Saint Kitts and Nevis: National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy

The National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy is a national policy with a cross-sectoral approach, covering the period between 2018 and 2030. This Strategy provides specific objectives and measures for adaptation across eight thematic areas and five cross-cutting areas to reduce vulnerability to the impacts from climate change and build resilience over the long term. The goals of this Strategy are: (I) to reduce the vulnerability of St. Kitts and Nevis to the adverse impacts of climate variability and climate change through cross-sectoral and multi-faceted measures that build adaptive capacity and resilience over the long-term, (II) to mainstream climate change adaptation into the national development agenda, including the planning, budgeting and implementation of new and existing policies, programmes and projects, (III) to ensure mitigation co-benefits, where possible, through prioritising adaptation measures that minimize greenhouse gas emissions and enhance natural ecosystems functioning as carbon sinks, and (IV) to mobilize external climate finance to support effective adaptation planning and implementation.

This Strategy highlights various sectors that are extremely vulnerable to climate change, including agriculture, water, tourism, fisheries, coastal and marine ecosystems, forest and terrestrial ecosystems, finance and banking, human health and infrastructure and physical development. Climate smart technologies and ecosystem based management will be integrated into agricultural development to ensure food and nutrition security and resilient livelihoods. Agricultural extension services and response mechanisms for agricultural risk and disaster management will be improved in small-scale farming, including early warning systems and insurance. The conservation and sustainable use and management of fisheries and coastal and marine ecosystems will be ensured and their resilience will be increased through ecosystem-based adaptation and disaster risk reduction. Research and monitoring of coastal and marine ecosystems to better understand climate change vulnerabilities and potential adaptation options.