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

Saint Lucia is not only vulnerable to the impacts of climate change but also exposed to volcanic and seismic occurrences due to its geographic location. Like in many other States across the Eastern Caribbean, extreme climatic events such as hurricanes, droughts and other hazards have continuously affected the population. With regional climate scenarios pointing to a higher incidence and intensity of extreme weather events, (forced) population movements in this context are likely to increase, with adverse implications for the country. In line with efforts to enhance climate, disaster and mobility governance, the issue of climate- and disaster-related human mobility has increasingly been acknowledged in distinct national policy and legal frameworks. Among the 19 policies and legislations related to migration, environment, climate change and disasters that were identified and examined in Saint Lucia, 7 of them have made references to human mobility in the context of climate and environmental change and disasters. In particular, the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) (2018–2028) emphasizes the implications of loss and damage on displacement and migration across communities. The Emergency Management Policy and Guidelines (2006) for internally displaced people also outlines the need and steps towards the development of effective and long-term measures to handle disaster-related displacement. It is thus within the remit of enhancing policy and planning, based on the availability and importance of timely and reliable data, that this study assesses the national data systems on migration, environment, disasters and climate change in Saint Lucia