WASHINGTON, DC – LIKE many Caribbean nations, St. Kitts and Nevis remains on the front lines of climate change, and its representative at the Organization of American States (OAS) is now emphasizing that “it is a present-day emergency.”
Speaking at a recent meeting of the OAS Permanent Council, Minister Counsellor and Alternate Representative Augustine Skerritt described climate change as a threat to the twin-island Federation. He highlighted the government’s efforts to respond to the crisis, particularly through its Sustainable Island State Agenda.
He explained that the government in Church Street launched its Sustainable Island State Agenda back in 2022, which is anchored on seven key pillars, including energy transition, water security, and sustainable industries.
St. Kitts and Nevis is already grappling with the realities of climate change: rising sea levels, increasing temperatures, and prolonged drought-like conditions that are affecting the island’s water supply.
"Under this framework, we have invested in solar infrastructure, LED street lighting, smart electricity metres, wind turbines, and we are advancing geothermal development. We have banned single-use plastics, enacted legislation to protect coral reefs, and implemented climate action plans in tourism. For us, climate change is not a future problem. It is a present-day emergency," Skerritt told the Council on Wednesday (Aug. 6).
He also pointed to mounting threats to food security, freshwater access, infrastructure, and the general way of life for citizens of the Federation.
To help address these challenges, Skerritt noted the government is progressing with a major infrastructure project: a 2-million-gallon-per-day desalination plant that is already 70 percent complete. The facility, he said, will enhance water security and provide a sustainable water supply to the residents of the Federation.
Additionally, he revealed that developing a geothermal energy facility on Nevis remains “a main priority” for the federal government.
“The plant is envisioned to provide baseload renewable energy for both islands, contributing significantly to energy independence," Skerritt said.
As climate change continues to disproportionately affect small island states, Skerritt made a passionate call for climate justice and international accountability.
“It is a question of climate justice, because the very existence of small island developing states like ours is on the line," he told the Council. "Chair, we urge the global community, especially major emitters, to act with urgency, provide the promised climate financing, support technological transfer, strengthen regional cooperation through mechanisms like the OAS, because the survival of countries like St. Kitts and Nevis is tied to the collective future of our hemisphere.”
Skerritt closed with a call for decisive action, emphasizing that it is time to move beyond pledges to policies, and from aspiration to action.
