Saint Lucia’s Updated Nationally Determined Contribution

2030. Saint Lucia’s target is a sector-wide emissions Saint Lucia’s updated NDC will reduce greenhouse gases by 37 GgCO2e., compared to 2010 emissions, a deeper reductions target using 2010 as base, covering IPCC’s reduction in emissions than the first NDC, which energy (electricity generation and transportation) effectively proposed to reduce GHG emissions by 10 sector, and three gases: Carbon Dioxide, Methane, and GgCO2e. In terms of percentage decrease, the updated Nitrous Oxide. The target is a continuation and NDC translates to approximately 7% reduction in GHG expansion of efforts listed in the first NDC to meet the emissions in the energy sector by 2030, relative to the targets for 2025 and 2030. Saint Lucia has already 2010 emissions. In comparison, Saint Lucia’s first NDC effectively resulted in an emissions reduction of 2%. In begun to implement these targets. absolute terms, 2010 emissions in the energy sector It is worth noting that Saint Lucia is in the process of were 505 GgCO2e, which will be reduced to 468 GgCO2e in 2030. Since the only physical quantity relevant for the exploring a national REDD+ program and is climate system is the total amount of GHG emissions, it implementing efforts to maintain its current forest is important to compare the first and the updated NDCs cover, as well as undertaking efforts to protect based on actual proposed emissions reductions. The watersheds through forest protection measures. This pathways informing the updated NDC emissions targets supports our adaptation efforts. Bearing in mind the are supported by detailed modeling of scenarios that include the direct energy use, and the coupling of the ongoing negotiations on Article 6 of the Paris power generation and transportation sectors. Agreement, and the related uncertainties around double counting emissions reductions, Saint Lucia is not including forest sink capacity targets in this NDC revision at this time. Saint Lucia will continue to look at challenges and opportunities in the sector, including capacity building, for future inclusion of the forest and AFOLU sector in its NDCs. Box 2: Developing a long-term strategy Saint Lucia is planning to develop a Long-Term Strategy (LTS), and the energy modeling timeframe extending to 2050 that informs this energy-focused NDC, is aligned with the long-term pathway for this sector. Stakeholder engagement on the LTS should generate buy-in for a decarbonization pathway that is operationalized in successive NDCs, while at the same time, allowing for a better understanding of the big-picture context in which the NDCs are developed. An LTS will also consider all sectors that contribute to greenhouse emissions. Early and detailed thinking about a long-term strategy will avoid potential pitfalls of technology and policy choices that may appear promising in the short-term, but can make achieving long-term goals more difficult. An especially valuable aspect of long-term planning is the signal sent to the private sector and to external investors that a framework is in place to support transformative interventions that simultaneously inform the projects outlined in five-year NDC cycles. 3 Adaptation The Government of Saint Lucia has decided to include an Adaptation component as part of this mitigation- focused NDC to demonstrate its commitment to achieve the targets of the Paris Agreement as well as having in place better mechanisms for the adaptation to climate change impacts. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), adaptation and mitigation can be understood as complementary components of countries’ response to climate change and adaptation generates larger benefits to small islands when delivered in conjunction with other development activities. The island of Saint Lucia is vulnerable to climate change due to:

1. Its small geographical area, which accounts for the fact that disasters take country‐wide proportions.

2. Its location in one of the highest-risk areas of the planet. These risks include hurricanes (being situated in the tropical cyclone belt), storm surges, sea level rise and non-climate-related risks such as high volcanic and seismic activity.

