WASHINGTON DC, - PRIME MINISTER Dr. Terrance Drew is reminding the world that St. Kitts and Nevis is pushing for a cleaner energy future, where the Federation is seeking to maximize its resources for the nation’s benefit.
Dr. Drew is currently attending the Spring Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), during which he told Caribbean Ministers that the Federation has embarked on an ambitious plan to have 95 percent of its energy be renewable, including geothermal.
One of the small island states in the Western Hemisphere, St. Kitts and Nevis is on the frontline of Climate Change even though its carbon footprint is small to nonexistent - but feels the threats.
It is in that regard that the Federation is embarking on becoming climate resilient and shifting away from fossil fuels.
“One of the most difficult challenges we are forced to confront is the threat posed by Climate Change, and efforts to adapt and mitigate the deleterious effects resulting from global warming. I would wish to focus on the specific topic of ‘Reaping Opportunities from Green Energy’.
“Mr. Chairman, it is no secret that St. Kitts and Nevis stands among the nations most heavily reliant on fossil fuels. In fact, 95 percent of our energy is derived from diesel. This is a reality that we consider unsustainable, undesirable and unacceptable,” Dr. Drew said at the meeting last evening (Apr. 12).
Rising sea levels, drought-like conditions and increasing temperatures are some of the issues currently plaguing St. Kitts and Nevis. And now the Government has started to plan for the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season which is expected to be on average.
Dr. Drew informed attendees at the meeting that the country has set an ambitious, targeted agenda “to reduce ozone-depleting gases, we have declared our goal to reduce CO2 emissions by 61 percent by 2030, using 2010 as the base period”.
“This,” he added, “is indeed an ambitious undertaking; one backed by concrete proposals involving the transition from energy based on fossil fuels to cleaner and greener renewable energy alternatives.”
In order to achieve those objectives, PM Drew informed that the Ministry of Environment, and by extension the Government, is pushing more renewable options including the use of solar power and geothermal energy, among other plans.
“In St. Kitts and Nevis, we are blessed with an abundance of sunshine to generate solar power, wind and geothermal energy reserves, particularly on the island of Nevis. We have actively considered all three of these renewable energy sources and are at an advanced stage of rolling out concrete proposals which are transformational in nature, redounding to the overall benefit of our people.
“Mr. Chairman, we are convinced that exploring opportunities for green energy alternatives will lead to lower energy prices. No longer will we anticipate the uncertainty caused by the fluctuations in the price of fossil fuels on the global market. We will be able to use these cost savings to diversify our economy and pursue our development objectives in keeping with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,” explained Drew.
Going a step further, he also explained that efforts are being considered to outfit government-funded housing, schools and other institutions with solar panels in keeping with Goal 7 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which focuses on the need to provide access to clean and affordable energy.
“Lower energy prices serve as a solid platform for growth and development in agriculture, manufacturing, education, ICT, health care and transportation sectors, to name a few. We regard it as the high tide which causes all the proverbial boats to float unhindered by obstacles in the ocean. High energy prices impede economic and human development! Lowering the cost of energy is therefore a clearly defined development objective of the Government of St’ Kitts and Nevis.
“As regards opportunities in geothermal energy, our Government has taken action to secure the requisite financing from the Caribbean Development Bank to construct a 30 MW plant by 2025. Drilling operations are projected to commence later this year,” added Dr. Drew.
PM Drew declared that his Government would also explore the opportunity of exporting geothermal energy to the neighbouring islnads, “thereby significantly improving our economic outlook”.
