SAINT Lucia has officially submitted its third Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC 3.0) to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), following decisive approval by the Cabinet of Ministers.Â
This marks a bold advancement in the island’s climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. This submission showcases the country’s unwavering commitment to tackling the global climate crisis and reinforces its position as a regional leader in climate policy development.
Saint Lucia’s NDC 3.0 sets an assertive target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the energy and transport sectors by 22% by 2035. This will be achieved through the enhanced deployment of wind and solar energy with battery storage, upgrades to grid infrastructure, ongoing improvements in energy efficiency, and an increased uptake of electric vehicles.
This commitment is a significant leap from the previous 7% reduction pledge made in its NDC of January 2021.
Furthermore, contingent upon successful resource exploration, Saint Lucia will incorporate geothermal energy generation into its renewable energy mix. This initiative will deliver a substantial reduction in overall energy sector emissions by 32% by 2035, driving the nation closer to achieving its climate objectives.
Both of these emissionsâ reduction targets are benchmarked against the island’s baseline emissions, calculated in 2010. In addition to the robust emissions reduction commitment, NDC 3.0 introduces new initiatives in the forestry and cooling sectors.
Reforestation efforts are poised to contribute an additional reduction of 33 ktCO2 by 2035, compared to 2010 levels, while the cooling sector will work to cut fluorinated gases (F-gases) from refrigeration and air conditioning by 10% by 2035, based on the 2020-2022 baseline. The estimated capital expenditure needed to implement the ambitious commitments of NDC 3.0 amounts to USD 247 million, with an additional USD 178 million earmarked for the geothermal plant, contingent on resource productivity, along with USD 84 million for grid upgrades.
Recognizing its limited fiscal capacity, the Government of Saint Lucia is fully aware that achieving these ambitious targets will demand external financial and technical support. The government is creating a conducive environment for key projects, such as the expected passage of the Electricity Supply Act, which will expedite the adoption of renewable energy technologies across the island.
Saint Lucia proudly stands as the first in the Caribbean to submit its NDC 3.0, well ahead of the UNFCCC deadline of February 10, 2025, firmly establishing its leadership role in the Caribbeanâs climate action efforts. The development of this enhanced NDC was spearheaded by the Department of Sustainable Development, Climate Change Focal Point within the Ministry of Education, Sustainable Development, Innovation, Science, Technology, and Vocational Training, in collaboration with the National Climate Change Committee.
Minister with responsibility for Climate Change matters, Shawn Edward, commends the dedicated team at the Department of Sustainable Development and emphasizes that, in addition to fulfilling our obligations under the Paris Agreement, âincreased renewable energy will lead to significant savings on the fossil fuel import bill, enabling greater reinvestment in national development.â
Technical support for developing NDC 3.0 was provided by Climate Analytics, through the NDC-TEC project, funded by the German governmentâs International Climate Initiative (IKI) and coordinated by Deutsche Gesellschaft fĂŒr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.