Saint Kitts and Nevis, a small island nation in the Caribbean, is experiencing the effects of climate change through rising sea levels, more intense storms, and shifting weather patterns, which threaten its coastlines, water security, and food systems. Eager to contribute to the global fight against climate change, Saint Kitts and Nevis ratified the Paris Agreement and committed to cutting its greenhouse gas emissions and embracing green solutions. 

Despite its admirable commitment to global climate action, Saint Kitts and Nevis has faced challenges in tracking and managing its climate efforts. To turn its climate goals into action, Saint Kitts and Nevis needed to support its good intentions and climate goals with reliable systems, trained personnel, and clear coordination among its institutions. In partnership with the Initiative for Climate Action Transparency (ICAT), and with technical support from the Greenhouse Gas Management Institute, Saint Kitts and Nevis embarked on a journey to develop and institutionalize a comprehensive framework to track and report on its climate commitments. 

An ambitious vision for a green transformation

The country’s first NDC, submitted in 2016, pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 22% by 2025 and 35% by 2030, relative to a baseline. In 2021, Saint Kitts and Nevis raised its ambition, committing to a 61% emissions reduction by 2030 compared to 2010 levels. This incredible endeavor strives to achieve 100% renewable electricity generation and promote the adoption of electric vehicles, while strengthening climate resilience in water, agriculture, coastal zones, health, and tourism.

These sectors are prioritized due to their significant contribution to national emissions, with diesel-based electricity generation accounting for approximately 60% of total emissions and gasoline consumption in transportation accounting for about 30% of total emissions.

A data-based roadmap to NDC achievement 

With ICAT support, Saint Kitts and Nevis designed an ​​NDC tracking framework to monitor the implementation of key mitigation measures in the energy sector, including renewable energy integration, efficiency improvements, and electric vehicle deployment. A structured legal agreement was established for strong governance. Ten indicators were developed to monitor greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation measures in the electricity generation and transport sectors. These included metrics related to annual renewable energy generation, installed capacity of solar and wind power, electric vehicle penetration, and transmission and distribution losses.

To build sustainable capacity for NDC tracking, the project delivered targeted training, engaged key stakeholders, and established institutional arrangements for ongoing monitoring, data management and reporting. The training covered indicator selection, data collection methodologies, and use of tracking tools. Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Sustainable Development, electricity providers, and other stakeholders. The sessions emphasized the importance of clearly defined NDC indicators and reliable data sources.

This framework provides the government of Saint Kitts and Nevis with a systematic approach to data collection, indicator tracking, and reporting in line with the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement. The country can use the data for regular assessments of its NDC action to identify what has worked, what hasn’t, and why, so that the necessary decisions can be made to maximize impact and effectiveness. 

Key stakeholders from Saint Kitts and Nevis during a training workshop

Country-tailored tools for greenhouse gas emission projections

In addition to the NDC tracking framework, Saint Kitts and Nevis aimed to enhance national capacity to project greenhouse gas emissions and assess the impact of mitigation policies in the energy sector, recognizing this as a critical part of climate policy planning. 

To support this, the project introduced modelling tools and delivered hands-on training to national institutions. After assessing the tools best suited to national circumstances, identifying data needs and gaps, and implementing key data management activities, the country developed comprehensive methodologies for greenhouse gas emissions projections. The LEAP tool and the ICAT Transport Climate Action Data tool (TraCAD) were employed to model baseline and mitigation scenarios, including renewable energy integration, electric vehicle deployment, and transmission loss reduction.

The training enabled participants to model baseline and mitigation scenarios, conduct marginal abatement cost analysis, and assess policy impacts. By integrating real-time data inputs, TraCAD facilitated a comparative analysis of policy interventions, such as electric vehicle integration and fuel switching, and the assessment of their projected impact on greenhouse gas emissions. Stakeholder engagement and their validation of the final results helped build consensus on key modelling assumptions and enhanced understanding of the projection tools and their application.

Thanks to the foundation built through this project, Saint Kitts and Nevis is now equipped with the tools, capacity, and systems needed to continuously improve its NDCs. With a robust transparency framework for reliable tracking of mitigation measures and the ability to project emissions and assess policy impacts, the country can make informed, data-driven decisions. This bridges the country’s ambitious vision with a realistic implementation plan, where climate commitments are not only set but actively monitored, refined, and advanced through evidence-based planning.

Participants training on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) tracking tools.