
One of the projects the GSEII is involved with in St. Lucia is the Energy Audits & Training Project for Hotel Industry. In 2004, a series of training workshops and audits in energy management for the Hospitality sector was conducted in the Castries and Rodney Bay areas in St. Lucia, as part of a project to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through enhancing energy efficiency in the hospitality sector. This project was supported by the Climate Change Development Fund of the Canadian International Development Agency.26 In addition, the Renewable Energy Feasibility and Project Investment Fund is aimed at providing concessionary financing for renewable energy project feasibility studies and for project investment. Saint Lucia’s government is seeking funds for this project from several institutions, including the CREDP, the World Bank’s Prototype Carbon Fund, and international investors.27
Adaptation
As a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), St. Lucia has agreed to formulate an aggressive action plan to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. In April 2003 St. Lucia’s Minister of Physical Development Environment and Housing announced the St. Lucian National Climate Change Policy and Adaptation Plan, which outlined 13 steps to be taken to address climate change.
These steps include establishing an institutional framework charged with maintaining and enhancing the natural environment; creating a national climate change database and information system; developing and enforcing building codes that incorporate climate change impacts; develop and apply engineering standards for roads and other structures; climate change impacts incorporated into the government’s budget; establish a Coastal Zone Unit that undertakes risk assessment and formulates response to adaptation measures; create and implement a national public awareness and education program on climate change; create joint programs for monitoring and conservation of coastal ecosystems and resources between the Department of Fisheries and communities; develop monitoring methods to determine impacts of climate change on human health; develop an Agriculture Land Use and Management Plan that integrates climate change impacts; incorporation of climate change concerns into the national disaster planning and response process; strengthen the Meteorology Unit to improve data collection and analysis; and develop mechanisms to ensure that information about climate change is incorporated into the decision-making process.28
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Wiki Project | |
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| Initiatives and Sponsors | |
| Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS); Asian Development Bank (ADB); Barbados Programme of Action (BPoA); Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC); Global Environment Facility (GEF); Global Sustainable Energy Islands Initiative (GSEII); Inter-American Development Bank (IADB); Organization of American States (OAS); Pacific Islands Forum (PIF); Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre (RC/RCCC); Small Island Developing States Network (SIDSNet); South Pacific Regional Environment Program (SPREP); United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO); United States Agency for International Development (USAID); World Bank (WB) | |
| Related Topics | |
Footnotes
1. : CIA. The World Factbook. Saint Lucia. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
2. : Statement by Dr. Hon, Jullian R. Hunte, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Saint Lucia to the United Nations on Behalf of the Alliance of Small Island Nations (AOSIS) at the 14th Session of the Commission on Sustainable Development. New York, 1 May 2006. Retrieved on: 31 March 2009.
3. : CIA. The World Factbook. Saint Lucia. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
4. : Encyclopedia of the Nations. St. Lucia. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
5. : St. Lucia Tourist Board. Natural Attractions of St. Lucia. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
6. : Encyclopedia of the Nations. St. Lucia. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
7. : CIA. The World Factbook. Saint Lucia. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
8. : St. Lucia Tourist Board. Natural Attractions of St. Lucia. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
9. : Encyclopedia of the Nations. St. Lucia. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
10. : About.com: Geography. Saint Lucia. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
11. : Official Web Site of Saint Lucia. Our Democracy. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
12. : CIA. The World Factbook. Saint Lucia. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
13. : CIA. The World Factbook. Saint Lucia. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
14. : About.com: Geography. Saint Lucia. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
15. : UNFCCC. Saint Lucia's Initial Communication on Climate Change, p 14. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
16. : UNFCCC. Saint Lucia's Initial Communication on Climate Change, p 34-37. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
17. : BBC News Country Profile: St. Lucia (Last updated 25 February 2009). Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
18. : U.S. Department of State. Background Note: Saint Lucia. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
19. : St. Lucia National Climate Change Website. Project Component. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
20. : Saint Lucia’s National Climate Change Adaptation Policy and Strategy. April 2003. p. 2.
21. : World Institute for Disaster Risk Management. Saint Lucia Drought Hazard Assessment. Retrieved on: 5 April 2009.
22. : UNFCCC. Saint Lucia's Initial Communication on Climate Change, p.56.
23. : UNFCCC. Saint Lucia's Initial Communication on Climate Change, p.55.
24. WRI. Climate Analysis Indicators Tool (CAIT). Retrieved on: 24 July 2009. (free reg. req'd.)
25. GSEII. St. Lucia. Retrieved on: 24 July 2009.
26. : Global Sustainable Energy Islands Initiative. St Lucia. Retrieved on: 3 April 2009.
27. : UNFCCC. Saint Lucia's Initial Communication on Climate Change, p.36.
28. : UNFCCC. Saint Lucia's Initial Communication on Climate Change, p.79.
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