ST. KITTS AND NEVIS UNDERTAKES CLIMATE CHANGE RISK ASSESSMENT OF THE BASSETERRE AREA

BASSETERRE AREABASSETERRE, St. Kitts, December 17, 2021 (Press Unit in the Office of the Prime Minister) – The Department of Environment has embarked on a comprehensive risk assessment project that will identify the vulnerabilities of the Basseterre area, in the context of climate change and its associated impacts.   

The Climate and Ocean Risk Vulnerability Index, or CORVI project, is being conducted jointly with the International Cooperation and Development Fund (Taiwan ICDF) and the Stimson Center.

According to the Stimson Center, CORVI is an analytical tool designed to help governments, businesses, and financial institutions, assess climate risks in coastal cities and pinpoint areas of action to adapt to current and future risks.

Minister of Environment, the Honourable Eric Evelyn, updated the nation on this project during his presentation on the 2022 National Budget on Thursday, December 15, 2021.

“This project, Mr. Speaker, is a decisive support tool which compares an array of economic, social and environmental risks connected to climate change to produce what is called a Coastal City Risk Profile,” the honourable minister said.

In underscoring the importance of such a project for St. Kitts and Nevis, Minister Evelyn stated, “We would have heard a lot about sea level rise and we know that our towns are coastal cities, they are right on the coast. With sea level rise and with climate change effects, the rate at which they are going now, a lot of these cities in the region might be under water, and that is why it is important that we take mitigation effects for climate change.”

Through this project, the authorities are accessing the city of Basseterre, identifying the risks for Basseterre as a coastal city and making appropriate recommendations to address future risks.

“Basseterre is a city that hosts everything. All of the banks are there, the hospital is right next door, the supermarkets are there, I mean everything is in Basseterre and if unfortunately we were supposed to get a heavy earthquake or tsunami, Basseterre would be no more and Charlestown would be no more. And so, what we are doing with this project is to try to access Basseterre…and see what measures we can take for Basseterre to be more resilient in the effects of climate change,” said Minister Evelyn.   -30-