3. Its dependence on a few sources of income (agriculture and tourism sectors) for a substantial part of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Since the establishment of the National Adaptation Plan process at COP 16 in 2010 and considering that Saint Lucia is prone to higher risks from climate change impacts, the Government of Saint Lucia developed Saint Lucia’s National Adaptation Plan (hereinafter referred only as NAP), the drafting of which started after the submission of the first NDC in 2015. The NAP has been defined as a 10-year process, starting in 2018 with an expected full implementation by 2028. It is accompanied by Sectoral Adaptation Strategy and Action Plans (SASAPs) as described below. Saint Lucia is in the process of exploring a national REDD+ program and is implementing efforts to maintain its current forest cover, as well as undertaking efforts to protect watersheds by forest protection measures. Due to ongoing negotiations on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, and the related uncertainties around double counting emissions reductions, Saint Lucia is not including forest sink capacity targets in this NDC revision. Saint Lucia will continue to look at challenges and opportunities in the sector, including capacity building, for a future inclusion of the forest and AFOLU sector in its NDCs. The cost of inaction on climate change in Saint Lucia has been calculated to be at 12.1% of GDP by 2025, rising to 24.5% by 2050 and 49.1% by 2100. These numbers were calculated well before 2020 when the COVID-19 global pandemic disrupted economies worldwide. This pandemic also affected Saint Lucia’s overall economy, as the tourism sector, the largest revenue generating sector on the island, linked directly and indirectly to a number of sectors and livelihoods, was paralyzed for several months and remains so to some extent. While the long-term economic impacts of the pandemic are not yet known, the crisis has highlighted the extreme fragility of economies and development gains in tourism-based import-dependent SIDS such as Saint Lucia. Considering the facts mentioned above, and as part of the NAP process, Saint Lucia has committed to prioritising cross‐sectoral and sectoral adaptation measures for eight key sectors/thematic areas and a segment on the ‘limits to adaptation’. The NAP is complemented, incrementally, with SASAPs. Priority 4 sectors for adaptation action include: Tourism; Water; Agriculture; Fisheries; Infrastructure and spatial planning; Resilient Ecosystems; Education; and Health. SASAPs have already been developed for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Water sectors, as well as for Resilient Ecosystems (marine and terrestrial). Other key sectors and additional or new information will be identified and included through a cyclical, iterative NAP process. The NAP also considers a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan as part of the process, which aims to track progress on the actions and projects mentioned in the NAP and SASAPs. Another essential component of the NAP process is the financing of the adaptation measures to be implemented. Saint Lucia currently has in place a Climate Financing Strategy under the NAP, which considers different sources of financing such as Domestic Public Resources, International Public Finance, and Domestic and International Private Finance. Consistent with the NAP process, the NAP Climate Financing Strategy is an ongoing and iterative process that would regularly evaluate funding needs and opportunities and would develop project or programme concepts to implement and assess the progress and impacts of these measures. It should be noted that Saint Lucia, as a SIDS, has very limited resources and is expected to mobilise a significant amount of international technical and financial resources to address climate change. Consequently, substantial international support will be needed to achieve the adaptation and mitigation activities proposed in this NDC. While adaptation is key to reducing risks and impacts of climate change, including nature-based solutions, lack of ambition in mitigating climate change at the global level may result in a number of limits to efforts undertaken by Saint Lucia. These include the inability of coastal ecosystems to adapt to increased rates and extent of sea level rise; insufficient financial resources to implement required adaptation strategies; and lack of effective or affordable technologies to provide coastal protection from impending sea level rise and extreme events. In Saint Lucia, these limits are categorized as biophysical, economic, technological, institutional, and social and cultural limits. These limits to adaptation may result in loss and damage, that is, impacts of climate change that occur despite the best mitigation and adaptation efforts. Saint Lucia is also committed to ensuring that Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) becomes, as per Article 12 of the Paris Agreement, a key cross-cutting instrument to involve all levels of society in climate action, in particular most vulnerable groups (including children, youth, the elderly and people living with disabilities) in support of all elements of mitigation and adaptation. ACE has the potential to provide the social and political will for action, in addition to the scientific and technological know-how. As such, the country’s ACE commitments, as non-GHG targets, will help accelerate the achievement of the NDC. Loss and Damage Loss and Damage is addressed under Article 8 paragraph 1 of the Paris Agreement, recognizing the importance that parties should give to averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change. This includes extreme weather events and slow onset events; without ambitious global mitigation, there is also increased potential for both economic and non-economic loss and damage in Saint Lucia. As detailed in Saint Lucia’s NAP, all priority sectors are at risk of experiencing loss and damage as a result of increased climate impacts and limits to the ability to adapt to them. Potential loss and damage will result 5 from storm surges and salt water intrusion into freshwater supplies and agricultural land, frequent flooding and water shortages, which would lead to decreased food availability and security as well as permanent loss of territory due to sea level rise. Rising water temperatures and sea water CO2 concentration will result in damage to coral reefs and declines in commercially important fisheries stocks, as well as impact tourism, which is dependent on these ecosystems. Sea level rise and increased extreme climatic events will also result in loss of culturally and spiritually important landscapes and ultimately migration and displacement of coastal communities. Temperature increase will directly result in increased risk of deaths and injuries associated with extreme events, and indirectly through increased water borne and vector borne disease outbreaks. Addressing the increased risk of significant levels of loss and damage due to climate change requires international support to implement a range of comprehensive risk management strategies, including improvement and / or creation of open sources of data to more effectively assess rising climate risks 1. Such strategies include expanding livelihood protection policies that assist vulnerable, low-income individuals to recover from damages associated with extreme weather events; establishing contingency funds for climate impacts with flexible and rapid dispersal systems; providing support and protection for internally displaced persons, persons displaced across borders and host communities; providing support for the preservation or reestablishment of non-economic values that may be damaged during human mobility or otherwise. As climate risks increase, existing and potential risk transfer mechanisms to address loss and damage, such as continued membership in the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility, may lead to a rise in costs beyond the capacity of the national budget. As such, international support to meet the rising costs of addressing loss and damage with such risk transfer mechanisms would be necessary. 1 Saint Lucia’s Cabinet-endorsed Climate Change Research Policy and Strategy lay out the Government of Saint Lucia’s efforts to enhance and promote collaboration on climate change-relevant research in the country by providing the necessary guidance for research partners to plan and undertake disciplinary, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary fit- for-purpose studies to contribute to sound decision-making and climate action, including on the topics of adaptation, mitigation and loss and damage. 