National Conservation and Environmental Management Act, no. 26 of 2025.

This Act, divided into 17 Parts, and consisting of 134 sections, specify the following objectives and purposes: ensuring the conservation and sustainable use of the natural and cultural heritage of Saint Christopher and Nevis, including the conservation of biological diversity, the protection of threatened and endangered species and their habitats, soil conservation and watershed management, the conservation of significant terrestrial and marine ecosystems, including wetlands, and the management of the coastal zone; strengthening the designation and management of National Parks and other protected areas, including the continuation in being of the existing Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park and the arrangements for its management; increasing the prevention and mitigation of pollution of the environment, including the control of hazardous substances, the management of wastes and response to environmental accidents, for the purposes of protecting human health and maintaining the quality of the environment; allocating and coordinating administrative responsibilities for environmental management within the Federation; ensuring the implementation of obligations to which Saint Christopher and Nevis is subject under multilateral environmental agreements by facilitating their incorporation into national Law; regulating the access to genetic resources and the sharing of benefits; providing a stable, adequate, secure and sustainable funding to finance the conservation and management of the environment in Saint Christopher and Nevis. The Act is inspired by the following principles: principle of balanced decision-making; precautionary principle; principle of inter-generational equity; principle of protection of the natural capital base; principle of local benefit.
The Act defines the following relevant terms: access to genetic resources; beach; beach access; biological diversity; coastal zone; conservation; cultural heritage; ecosystem; endangered species; threatened species; endemic species; environment; environmental impact assessment; flora; fauna; timber and other forest produce; habitat; hazardous substances; hunting; internal waters; invasive alien species; multilateral environmental agreement; national park; National Environmental Management Strategy; non-timber forest produce; open season; pollutant; protected area; territorial sea; soil conservation; sustainable use; watershed; wetlands. The Act covers the following matters: powers and duties of the Minister; establishment of the National Environmental Council; functions of the Council, including assisting and providing recommendations and offering guidance and support to the Department of Environment on programmes and operations; rights and obligations of the Department of Environment; preparation of a National Environmental Management Strategy; establishment and maintenance of a National Environmental Information System; establishment and management of protected areas, objectives of protected areas and preparation of Protected Areas System Plan; demarcation of boundaries; temporary protected areas; protected area in private lands and acquisition of private land; management of private land as a protected area; responsibility for management of protected areas; content of management plan for protected areas; removal of resources from protected areas; management of national parks and continuation of Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park; management of the UNESCO St. Mary’s Biosphere Reserve; zoning of the reserve for ensuring: conservation, research, monitoring, education, and limited sustainable activities; prohibited activities within the reserve, including: extractive activities and mining, deforestation, industrial or commercial development not in keeping with sustainable practices, any activity likely to significantly alter natural ecosystems or endangered species habitats; community engagement.
The Act also focuses on the following matters: actions for ensuring the conservation of biological diversity, including: development of policies, strategy, plans and programmes; identification of the components of biological diversity that are necessary for conservation and sustainable use; protection of wildlife; conservation of ecosystems and habitats and control and management of invasive species; regulation of hunting and fishing, by designating a list of animals as game animals, by issuing hunting licences, by declaring closed season, by specifying methods by which game animals may be hunted, captured or killed; regulation of fishing; forest management; fire prevention in forested and protected areas. The Act provides for: guidance for Access and Benefit Sharing of genetic resources, application for Access to Genetic Resources, Access and Benefit Sharing Agreement. The Act also ensures: protection and management of wetlands, watersheds and ghauts; ecosystem management; protection from soil erosion; preparation of coastal zone management plan; soil conservation measures; pollution control and designation of pollutants; application for pollution control permits; pollution charges; environmental standards for prevention of pollution. Further parts of the Act cover: protection of antiquities and cultural heritage; environmental impact assessment process; establishment and purpose of National Environment Fund; offences.