Formulated to present in the 2014 SIDS conference the progress report Antigua and Barbuda SIDS 2014 Preparatory Progress entails the internal and regional assessments on the priority areas stated in the Mauritius Strategy of Implementation (MSI), which was built on the original fourteen from Barbados Program of Action (BPOA).
The report provides an overview of the achievements, gaps and emerging challenges of the country. It first summarizes the progress made in the thematic areas of the BPOA and MSI with specific mentions of the significantly improved policy and legislative framework that guides national consideration for sustainable development. Pivotal to the policy and legislative framework for sustainable development, the report highlights the National Physical Development Plan (NPDP) and National Environmental Strategy which cumulatively creates an overarching framework for land use and developments. The report suggests that although the Government of Antigua and Barbuda has demonstrated much political will through the development and adoption of national policies addressing various facets of sustainable development, climate change adaptation, and mitigation presents a great challenge, in addition to invasive species and global economic trends and policies.
The report claims that overall, the government of Antigua and Barbuda has made a significant effort to enact the legislation and establish an enabling environment necessary to address the management of its natural resources. However, the process of creating a legislative environment suitable to promote the basic tenants of sustainable development has not followed a coordinated path.