6 Sustainable Development 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development In addition to adaptation, Saint Lucia is committed to linking NDC Strategic Development Corresponding SDGs Pillar implementation to the country’s Sustainable Development Goals Building strong institutions that are a platform for growth SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions (SDGs) agenda, with a particular and development emphasis on development SDG 1: End Poverty outcomes that contribute to Adaptation for SDG 2: Zero Hunger building the resilience of most environmental SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities sustainability, climate SDG 12: Responsible Consumption vulnerable groups. The change and disaster SDG 13: Climate Action vulnerability reduction1 SDG 14: Life Below Water Government will, as far possible, SDG 15: Life on Land seek to achieve the social co- Building productive capacity benefits of the mitigation and expanding growth SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure measures presented in the NDC. opportunities This will be done through a holistic Enhancing the labour force SDG 4: Quality Education and multi-sectoral approach to through education training and SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth workforce development SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities low-carbon development and climate resilience, which Infrastructure, connectivity SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure encompasses education, health, and energy – key for growth SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities and competitiveness1 food security, water and SDG 12: Responsible Consumption sanitation, housing and social SDG 2: Zero Hunger Improving health and wellness protection, in line with its Medium- SDG 3: Good Health and Well Being for All People Term Development Strategy SDG 1: End Poverty Social Transformation, (MTDS) 2020-2023. SDG 4: Quality Education building social resilience and SDG 5: Gender Equality social capital SDG 2: Zero Hunger Specifically, the MTDS national priorities include three Economic areas - tourism, agriculture and infrastructure, and three Social - healthcare, education and citizen security. Saint Lucia’s sustainable development agenda emphasizes People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership with seven (7) strategic development pillars to support socio-economic growth aspirations that are all intrinsically linked to Saint Lucia’s climate change priorities. Saint Lucia’s overarching environmental priority remains, as addressing the adverse effects of climate change, which impacts and cuts across every area and sector that contributes to Saint Lucia’s sustainable development. While Saint Lucia has made many advances towards the SDGs, the impacts of climate change; on top of high import, export and transportation costs, dependence on ocean resources, increasing biodiversity loss, reliance on external markets, and limited financial recovery space; continues to put an additional burden on the ability to achieve sustainable development, especially as outlined in the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (S.A.M.O.A.) Pathway. 7 During Saint Lucia’s 2019 Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development under the United Nations High Level Political Forum (HLPF), the progress made and the challenges faced in implementing the SDGs under review at the 2019 HLPF VNR were highlighted. As it relates to the Paris Agreement, Saint Lucia’s VNR report submitted and the national presentation provided, highlighted additional detail on progress made and challenges faced in implementing SDG 13: Climate Action and SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy. Through the implementation of the NDC, Saint Lucia is committed to ensuring SDG co-benefits and will report against those through the established processes under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Gender Equality In line with Saint Lucia’s commitment to SDG 5: Gender Equality, Saint Lucia continues the process of mainstreaming gender in national strategic planning and programming across government and specifically within climate change considerations, including Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions and National Adaptation Plan initiatives. Through this commitment, gender considerations have assumed more prominence in recent times from non-inclusion in Saint Lucia's First National Communication of 2001 to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); to specific reference to women as a vulnerable group in Saint Lucia's Climate Change Adaptation Policy (CCAP) of 2015; to inclusion of gender considerations in Saint Lucia's National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and supplements of 2018 and beyond, including the Sectoral Adaptation Strategies and Actions Plans (SASAPs) in Water, Agriculture, Fisheries (2018), as well as the more recent Resilient Ecosystems Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan (REASAP, 2020). Saint Lucia’s Gender Relations Department is developing the national gender equality policy and strategic plan, which includes environmental sustainability with focus on climate change as a thematic priority. The thematic priorities are geared toward capacity development, institutional strengthening institutional architecture and greater accountability. The CCAP has identified that its success will in part depend on the extent of stakeholder (including women and vulnerable groups) ownership and participation in the implementation of the CCAP priorities. Saint Lucia has therefore continued to systematically and adequately address gender considerations in the project design, consultation, implementation and monitoring stages when project concepts are being developed, amalgamated or expanded for funding consideration. In 2019, a regional project benefitting nine Caribbean countries, including Saint Lucia, was launched - Enabling Gender-Responsive Disaster Recovery, Climate and Environmental Resilience in the Caribbean (EnGenDER). The EnGenDER project will be the starting point for a more substantive gender integration in climate change and should act as a catalyst for the acceleration of gender equality initiatives in Saint Lucia. To foster equality in adaptation benefits, Saint Lucia’s NAP and associated SASAPs focus on vulnerable groups. While they include activities focusing on women and men generally based on a number of vulnerability factors, they do not identify activities that are specific to either women or men, owing to the lack of data on differential needs. Saint Lucia is working to collect and assess gender-disaggregated information allowing planners and decision-makers to consider who will be impacted even before implementation. To support this effort, Saint Lucia through the EnGenDER project will be undertaking sectoral gender assessments for selected sectors and developing guidelines for the development of gender- responsive Sectoral Adaptation Strategies and Action Plans. 8 Children and Youth As a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Saint Lucia supports actions that seek to reaffirm its commitment to the development of its children and youth, by encouraging their involvement in the decision-making process on climate change matters at the national and global levels. Further, Saint Lucia sees the importance of preparing all children and youth, including those with disabilities, to participate in future planning/decision making processes by providing equal access to education. This is reflected in Saint Lucia acceding to the Marrakesh Treaty as it relates to Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled. Efforts are underway to pilot a project which will be expanded to provide reading support for students with print disabilities. Through the print sharing medium, climate change-relevant curriculum material will be provided to students with print disabilities, thus allowing for access to formal and informal education on climate change for all. The Government, through the National Coordinating Committee for Human Rights, works very closely with the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities in protecting the rights of its Constituents. As per its Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA), the Government takes measures in the areas of renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions and technologies in school buildings (GHG emission- related activities such as lighting, air conditioning or cooking) as well as renewable energy generation on school sites. The NAMA’s targets include 20% reduction in energy consumption and 16% reduction of GHG emissions [aligned with iNDC target of 16% by 2025, 23% by 2030] both to be achieved by 2025. Such efforts will increase access to adequate resilient educational infrastructure, including sustainable energy. Saint Lucia’s youth and children have also been integrated into building resilience to climate change through enhancing food security through school gardening programmes and community groups. One such example in Saint Lucia is the outfitting of several primary schools with greenhouses through support programmes of the Ministry of Agriculture. The children are involved in gardening with the support of caretakers, farmers from the community and extension officers, as appropriate, noting that Agricultural Science is taught at Secondary and not Primary level. Prior to the COVID-19 global pandemic, 70-80 percent of primary schools had functional gardens. These programmes also support the national school feeding programme. There are unique arrangements for the share of produce between volunteering farmers and the schools. 9 Information for Clarity Transparency and Understanding Information for Clarity Transparency and Understanding

