7givrapd_policy_brief_lessons_from_stlucia-b37b7d3dcc36bea0.pdf

This policy brief details the findings of the GIVRAPD project in Saint Lucia, specifically focusing on the Soufriere region. It examines local adaptive capacity using the Local Adaptive Capacity (LAC) framework, identifies barriers to adaptation through participatory planning, and evaluates the potential for micro-insurance to mitigate financial risks for vulnerable populations facing climate-induced weather extremes.

• Saint Lucia is a middle-income Small Island Developing State (SIDS) facing significant climate threats, including sea level rise, storm surges, coral bleaching, heat waves, and increased tropical storms. The economy is highly dependent on coastal resources, tourism, and banana crops, making it vulnerable to climatic changes that impact biodiversity and fisheries.
• In the Soufriere region, adaptive capacity is limited by a lack of financial, human, physical, and social capital. Historical structures from a plantation economy based on slavery continue to limit the ability of the most impoverished residents to adapt. While natural capital provides a strong economic foundation, adaptation is hindered by poor risk awareness, a lack of coastal inundation hazard maps, and weak enforcement of building codes.
• Local organizations provide critical support for adaptive capacity in Soufriere. The Belle Vue Co-operative assists small-scale farmers, while the Soufriere Marine Management Area (SMMA) and the Department of fisheries coordinate multi-stakeholder conservation and training for fishers. The Soufriere Foundation provides financial and social capital for skills development, though its effectiveness is potentially limited by political appointments in leadership.
• Participatory planning revealed three main adaptation barriers: two policy-related and one culture-based. Stakeholders expressed concern that national government agencies maintain too much control over adaptation planning with insufficient inclusion of local actors. In the tourism sector, a lack of incentives and a tendency to defer social costs to future generations are key issues, while the agricultural sector is hindered by conflicting stakeholder values and vested interests.
• Financial vulnerability is high in Saint Lucia, as evidenced by the impact of five hurricanes between 1990 and 2013, including Hurricane Tomas in 2010. Approximately one-third of respondents in Saint Lucia and other Caribbean countries have some form of insurance, but very few have coverage for crops or livestock. The poorest individuals typically rely on savings or borrowing from family, and those without savings often take no action after severe weather events.
• Micro-insurance is proposed as a feasible alternative for risk management for low-income persons in SIDS. Current barriers to agricultural and livelihood insurance include high premium costs, a lack of trust between insurers and users, and a poor perception of long-term benefits. Implementation would require legal and institutional mechanisms, client education, and public-private partnerships.

APA

Climate and Development Knowledge Network (n.d.). 7givrapd_policy_brief_lessons_from_stlucia-b37b7d3dcc36bea0.pdf. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/7GIVRAPD_Policy_Brief_Lessons_from_StLucia.pdf

Chicago

Climate and Development Knowledge Network. 7givrapd_policy_brief_lessons_from_stlucia-b37b7d3dcc36bea0.pdf. n.d. http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/7GIVRAPD_Policy_Brief_Lessons_from_StLucia.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Climate and Development Knowledge Network |title=7givrapd_policy_brief_lessons_from_stlucia-b37b7d3dcc36bea0.pdf |url=http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/7GIVRAPD_Policy_Brief_Lessons_from_StLucia.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{climateanddevelopmentknowledgenetworknd7givrapdpolicybrieflessonsfromstluciab37b7d3dcc36bea0pdf, author = {{Climate and Development Knowledge Network}}, title = {{7givrapd\_policy\_brief\_lessons\_from\_stlucia-b37b7d3dcc36bea0.pdf}}, institution = {Climate and Development Knowledge Network}, url = {http://cdkn.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/7GIVRAPD_Policy_Brief_Lessons_from_StLucia.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }