Saint Kitts and Nevis: environment

How much rain does St Kitts and Nevis get?

St Kitts recorded 927.4 mm of rain in 2025 and Nevis 992.1 mm, according to the Department of Statistics' annual rainfall table for 2000 to 2025, sourced from the St Kitts and Nevis meteorological offices. The wettest year in the series was 2010, with 1,971.8 mm on St Kitts; the driest on St Kitts was 2002, with 687.8 mm.

The department's annual average air temperature table gives 27.5°C for 2022. The highest annual averages in the series, 28.0°C, were in 2016 and 2020, against 27.0°C in 2000. Each island has its own station, so the two rainfall series differ even in the same year.

Official sources: Department of Statistics: Annual rainfall 2000 to 2025 · Department of Statistics: Annual average air temperature 2000 to 2022

How much waste does St Kitts produce?

89,581 tons of waste were disposed of at the St Kitts landfill in 2023, up from 66,898 tons in 2022 and 40,855 tons in 2021, according to the Department of Statistics' table of annual waste disposed by load and weight, 2021 to 2023, sourced from the St Kitts Solid Waste Management Corporation. There were 29,665 loads in 2023.

Construction and demolition waste was the largest category in 2023 at 12,273 tons, followed by household waste at 10,869 tons and commercial waste at 10,022 tons. Fill rose to 6,556 tons from 451 tons. The figures are weights recorded at the landfill on St Kitts, so they measure waste delivered there rather than all waste produced, and Nevis is not included.

Official sources: Department of Statistics: Annual waste disposed 2021 to 2023

Where does St Kitts and Nevis get its water?

Groundwater supplied 1,231 million of the 1,775 million gallons of water consumed in 2019, about 69%, with surface water providing the rest, according to the Department of Statistics' table of water consumption by type of source, 2010 to 2019. The share is worked out from the table, which gives figures in thousands of gallons.

Surface water's share has fallen over the decade, from 849.8 million gallons in 2010 to 543.8 million in 2019. Total consumption was lower in 2019 than in any earlier year of the series. The department's water page also has monthly production from surface water intakes for 2019.

Official sources: Department of Statistics: Water consumption by type of source 2010 to 2019 · Department of Statistics: Water

What is Saint Kitts and Nevis' carbon footprint per person?

The latest figure from the European Commission's EDGAR database, for 2024, is 2.9 tonnes. No year since 2005 has been higher. Across Latin America & Caribbean the middle value was 2.3 tonnes, and Saint Kitts and Nevis placed 11th highest of 33. Worldwide: 84th of 186.

What are Saint Kitts and Nevis' total greenhouse gas emissions?

In 2024, total greenhouse gas emissions in Saint Kitts and Nevis was 0.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, according to the European Commission's EDGAR database. That is the highest since at least 2005. Across Latin America & Caribbean the middle value was 19.2 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, and Saint Kitts and Nevis placed 31st highest of 33. Of 186 countries with 2024 data, 179th highest.

How much renewable energy does Saint Kitts and Nevis use?

1.5%: that is the renewable share of final energy use in Saint Kitts and Nevis for 2022, according to the IEA, IRENA, the UN Statistics Division, the World Bank and the WHO. Its high point since 2005 was 2005, at 25.3%; its low point was 2006, at 0.0%. Across Latin America & Caribbean the middle value was 7.2%, and Saint Kitts and Nevis placed 8th highest of 10. Of 53 countries with 2022 data, 49th highest.

How much of Saint Kitts and Nevis is forest?

In 2024, forest area as a share of land in Saint Kitts and Nevis was 42.1%, according to the FAO. No year since 2005 has been lower. Latin America & Caribbean median: 50.6%; Saint Kitts and Nevis is 21st highest of 32. World rank, highest first: 64th of 190.

How polluted is the air in Saint Kitts and Nevis?

The latest figure from the Global Burden of Disease study, for 2023, is 8.9 micrograms per cubic metre. The peak was 10.3 micrograms per cubic metre in 2010 and the low 8.1 micrograms per cubic metre in 2013. Across Latin America & Caribbean the middle value was 15.7 micrograms per cubic metre, and Saint Kitts and Nevis placed 31st highest of 33. Worldwide: 161st of 192.

How much of Saint Kitts and Nevis is in national parks and reserves?

According to the UN Environment Programme, the share of land in protected areas in Saint Kitts and Nevis was 16.9% in 2025. Its high point since 2013 was 2019, at 22.9%; its low point was 2013, at 3.3%. Latin America & Caribbean median: 20.1%; Saint Kitts and Nevis is 21st highest of 33. Worldwide: 102nd of 192.

What is water stress in Saint Kitts and Nevis?

According to the FAO, water stress in Saint Kitts and Nevis was 50.8% in 2022. The figure has been the same every year since 2012. It is 2nd highest of 32 in Latin America & Caribbean, where the median is 7.7%. Of 175 countries with 2022 data, 35th highest.