Sustainable Responses to Climate Change
Minister of Sustainable Development and Climate Action Hon. Dr. Joyelle Clarke has enlightened youth, and the general public by extension, to other effects of climate change that are not usually considered.
While making a presentation on sustainable responses to climate change during the “Budget Consultation with Youth”, on Wednesday (Oct. 11) Minister Clarke spoke of the erasure of historical and cultural elements.
She based this explanation on what she called a people-centered shift in the country’s tourism product offering.
“For resilient and regenerative tourism, it goes far beyond sun, sea and sand, but it’s more inclusive, more people-centered about cultural restoration. And I always have to pause here and say, many of us, forget that climate change also means a loss of culture, a loss of history, a loss of biodiversity, a loss of traditional fruits that we are not going to see anymore because the climate is changing. So, we’re not just trying to protect our coastlines, build stronger homes, but we’re trying to preserve history and culture as part of our sustainable island state mission.”
She focused her presentation on the three basic needs of humans, emphasizing the government’s vision.
“And just as an example, when you’re thinking of water security, it’s: are we going to power our desal plants to renewable energy? How are we protecting the aquifer? Do we do additional drilling? What are the cost implications and how can ministries work together? Similarly, for energy, it’s a geothermal partnership between St. Kitts and Nevis for one grid, as our Minister of Energy has said from day one, one grid, one nation, and it is possible because we are small. When it comes to green villages and food security, our Minister of Agriculture has committed St Kitts and Nevis to 25 percent reduction in food imports by 2025. It means each of you have to play a part in making sure that we can eat what we grow and we can plant the food we need, not just in our farm, but in a community farm or in our backyards.”
With smart homes being included in resilient building plans, they have to adapt to changes internally to conserve energy.
“Very important. Where are we going to live? We want smart cities and we want smart urban settlements. Yes, some people think a smart home has to talk to you, but a smart home has to also be able to respond to a change in climate. What if you can just have a home where when you step into the room, the light turns on and when you leave, it turns off. So, even if you forget to turn the lights off, the house does it for you and it conserves energy.”
According to the minister, St. Kitts and Nevis has adapted the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the seven pillars that form the Sustainable Island State agenda.