Basseterre, St. Kitts, August 28, 2020 (SKNIS): Seventeen educational facilities in St. Kitts and Nevis will benefit from a US $205, 000.00 climate change adaptation project aimed at ensuring that water is readily available at those learning institutions across the twin-island Federation.
The climate change adaptation project will address the scarcity of water that some learning institutions are currently facing. The project will retrofit existing cisterns in some areas and install water storage tanks in others. These institutions include nurseries, daycare centres, preschools, primary and secondary schools.
Cheryl Jeffers, Conservation Officer at the Department of Environment stated that “the implementation of this project takes place at a time when the precipitation patterns are extremely unpredictable”. The impacts of climate change will continue to affect our day to day activities. The best approach is first understanding these impacts and then implement responses that will minimize the impacts on our lives and livelihoods,” she added.
She noted that it was becoming increasingly important for the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis to build resilience across all sectors as the impacts of climate change continue to threaten our way of life.
The Department of Environment in collaboration with Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre will be supported by the Water Services Departments, Public Works Departments and the Ministries of Education in the twin-island Federation to ensure that the USAID funded project is successfully implemented.
The US $205, 000.00 project will impact over 4000 students and faculty across the twin-island Federation and is expected to be completed by the end of September.
In the past, very little emphasis was placed on issues associated with water scarcity, primarily due to the traditional climatic norms. However, the Department of Environment recognizes that with the changing climate, resulting in the unpredictability of rainfall events and growing populations, there is an urgent need for more proactive approaches to addressing these matters.
