By switching to dark mode you can reduce the energy consumption of our digital service.

Developing Saint Lucia’s National Adaptation Plan

This case study outlines the process taken by the Saint Lucia government to create a National Adaptation Plan as a part of its response to climate change.
Marni Arons

Introduction

The UN Development Programme (UNDP) through the Japan Caribbean Climate Change Partnership (J-CCCP) supported the development of Saint Lucia’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) document, in line with the technical guidelines for the NAP process developed by the Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Support of this type assists vulnerable territories in assessing their risks and vulnerabilities to climate change and specifically allows Saint Lucia to identify, rank, plan and implement national and sectoral measures.

Saint Lucia’s NAP* covers a 10-year period with eight prioritised sectors as follows: water, agriculture, fisheries, infrastructure and spatial planning, natural resource management (terrestrial, coastal and marine), education, health, and tourism. In addition to the NAP, St Lucia has also developed four sectoral adaptation plans, which include tourism, water, agriculture and fisheries.

In addition to the NAP, Saint Lucia, has also developed four sectoral adaptation plans on tourism, water, agriculture and fisheries. A monitoring and evaluation system for Saint Lucia’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) has also been developed. The development of the NAP builds on Saint Lucia’s National Adaptation Plan Stocktaking, Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Report.

*Download a case study about the development of Saint Lucia’s NAP document from the right-hand column.

Development of the NAP

The development and implementation steps of the Saint Lucia National Adaptation Plan (Source: Saint Lucia's National Adaptation Plan Stocktacking, Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment Report, pg 16).

Lessons Learnt

To date, Saint Lucia’s NAP has evolved into one of the most comprehensive documents of its nature. The success of the territory’s NAP development process was significantly dependent on a variety of key factors, outlined below.

Engagement and partnerships

  • Saint Lucia’s NAP process benefitted greatly from active stakeholder engagement at all levels.
  • Most significant was the support and engagement from the Saint Lucian Government, whose commitment to readying its country for climate change is highly commendable.
  • The government’s support and buy-in, strong in-country team leadership, and continuous representation and engagement from key in-country technical experts truly made a difference as they provided valuable inputs and guidance throughout the process.

Time

  • Although the document needed to be completed within an ambitious timeframe, key stakeholders prioritised NAP development and dedicated their time to ensure that the reviews were adequately addressed to provide a sound and robust National Adaptation Plan.

Providing Collaborative Spaces

  • The development of effective, strategic partnerships was key to the success of this initiative.
  • Moving forward, NAP programmes should consider providing a space or outlet in which countries can discuss key aspects of the NAP with potential donors.
  • Facilitating these open conversations gives countries the opportunity for early consideration of next steps and of the costs of implementing adaptation actions.

Using Existing Building Blocks

  • The NAP process built on past policies, plans, strategies and initiatives.
  • The national counterparts therefore did not need to reinvent the wheelin the measures being proposed, but drew from them as necessary.
  • In addition to this, the Department of Sustainable Development (SDED)also helped streamline the NAP by providing support from the inception.
Saint Lucia's Department of Sustainable Development present their NAP to regional donors.

Related resources

Add your project

Exchange your climate change adaptation projects and lessons learned with the global community.