1. Quantified information on the reference point, including, as appropriate, a base year a. Reference year(s), base year(s), reference The reference year used in Sant Lucia’s updated NDC is 2010, the same as in the period(s) or other starting point(s) first NDC. b. Quantifiable information on the reference Saint Lucia’s emissions in 2010 are estimated to be 643 GgCO2eq. as indicators, their values in the reference year(s), communicated in the first NDC. Net emissions considering carbon removal from base year(s), reference period(s) or other forests was 572 GgCO2eq in 2010. BAU emissions from the first NDC for 2025 is starting point(s), and, as applicable, in the 758 GgCO2e. and for 2030 is 816 GgCO2e. target year c. For strategies, plans and actions referred to in This is not applicable to Saint Lucia. Article 4, paragraph 6, of the Paris Agreement, or policies and measures as components of nationally determined contributions where paragraph 1(b) above is not applicable, Parties to provide other relevant information d. Target relative to the reference indicator, 7% (7.2%) GHG emissions reduction in the energy sector relative to 2010, by expressed numerically, for example in 2030, equivalent to 37 GgCO2 eq. percentage or amount of reduction e. Information on sources of data used in The sources of data used in quantifying the reference points are the following: quantifying the reference point(s) ● Saint Lucia’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution, 2015 ● Saint Lucia’s Third National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), 2017 ● National Energy Transition Strategy (NETS), 2017 ● Saint Lucia’s 2018 National Inventory Reports (August, 2020) 2 ● World Development Indicators, World Bank3 (retrieved data in 2020) ● United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (retrieved data in 2020) ● United States Energy Information Administration (retrieved data in 2020) ● LUCELEC Annual Report, 2018 ● Caribbean Energy Report Card, 2019 ● Data provided by: ○ Buckeye ○ Energy Division f. Information on the circumstances under which Saint Lucia may update the base year data in future NDCs on the basis of the Party may update the values of the additional technical analysis in Biennial Update Reports, National reference indicators Communications, and as the economic impacts of COVID-19 become better understood.

