Migration, Environment, Disaster and Climate Change Data in the Eastern Caribbean:Saint Kitts and Nevis Country Analysis

The increase in frequency and intensity of extreme weather events acrossthe Eastern Caribbean as a result of ongoing changes in global climate andecological systems has resulted in the destruction of critical infrastructure inSaint Kitts and Nevis. As well, it has been a major cause of economic losses andpopulation displacement. With climate scenarios pointing to a higher incidenceof such events in the near future, (forced) population movements are likelyto become much more aggravated in the country. According to statisticsdeveloped by UNDRR DesInventar, Saint Kitts and Nevis witnessed a total of506 disasters and related emergencies between 1626 and 2014, cumulativelyaffecting over one million people. Although the national Government hasinstituted distinct policy and legal frameworks to foster migration, climatechange and disaster governance at the national level, critical issues relatedto human mobility in the context of climate and environmental change anddisasters have not been given sufficient prominence in national agendas.Amongst the 10 policies and legislations related to migration, environment,climate change and disasters that were identified in Saint Kitts and Nevis, onlythe second national communication on climate change has made references tothe topic. That does not, however, mean that effective provisions to addressthe phenomenon have been established in the country. The study assessed the extent to which the Immigration Department, Department of Statistics and NEMA collect, manage and disseminate data on migration, climate and environmental change and disasters. Based on this assessment, a host of gaps, limitations and constraints were identified. The analysis reveals that data collected by the Immigration Department is mostly associated with administrative data on passengers and visitors arriving or departing from Saint Kitts and Nevis. Also, the embarkation/disembarkation card (ED card) used as the main instrument at the various ports of entry and departure does not enable the compilation of information related to population movements that may result from climate and other environmental changes, including disasters.