Saint Lucia's experience with private sector climate adaptation

This learning brief summarizes an original research study which was prepared for the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) by Environmental Governance Consulting, Chaguanas, Trinidad and Tobago, during the 2018–2020 period. Saint Lucia has made a commendable effort over the past two decades to prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change on government operations and its citizenry. In implementing its climate adaptation effort in recent years, Saint Lucia has been effective at engaging partners. The collaboration of local, regional, and international organizations is a critical reason why Saint Lucia’s climate adaptation process has advanced as far as it has. The emphasis that Saint Lucia has put on collaboration also reflects its understanding that adapting to climate change goes well beyond investing in bricks and mortar.

This report concludes with a series of considerations for the government of Saint Lucia. It suggests a “two-pronged approach” of outreach to the private sector, including an area-based approach for small firms. It proposes using value chains to analyze and address vulnerabilities in private sector operations. The report questions whether financial institutions are the best entities to provide technical advice to adaptation borrowers, or whether the country (or region) needs a technical center that can provide this support. The report also suggests that making government outreach efforts more effective requires additional resources, and that an “adaptation hub” could be an effective vehicle for making information on adaptation opportunities and technical support more accessible to the private sector. At the same time, the report urges the government to ensure that public support actually leverages private investment, since public resources to support private adaptation are extremely limited.