2. Time frames and/or periods for implementation 2 Saint Lucia’s 2018 National Inventory Reports is a component of the first Biennial Update Report, currently under development. 3 Data was taken from the databases of the World Bank, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, and the United States Energy Information Administration for development indicators, population projections and energy consumption respectively, and the year referenced is the year that the data was retrieved. 10 Information for Clarity Transparency and Understanding a. Time frame and/or period for implementation, The targets are a continuation and expansion of efforts listed in the first NDC to including start and end date, consistent with meet the targets for 2025 and 2030. Saint Lucia has already begun to implement any further relevant decision adopted by the these targets. CMA; b. Whether it is a single-year or multi-year target, Single Year Target as applicable.

3. Scope and coverage a. General description of the target; Saint Lucia’s target is a sector-wide emissions reductions target using 2010 as base year, covering IPCC’s energy (electricity generation and transportation) sector. b. Sectors, gases, categories and pools covered Sectors: by the nationally determined contribution, ● Energy: electricity generation and transportation including, as applicable, consistent with IPCC guidelines; Gases: ● Carbon Dioxide (CO2) ● Methane (CH4) ● Nitrous Oxide (N2O) A co-benefit of reducing CO2 emission from the electricity generation and transportation sectors is that there will also be concomitant reductions in emissions in other gases like NMVOCs. c. How the Party has taken into consideration As per paragraph 31(c) of decision 1/CP.21, Saint Lucia is not including IPCC’s paragraphs 31(c) and (d) of decision 1/CP.21; AFOLU, IPPU and waste sectors. Saint Lucia assessed whether other sources and sinks of emissions could be included in this updated NDC, but concluded that the energy sector accounts for approximately 90% of its total emissions, and has the largest potential for significant emissions reductions. Certain data gaps in other sectors also added to the challenge of expanding the scope of this NDC. Efforts will be made to address these data gaps over time with the support of national, regional and international partners. As a Party to the Montreal Protocol, Saint Lucia is currently implementing a Kigali Amendment Enabling Activities Project with the intention to deposit the instrument of ratification by June 2021. With support, Saint Lucia intends to build capacity in this sector, with a view for possible inclusion in future NDCs. d. Mitigation co-benefits resulting from Parties’ The National Adaptation Plan for Saint Lucia (2018) (NAP) and the Sectoral adaptation actions and/or economic Adaptation Strategy and Action Plans (SASAPs) include mitigation co-benefits. diversification plans, including description of These are primarily within the Agriculture, Fisheries and Water sectors where specific projects, measures and initiatives of SASAPs have been developed. An Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan has also Parties’ adaptation actions and/or economic been completed for Resilient Ecosystems (marine and terrestrial). Some of the diversification plans. co-benefits expected for specific activities are as follows: ● Carbon sequestration by developing and implementing better practices in agricultural production; ● Reduced emissions from implementing fuel efficient technologies for aquaculture and fishing operations; ● Reduced emissions from wastewater management and introduction of renewable energy technologies in the Water sector; ● Reduced emissions from implementing resilient ecosystem activities to better manage the available ecosystem services and resources. 11 Information for Clarity Transparency and Understanding As part of the NAP process, Saint Lucia is still developing other SASAPs, which will address the remaining priority sectors: Infrastructure and Spatial Planning, Health, Education and Tourism. These additional SASAPs might include projects with co-benefits on adaptation actions. The mitigation co-benefits of adaptation actions listed here were not quantitatively evaluated due to a lack of quality data and technical resources. However, Saint Lucia has already begun efforts to implement a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for Saint Lucia’s NAP, which focuses on tracking the implementation of the cross-sectoral and sectoral measures included in the NAP and SASAPs. This tool will monitor and evaluate adaptation, and to some extent, mitigation actions on climate change implemented in Saint Lucia and include new or additional information as part of the NAP iterative process. The mitigation co-benefits from forest sector interventions cannot be included at this point due to ongoing negotiations on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, in conjunction with Saint Lucia’s exploration of a national REDD+ program.

4. Planning Process a. Information on the planning processes that the Party undertook to prepare its NDC and, if available, on the Party’s implementation plans, including, as appropriate: i. Domestic institutional arrangements, Led by the Department of Sustainable Development in consultation with the public participation and engagement with Energy Division and the Department for Economic Development, and building on local communities4 and indigenous the lesson learnt from the multi-stakeholder engagement process used in 2015 peoples, in a gender-responsive manner; to develop the first NDC, Saint Lucia began the revision process in 2019. In August 2019, Saint Lucia submitted a request for support to the NDC Partnership’s Climate Action Enhancement Package (CAEP). Through the CAEP, Saint Lucia has received technical assistance from Climate Analytics (CA), the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and the World Resources Institute (WRI). Building on the National Energy Transition Strategy (NETS) developed in 2017 and the 2018 GHG inventory completed in 2020 under the BUR process, the DSD led a series of interlinked multi-stakeholder gender-responsive interactive consultations, including government Ministries, private sector, civil society and youth. The feedback received from the different stakeholders was taken into consideration in the energy system modeling and the mitigation options being considered. Saint Lucia’s Updated NDC was submitted to, and endorsed by the Cabinet of Ministers in January 2021. Implementation: Saint Lucia has developed an Implementation Plan and a Financing Strategy for the NDC. In addition, in 2019, Saint Lucia’s Cabinet endorsed its NDC Partnership Plan, which will be updated subsequent to the submission of the NDC to the UNFCCC. 4 In the engagement of stakeholders and the development of climate-relevant instruments, the Government of Saint Lucia is guided by its Cabinet-approved Climate Change Private Sector Engagement Strategy and the Climate Change Communications Strategy. 12 Information for Clarity Transparency and Understanding Saint Lucia’s National Climate Change Committee (NCCC), established in 1998, has the mandate to provide advice and support to national climate change- related programmes and processes and comprises public, statutory, academic and private sector bodies whose work is related to climate change. Saint Lucia is working to strengthen the role of the NCCC and anticipates that the Committee will play a strong role in coordinating and facilitating the implementation of climate change actions, including that of the NDC. ii. Contextual matters, including, inter alia, as appropriate:

