Third National Communication on Climate Change for Saint Lucia
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THIRD NATIONAL COMMUNICATION ON CLIMATE CHANGE FOR SAINT LUCIA August 2017 Prepared on behalf of The Government of Saint Lucia Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations & Sustainable Development Department of Sus tainable Development In fulfillment of its obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change August 2017 2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Saint Lucia’s Third National Communication (TNC) on Climate Change to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), was made possible through the funding support of the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The United Nations Environment Programme (UN- Environment) office in Nairobi was the implementing entity. The Sustainable Development and Environment Division (SDED) of the Department of Sustainable Development within the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Gender Relations and Sustainable Development of the Government of Saint Lucia served as the executing agency. The TNC was prepared through the collaborative effort of local, regional and international resource persons. The Department of Sustainable Development, wishes to extend its gratitude to the contributors of the various reports, workshop participants and other national stakeholders consulted across various sectors for their contribution to the final product and supporting efforts in undertaking a consultative process which fosters national ownership. The Department of Sustainable Development also extends gratitude to Ms. Alison King for the compilation of this document. The invaluable support of the UN-Environment Office in Nairobi, through technical support and document reviews as well as that of other staff members within the Department of Sustainable Development apart from the Project Team is also acknowledged with much gratitude. i Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................................... i ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................................. xi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY FOR POLICYMAKERS.............................................................................. 19 CHAPTER 1. NATIONAL CIRCUMSTANCES .................................................................................... 35 OVERVIEW............................................................................................................................... 35 GEOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................................... 35 Location .............................................................................................................................. 35 1.1.1 Topography ......................................................................................................................... 35 1.1.2 Geology ............................................................................................................................... 36 BRIEF HISTORY ...................................................................................................................... 36 GOVERNANCE ........................................................................................................................ 36 CLIMATE AND CLIMATIC ELEMENTS .............................................................................. 37 Regional Trends .................................................................................................................. 37 National Trends ................................................................................................................... 38 Temperature ........................................................................................................................ 38 Rainfall ................................................................................................................................ 39 Winds .................................................................................................................................. 40 Humidity ............................................................................................................................. 41 Sunshine .............................................................................................................................. 41 DEMOGRAPHY ........................................................................................................................ 42 DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES ................................................................................................ 43 Regional Development Priorities ........................................................................................ 43 National Development Priorities......................................................................................... 44 THE ECONOMY ....................................................................................................................... 45 Education and Employment ................................................................................................ 45 Key Economic Indicators .................................................................................................... 46 Economic Policies and Measures........................................................................................ 47 Key Economic Sectors ........................................................................................................ 50 Other Critical Sectors .......................................................................................................... 51 RESPONDING TO CLIMATE CHANGE ................................................................................ 60 Global Response ................................................................................................................. 60 ii Regional Response .............................................................................................................. 60 National Response .............................................................................................................. 61 POLICY ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................... 61 INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS TO IMPLEMENT THE CONVENTION ............. 64 National Climate Change Committee (NCCC) ................................................................... 64 PROGRAMMES AND PROJECTS ...................................................................................... 65 Pilot Project on Climate Resilience – Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (PPCR- DVRP) (2009) ................................................................................................................................... 66 Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR) Caribbean regional track ...................... 66 Hydro-meteorological/agrometeorological station installations (2011-2015) .................... 66 Economics of Climate Adaptation (ECA) in the Caribbean (2010-11) .............................. 66 Review of the Economics of Climate Change (2009-10) ................................................... 68 Enhanced Capacities for Disaster Risk Mitigation in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (2010) 68 EU Global Climate Change Alliance (EU-GCCA) Caribbean Support Project (2012 -14) 68 The Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) project on Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) and Sustainable Land Management (SLM) in the Eastern Caribbean .................................. 68 Disaster Vulnerability Reduction Project (DVRP) (2014-19) ............................................ 69 Hurricane Tomas Emergency Recovery Project (2011-14) ............................................ 69 1.12.11 Global Islands’ Vulnerability Research, Adaptation, Policy and Development (GIVRAPD) (2012-13)........................................................................................................................................... 69 1.12.12 Third National Communication (2013-16) .......................................................................... 69 1.12.13 Reducing Risk to Natural and Human Assets Resulting from Climate Change (RRACC) (2012-14) 69 1.12.14 Japan-Caribbean Climate Change Partnership (JCCCP) (2014) ..................................... 70 1.12.15 Building Capacity in the Public Sector to Facilitate Evidenced- Based Decision Making Towards the Reduction of Climate Change and Environmental Risks (2014) ................................. 70 1.12.16 CCCCC Climate Change Adaptation Program (CCAP) - 2016 - 2020 .......................... 70 1.12.17 Integrating Water, Land and Ecosystems Management in Caribbean Small Island Developing States (IWEco) (2016-18) ................................................................................................................. 71 1.12.18 Caribbean Regional Fund for Wastewater Management Project (CReW) (2011-15) .... 71 1.12.19 Sustainable Financing and Management of Eastern Caribbean Marine Ecosystems ...... 71 1.12.20 Improving the Management of Coastal Resources and the Conservation of the Marine Biodiversity in the Caribbean Region ............................................................................................... 71 1.12.21 Caribbean Aqua-Terrestrial Solutions (CATS) Programme ........................................... 71 1.12.22 The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) in the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspots 72 iii 1.12.23 Capacity building