The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) is leading the implementation of a landmark Nature-based Solutions (NbS) project in Saint Lucia. This five-year initiative, valued at $3 million and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), aims to establish a robust framework for enhancing land and seascape management, addressing the degradation of ecosystems, and strengthening nature’s role in supporting resilient, sustainable livelihoods.
The project, titled “Valuing Nature and Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for Sustainable Blue and Green Pathways for the Tourism, Food and Urban Sectors in Saint Lucia,” is designed to remove technical, financial, and policy hurdles currently impeding nature-positive development across the island’s tourism, agri-food, and urban sectors. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the Implementing Agency, with CANARI serving as the Executing Agency, in partnership with the Government Department of Sustainable Development (DSD) as the National Project Counterpart.
Community Intervention and Collaboration
The project, scheduled to run from 2025 to 2030, focuses on four complementary objectives, including the direct implementation of NbS through landscape and seascape interventions in the local communities of Laborie and Choiseul.
To kick off the collaboration, partners and stakeholders from Saint Lucia and abroad gathered on July 7th and 8th, 2025, for a series of interactive sessions. Attendees included representatives from UNEP, DSD, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the Laborie Development Foundation (LDF), the Community Tourism Agency (CTA), and local farmers and crafters from the target communities. The sessions were designed to orient stakeholders to the project’s core elements and establish a mutual understanding of the collaborative structure.
The launch included a field visit, which provided project partners the opportunity to meet the residents of the beneficiary communities and observe firsthand the ecosystems currently under environmental pressure and threats.
Protecting Biodiversity and Securing Livelihoods
This groundbreaking initiative underscores Saint Lucia’s commitment to sustainable development by placing nature at the centre of its economic planning. Through strong partnerships, innovative investment models, and community-driven action, the project seeks to achieve broad social and environmental benefits.
The project will not only protect the island’s rich biodiversity but is also expected to secure livelihoods, foster green jobs, and enhance the island’s overall resilience to climate change.