1. National circumstances, such as Geography: The small island of Saint Lucia is part of a volcanically active ridge in geography, climate, economy, the Eastern Caribbean, connecting with the islands of Martinique in the north sustainable development and and St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the south. At its widest point, the island is poverty eradication; 22 km wide and 42 km long, with approximately 158 km of coastlines. Its land area is approximately 616 km2, with mostly rugged landscape characterized by mountains along a centrally located north-south oriented mountain range, deep valleys and rivers. Climate: Saint Lucia’s location in the Atlantic Ocean/Caribbean Sea means that the average ambient sea surface temperature varies little from 26.6 C at any given time. The island receives almost a constant amount of surface solar radiation over time. These characteristics give Saint Lucia a tropical maritime climate characterised by warm air temperatures ranging between 21 C and 32 C. The island has two climatic seasons based on rainfall. The wet season falls between June and November, and the dry season runs from December to May. Rainfall has a measurable geographic effect, varying from about 1265 mm in the relatively flat coastal regions to about 3420 mm in the elevated interior region. Saint Lucia has experienced drought conditions since 2012, resulting in a decline in the total annual and temporal distribution of rainfall. Tropical disturbances in the wet season occur at a predictable frequency of roughly one every four days. Economy: Saint Lucia is an upper middle-income country, with its GDP per capita (constant 2010 US$) at 9,350 in 2019 (World Bank). The economy underwent a structural adjustment in 1990, that has since seen the service sector, particularly tourism, leading economic growth. Interlinked with tourism, real estate, construction and the transport sectors are the leading contributors to GDP. Saint Lucia’s economy is very much connected with global events. Steady growth from 2000 was interrupted by the terror events in the United States in 2001, and then again, the Great Recession in 2008. Slower-than-expected recovery of the global economy exerted downward pressures in the local economy, resulting in negative growth between 2009-2014. Agriculture has experienced the greatest cumulative decline since 2009, while tourism holds the potential to deliver an economic turnaround, the COVID-19 global pandemic has placed challenges on this. For a tourism-dependent SIDS, the COVID-19 global pandemic could have catastrophic impacts for the sustainable development and viability of the economy of Saint Lucia. The crisis has highlighted the fragility of Saint Lucia’s economy and without a coordinated international response, could severely undermine development gains and the achievement of long-term low-emission sustainable development. Sustainable development: Saint Lucia made a commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Saint Lucia has developed an inclusive and strategic Medium-Term Development Strategy (MTDS) 2020-2023. The MTDS’ 13 Information for Clarity Transparency and Understanding national priorities include three Economic areas - tourism, agriculture and infrastructure, and three Social - healthcare, education and citizen security. Saint Lucia’s overarching environmental priority remains addressing the adverse effects of climate change, which impacts every area of our sustainable development. Poverty eradication: The Government’s Statistics Department indicated an estimated population of 172,623 in 2015. The population is relatively young, with 46.9% below 30 years old. Saint Lucia achieved universal secondary education in 2006.

