National Environment Policy and National Environmental Management Strategy for Saint Lucia.

The National Environment Policy and National Environmental Management Strategy is a national policy with a cross-sectoral approach. The National Environment Policy provides the broad framework for environmental management in Saint Lucia, and establishes links with policies and programmes in all relevant sectors of economic and social development. The goal of National Environmental Policy is to ensure environmentally sustainable development as well as optimize the contribution of the environment to the economic, social and cultural dimensions of development.
Biodiversity conservation will be ensured with a special emphasis on ecosystems, wildlife, species and genetic resources through effective management of protected areas. Forest conservation will be strengthened by developing a new policy. Furthermore a policy on biotechnology and biosafety will be developed with specific provisions concerning the introduction and use of genetically modified organisms.
Rights and responsibilities in environmental management will be distributed among all sectors of society, including the state, the private sector, non-governmental and community organisations, communities, and individual households. The participation of communities will be encouraged at all stages, particularly for the management of the environment. Public awareness will be raised on environmental protection, sustainability and health. Environmental health will be secured to eliminate the negative impacts of environmental conditions on the physical and mental well-being of people and society, while optimising the positive contribution of the environment to human health.
The natural productivity of ecosystems and ecological processes will be developed through the maintenance and improvement of critical ecological processes. The contribution of natural and environmental resources to the production and trade of economic goods and services as well as to social and cultural development will be optimized. Strategies will be implemented to increase the contribution of natural and environmental resources, especially in agriculture, fisheries and tourism on a sustainable basis. These strategies stress on agricultural diversification, promotion of sustainable use practices in all relevant sectors, integration of nature and cultural tourism in national tourism policies, aquaculture development, promotion of opportunities for non-timber forest products, promotion of forestry and agro-forestry on suitable private lands, and of community forestry on selected public lands. In order to ensure environmental quality and sustainability, Saint Lucia will fully assume its global and regional responsibility, especially for the joint management of natural resources, landscapes and environments that are shared with other countries, either in ecological terms, or on the basis of historical cultural relationships. Environmental planning will be strengthened by implementing the National Waste Management Strategy, the medical waste and other bio-hazardous waste management plan, and the agrochemical hazardous waste management plan, especially pesticides. In addition to that, environmental health and safety standards will be developed and enforced.
Measures will be taken to prevent and mitigate the negative impacts of climate change and natural disasters. The resilience to disasters will be increased through the implementation of the National Hazard Mitigation Plan and the National Climate Change Policy and Adaptation Plan. Moreover the comprehensive and effective application of regulations governing environmental impact assessment will be ensured in development planning processes and procedures.
The National Environmental Management Strategy aims at providing a concrete and practical work plan for the implementation of the National Environment Policy. The Ministry of Physical Development, Environment and Housing shall monitor and guide the implementation process of the National Environmental Management Strategy and force all environmental management agencies to participate in the implementation process of the Strategy. In order to ensure effectiveness, transparency and accountability, the implementation of the National Environmental Management Strategy will be reviewed on an annual basis, as part of the National Environment and Development Forum.