Antigua and Barbuda

Antigua and Barbuda's Medium Term Development Strategy 2016 to 2020 outlines the country's development strategy as a whole. It has a section devoted specifically to climate change adaptation and disaster risk management. This strategy calls on the government to prepare a national, comprehensive disaster mitigation plan, review government coordination arrangements and practices, prepare a national climate change policy, prepare a disaster risk financing strategy, develop a crop and livestock insurance scheme to protect farmers and ranchers, mainstream climate change considerations into all national policy, strengthen ecosystem conservation, raise awareness and educate people about climate change, and strengthen government capacity.

The Sustainable Island Resource Management Zoning Plan (developed by consultants) currently acts as the legal update of the national physical development plan which is not available online. The SIRMZP seeks more specific options to optimise the productive use of environmental resources while protecting critical ecosystems and promoting the local economic development, notably in the tourism, services, agriculture and industrial sectors. It does so by providing geographic and sectoral analysis to suggest low-carbon development scenarios forward, and climate change adaptation measures such as minimum ground floor elevation.

The National Energy Policy (NEP), released in 2011 by the government, aims at providing affordable, efficient, equitable, reliable and accessible forms of energy to Antiguans and Barbudans. Renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies and measure are particularly promoted in order to reduce the reliance on fossil fuels. The Policy intends to foster the development of a legal, institutional and economic environment that enable such policy to happen. Specific goals set out by NEP are energy cost reduction, diversification and efficient use of energy sources, electric reliability, environmental protection, economic opportunities. 
 
The NEP covers the the power sector, but also cooking and transport. It seeks a more energy efficient and cleaner road fleet, and enhanced public transport. Tax systems to reduce greenhouse gases emission in the transport sector will be developed by the appropriate ministries. 
 
The NEP was updated in 2013 by the Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP). SEAP intends to serve as a roadmap for the energy future in Antigua and Barbuda from 2010 until 2030, and identify four kind of barriers to overcome: 1) institutional and regulatory barriers, 2) barriers harming energy conservation and energy efficiency targets, 3) barriers harming renewable energy development, and 4) countering low levels of awareness from the people and technical education.

The National Physical Development Plan (NPDP) stems from the Physical Planning Act of 2003. It is meant to provide a strategic, national spatial development framework that addresses current development issues, and provides a platform for feasible private and public sector development initiatives, reflecting local cultural values and aspirations over the next twenty years. The Sustainable Island Resource Management Zoning Plan (SIRMZP) of 2012 is itself designed to serve as a revised NPDP that meets the criteria of the Physical Planning Act.

The Physical Planning Act 2003 creates the legal basis for the National Physical Development Plan.

The Environmental Protection and Management Act of 2019 repeals the 2015 version. The Environmental Protection and Management Act of 2015 set up an institutional and administrative framework that codifies all decisions related to the national environment. It detailed the rights and duties of institutions responsible for dealing with offenses, protected areas, control and mitigation of pollution. It seeked to associate different kinds of non-governmental entities to its preventive and remedial decisions, and awareness-raising measures. The Act formulated a legal right for access to information related to the local environment in its various forms. The document charged the government to develop a National Environmental Policy Framework to implement specific objectives within the scope of the Act, and notably the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions. It further allowed the government to declare an area protected if the function of carbon sink is identified following the UNFCCC principles, and to monitor the given area.

The Renewable Energy Act of 2015 establishes legal, economic and institutional basis to promote the installation and use of renewable energy and corresponding electricity grid. Renewable sources considered are wind, solar, hydropower, biomass, geothermal and tidal. The Act plans that the Government will regularly set out middle and long-term renewable energy targets. The appropriate minister will work in accordance with public utilities and the responsible network utility to establish regulations promoting renewable energy and define eligibility for a Feed In Tariff scheme. 
 
The Act also establishes a Renewable Energy Fund to enable its objectives, and finance it via the National Development Fund. Projects that will receive subsidies will have to be approved by the Cabinet, and include research and development programmes. General incentives are further set out to decrease the installation and operative costs.

This Act aims to provide for the effective organisation of the preparedness, management, mitigation of, response to and recovery from emergencies and disasters from natural and man-made origins in the country. It creates the National Disaster Preparedness and Response Advisory Committee and mandates the appointment of a Director of Disaster Preparedness and Response. It defines a series of measures in relation with disaster preparedness and management. This Act and the Emergency Powers Act (1967) and the Emergency Powers (Hurricane, Earthquake, Fire or Flood) Act (1957) should be considered together.

This Act grants the power to the Cabinet to declare by Proclamation in the Gazette a state of emergency in case of occurrence in Antigua and Barbuda of a hurricane, earthquake, fire or flood and grants extraordinary powers of legislation in such circumstances. The Cabinet may, among other things, by order, provide for the regulation or requisitioning of food and water and for the requisitioning of or entry upon private land. This Act should be considered jointly with the Emergency Powers Act (1967) and the Disaster Management Act (2002).

Antigua and Barbuda National Communication. NC4

Antigua and Barbuda's Adaptation communication, Adaptation Communication from Antigua and Barbuda in 2022

Antigua and Barbuda First NDC (Updated submission), Nationally Determined Contribution from Antigua and Barbuda in 2021

FSV1 record - Antigua and Barbuda, Facilitative Sharing of Views Report from UNFCCC Secretariat in 2021

Technical analysis of the first biennial update report of Antigua and Barbuda submitted on 3 March 2020. Summary report by the team of technical experts, Technical Analysis Summary Report from UNFCCC Secretariat in 2021

Improve energy efficiency in government and public facilities, industrial plants and other large users by 30% by 2026 against a 2011 baseline

Overall energy intensity at least 10% below 2010 baseline by 2021

Government reducing energy consumption and costs by 30% by 2021 compared with 2011 baseline

Share of renewable energy to be al least: 5% by 2015, 10% by 2020 and 15% by 2030

Improve energy efficiency in the transport sector by 40% through economic incentives to fast track the migration of public and private fossil powered vehicles to low carbon technologies  by 2026 compared with 2011 baseline

Antigua and Barbuda

Documents

Targets (5)