2. Best practices and experience The following are some of the best practices that have been identified during the related to the preparation of the preparation of Saint Lucia’s NDC: NDC; ● A key component of Saint Lucia’s NDC is that it was built upon existing processes, data collection, policies, initiatives, and commitments - including the NETS, NAP, SASAPs, BUR development and Saint Lucia’s Climate Change Research Policy and Strategy. In doing so, Saint Lucia was able to take advantage of updated inventories, robust data and cross- cutting expertise. ● Capitalising on the synergies and timing of the different processes, Saint Lucia increased collaboration across Implementing Partners and reduced the need to conduct separate stakeholder consultations on similar issues, therefore reducing stakeholder fatigue. It is essential for Implementing Partners to work together in a seamless manner. ● In determining the level of ambition, it was crucial for Saint Lucia to undertake long-term energy system modeling for 2050 and what would subsequently be recommended at 2030 to support energy transformation, decarbonisation and building resilience. ● The engagement of stakeholders from public sector, private sector, academia and civil society was key to ensuring the interest and buy-in to the NDC process and revised targets. Specific engagement was undertaken with the youth, who account for a large percentage of the population. ● Please see Section 4(a)(i) for the Cabinet-approved guidance on the engagement of stakeholders and the development of climate-relevant instruments. b. Other contextual aspirations and priorities acknowledged when joining the Paris Agreement; c. Specific information applicable to Parties, Saint Lucia is not part of an agreement to act jointly under Article 4 of the including regional economic integration Paris Agreement. organizations and their member States, that have reached an agreement to act jointly under Article 4, paragraph 2, of the Paris Agreement, including the Parties that agreed to act jointly and the terms of the agreement, in accordance with Article 4, paragraphs 16–18, of the Paris Agreement; d. How the Party’s preparation of its NDC has The first global stocktake will take place in 2023 and Saint Lucia is committed to been informed by the outcomes of the global the implementation, monitoring and evaluation tools to inform the progress on stocktake, in accordance with Article 4, the targets proposed in this NDC, the NAP and SASAPs paragraph 9, of the Paris Agreement; e. Each Party with an NDC under Article 4 of the Paris Agreement that consists of adaptation action and/or economic diversification plans resulting in mitigation co-benefits consistent with Article 4, paragraph 7, of the Paris Agreement to submit information on: 14 Information for Clarity Transparency and Understanding i. How the economic and social The effects on vulnerability, resilience, economic transformation and standards consequences of response measures have of living were considered in developing the updated NDC. been considered in developing the NDC; ii. Specific projects, measures and activities The following projects and project concepts are expected to have mitigation to be implemented to contribute to co-benefits from adaptation actions. These are included in the project mitigation co-benefits, including portfolios of the different SASAPs or any additional adaptation projects to information on adaptation plans that also be implemented with international support not included within the SASAPs. yield mitigation co-benefits, which may cover, but are not limited to, key sectors, Water SASAP: such as energy, resources, water ● Improving energy efficiency within the water sector in Saint Lucia resources, coastal resources, human through the introduction of renewable energy technologies into the settlements and urban planning, operations of the Water and Sewerage Company Inc. agriculture and forestry; and economic ● Pig farms’ wastewater and manure management: Piloting solutions to diversification actions, which may cover, reduce water pollution under a changing climate. but are not limited to, sectors such as Fisheries SASAP: manufacturing and industry, energy and ● Increasing the capacity of fishers and other actors to manage climate mining, transport and communication, risks through improved data management and Early Warning Systems construction, tourism, real estate, (EWS). agriculture and fisheries. Agriculture SASAP: ● Climate Resilient Agriculture Demonstration Centre (CRADE): Enabling the transformation of vulnerable groups in 3 subsistence farming communities into competitive national agribusiness leaders under a changing climate. ● Building Resilience for Adaptation to Climate Change vulnerabilities in Agriculture. Resilient Ecosystems ASAP: ● Establishing the basis for improving beach management and coastal erosion control under changing climate conditions in Saint Lucia. ● Building ecological and livelihood resilience in Saint Lucia through the establishment of the Iyanola Park Biosphere Reserve. ● Evaluation of shoreline stabilisation technologies in selected vulnerable coastal areas in Saint Lucia. ● Enabling ecosystem restoration and management for climate resilience buildings. ● Building climate resilience and enhancing livelihood opportunities through improved forest management in Saint Lucia. ● Solving the die-back of the largest mangrove in Saint Lucia to strengthen the country’s climate resilience. As mentioned in 3(d) above, Saint Lucia is still in the process of developing additional SASAPs for other priority sectors for adaptation. As the development of the NAP and SASAPs is a continuous and ongoing process, these might, in the future, include projects with mitigation co-benefits on adaptation actions; however, they are not mentioned here as the specific projects could change or additional projects added to the current project portfolios.

5. Assumptions and methodological approaches, including those for estimating and accounting for anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and, as appropriate, removals: a. Assumptions and methodological approaches Saint Lucia will account for its anthropogenic GHG emissions and removals using used for accounting for anthropogenic the 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Guidelines for greenhouse gas emissions and removals National Greenhouse Gas Inventories as guided by 1/CP.21 Article 4, paragraph corresponding to the Party’s nationally 13 of the Paris Agreement. determined contribution, consistent with 15 Information for Clarity Transparency and Understanding decision 1/CP.21, paragraph 31, and accounting guidance adopted by the CMA; b. Assumptions and methodological approaches Please see 5(a) above. Saint Lucia will also apply specific assumptions and used for accounting for the implementation of methodologies, where relevant, when accounting for the progress of various policies and measures or strategies in the policies and measures in its Biennial Update Report and the 4th National nationally determined contribution; Communication anticipated to start in 2021. c. If applicable, information on how the Party will Please see 5(a) above. take into account existing methods and guidance under the Convention to account for anthropogenic emissions and removals, in accordance with Article 4, paragraph 14, of the Paris Agreement, as appropriate; d. IPCC methodologies and metrics used for Saint Lucia’s emissions for CO2, CH4 and N2O will be derived using the Tier 1 estimating anthropogenic greenhouse gas method of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines. emissions and removals; e. Sector-, category- or activity-specific assumptions, methodologies and approaches consistent with IPCC guidance, as appropriate, including, as applicable: i. Approach to addressing emissions and Not applicable. Saint Lucia does not currently commit to a mitigation target in subsequent removals from natural the AFOLU sector. disturbances on managed lands; ii. Approach used to account for emissions Not applicable. and removals from harvested wood products; iii. Approach used to address the effects of Not applicable. age-class structure in forests; f. Other assumptions and methodological approaches used for understanding the nationally determined contribution and, if applicable, estimating corresponding emissions and removals, including: i. How the reference indicators, Not applicable. Please see Section 5(a-e) for assumptions and methodologies baseline(s) and/or reference level(s), used. including, where applicable, sector-, category- or activity-specific reference levels, are constructed, including, for example, key parameters, assumptions, definitions, methodologies, data sources and models used; ii. For Parties with nationally determined Not applicable. contributions that contain non- greenhouse-gas components, information on assumptions and methodological approaches used in relation to those components, as applicable; iii. For climate forcers included in Not applicable. nationally determined contributions not 16 Information for Clarity Transparency and Understanding covered by IPCC guidelines, information on how the climate forcers are estimated; iv. Further technical information, as Not applicable. necessary; g. The intention to use voluntary cooperation National level market-based instruments, such as cap-and- trade emission under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, if trading schemes and offsetting, are crucial to price carbon emissions and keep applicable. the costs of mitigation in Saint Lucia low. These will be pursued to encourage implementation of the proposed mitigation measures drawing on any applicable international arrangements. Saint Lucia is in the process of developing a national REDD+ program.

