Saint Lucia

Climate Institute in Washington, D.C. Ministry of Planning, Development, Environment and Housing of Saint Lucia Partners include: Organization of American States, Counterpart International,
Winrock International, Forum for Energy and Development.

At the request of the Saint Lucian Government, the Climate Institute is developing a comprehensive Sustainable Energy Plan for Saint Lucia with the collaboration of the Saint Lucia State’s stakeholders and a team of international experts. The implementation of the project aims at decreasing Saint Lucia’s dependence on imported fossil fuels and transforming its energy base to renewable energy and energy efficiency
technologies to the extent that is technically and economically feasible.
In November 1999, during the Fifth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP5) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Bonn, Saint Lucia became the first nation to announce in a press conference its goal to transform as much of its energy systems to a fossil-fuel-free base in order to become a Sustain-able Energy Demonstration Country for the rest of the world.
Planning and implementation process:

Step 1: Negotiation with the Government Energy Ministry.
Step 2: Identification of a project team, including island states stakeholders, potential investors and experts.
Step 3: Development of a “sustainable energy plan” with the local stakeholders that would be based on current energy needs and projections, and would include capacity building and public awareness components.
Step 4: Conduct necessary resource assessments, feasibility studies and technology assessments to identify project opportunities and facilitate the transfer of appropriate technologies.
Step 5: Agreement on the “sustainable energy plan” and financial packages to fund the various components of the Plan with the help of the private sector, donors and international funding mechanisms, with the establishment of linkages with other regional activities.
Step 6: Execution of the plan and demonstration of the project as a learning tool for other small island states and other developing countries

• Energy resources (Chapter VII of the Barbados Programme of Action)
• Transport and communication (Chapter XII of the BPoA)

Currently, steps 3 and 4 are in progress and talks are being held with various bilateral and multilateral aid agencies, private sector ompanies, NGOs and local stakeholders to build support and formulate a team that would be involved in the implementation of the project activities. Talks are in progress between Probyn, a Canadian wind company, the Saint Lucian Government and the local utility (LUCELEC) to agree on arrangements for a 13.5 MW wind farm on the island.

The Sustainable Energy Demonstration Country Project will demonstrate that:
• With the necessary technology and political will, nations can achieve energy self-sufficiency by replacing the current fossil fuel technologies.
• Renewable energy can be used as a tool for sustainable development and by comprehensive energy planning, nations can reap the economic and environmental benefits of green energy policies and actions.
• Dramatic reductions in fossil fuel use are possible and small island states are taking the lead in “greening” their energy systems by participating in the international efforts to bring down the GHG emissions.

Nasir A. Khattak
Climate Institute
333 1/2 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20003
Tel.: (202) 547-0104, ext. 15
Fax: (202) 547-0111
E-mail: nkhattak@climate.org