6. How the Party considers that its NDC is fair and ambitious in light of its national circumstances a. How the Party considers that its NDC is fair and The Government of Saint Lucia is steadfast in its conviction that global mitigation ambitious in the light of its national efforts should focus on stabilizing global GHG emissions at levels that will limit circumstances; increases in global average temperatures to well below 1.5°C above pre- industrial levels. Nevertheless, the Government of Saint Lucia has decided to pursue an aggressive and ambitious plan to reduce its emissions by focusing on the Energy, Electricity Generation and Transportation sectors. b. Fairness considerations, including reflecting on See 6(a) above. equity; c. How the Party has addressed Article 4, Saint Lucia’s updated NDC represents a significant enhancement of its first NDC. paragraph 3, of the Paris Agreement; Under the targets proposed in this updated NDC, Saint Lucia expects its total emissions to decrease from 505 GgCO2eq. (2010 estimate) within the Energy sector to 468 GgCO2eq by 2030. This would translate from an effective 2% GHG emission reduction as pledged in the 2015 NDC to 7% GHG emissions reduction in the energy sector relative to 2010, by 2030. In addition to the increase in mitigation ambition, the submission of this updated NDC, is also an enhancement in the following ways:

1. Saint Lucia has moved from a BAU approach to a base year approach.

2. Saint Lucia has strengthened the adaptation, SDG, Gender, Children/Youth and loss & damage component of the NDC. In 2019, Saint Lucia’s Cabinet of Ministers endorsed the NDC Partnership Plan with the goal of supporting the implementation of the 2015 targets. In line with the 2020 NDC, Saint Lucia has developed an Implementation Plan and a Financing Strategy for the NDC with concrete measures and timeline for their implementation to transition the NDC target to real action and emission reductions, provided the access to the requisite support is forthcoming. This builds upon and is to be executed alongside Saint Lucia NDC Partnership Plan. While national efforts are underway and will continue to be exerted toward emission reduction, in accordance with the obligation of developed countries under the UNFCCC Convention and the Articles of the Paris Agreement, Saint Lucia anticipates implementing the NDC through access to multilateral and bilateral support including through the Green Climate Fund, multilateral agencies and bilateral arrangements with development partners. These funds will be used to leverage the limited national resources and technical capacities 17 Information for Clarity Transparency and Understanding that are available for combating climate change. d. How the Party has addressed Article 4, The ambition of this target must be considered against the background of the paragraph 4, of the Paris Agreement; country’s small, open economy and limitations in natural, financial, technological and human resources to implement the measures necessary to achieve the intended emissions reductions. It must also be noted that the value of Saint Lucia’s forest cover as a carbon sink is recognized, despite the fact that these values are not included in the projections. e. How the Party has addressed Article 4, Saint Lucia, as a SIDS and considering Article 4, paragraph 6, has the option to paragraph 6, of the Paris Agreement; prepare and communicate strategies, plans and actions reflecting its special circumstances. In light of Saint Lucia’s commitment to limiting increases in global average temperatures to well below 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, it has submitted a quantifiable target as outlined in 1(b) above. While Saint Lucia’s NDC is mitigation centric, its plans and actions addressing adaptation and the possible limits to adaptation that may result in loss and damage, are outlined in Saint Lucia’s NAP and SASAPs.

7. How the NDC contributes towards achieving the objectives of the Convention as set out in its Article 2 a. How the NDC contributes towards achieving See 6(a) above the objective of the Convention as set out in its Article 2; b. How the NDC contributes towards Article 2, See 6(a) above. Saint Lucia planning to work on a long-term strategy to paragraph 1(a), and Article 4, paragraph 1, of decarbonize the economy in line with Article 2 paragraph 1(a) and Article 4 the Paris Agreement. paragraph 1. 18