UNESCO NATIONAL COMMISSION COMPLETES KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES SURVEY ON PLASTIC BAN IN SMBR

Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis, March 26, 2025 (UNESCO National Commission) – National Coordinator for the St. Mary’s Biosphere Reserve and the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) project, Mrs. Telca Wallace, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and the Department of Constituency Empowerment, is pleased to announce that the Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours (KAB in the MAB) Survey, Round 1 is now complete.  The survey is one of the important deliverables forming part of the Sensitization on the Elimination of Single-Use Plastics in the St. Mary’s Biosphere Reserve (SMBR) Project which is one of four projects approved under the UNESCO Participation Project for St. Kitts and Nevis in 2025.  The main objectives of the project are to evaluate local perspectives within the SMBR community vis-à-vis single-use plastic usage and to elaborate a public education strategy to sensitize the public about the importance of the national plastic ban.

The Ministry of Environment has recently passed legislation implementing a ban on select single-use plastics in three phases by the end of December 2025.  The purpose of the survey is to take a snapshot of public perceptions as they are currently, using the SMBR as a test case, regarding the importance of the ban.  The data will be analysed and used to develop targeted communications approaches and key messages  with a view to influencing behaviours and improving knowledge and attitudes for the positive over time.  The second round of the survey will take place in October 2025 to gauge whether the communications strategies implemented over the course of the next six months have succeeded to shift perceptions and behaviours.

“This survey is a vital part of the implementation of our sensitization project, in order to understand views across all demographics within the SMBR community.  We were especially pleased that almost 30% of our responses came from young people under 16 years of age, since they are the primary beneficiaries of the national sustainable development agenda that aims to secure their future.  I would like to thank the communities across Canada, Keys, Cayon and Ottley’s who participated in this activity.  Thank you for your enthusiasm and support.  We look forward to continuing the conversations in various formats over the coming months,” said Mrs. Wallace.

Next in the calendar of events and activities under this project are a series of “Community Talks” with the business people, farmers, students and residents of the SMBR area to promote and encourage all to comply with the national single-use plastic ban and to discuss its benefits not just in terms of curtailing plastics pollution but also pointing the community to the opportunity it poses for the creation of green jobs and businesses.  The location and dates of the “Community Talks” will be advertised very soon.

H.E. Nerys Dockery, Secretary General of the St. Kitts-Nevis UNESCO National Commission stated, “I am very pleased that, with the cooperation of the SMBR community, we were able to capture a credible sample of 304 responses to allow us to form a baseline for our analysis. It is important for every man, woman, child, business people and stakeholders to understand that we all have a role to play in achieving the national goal of reducing plastic waste around our twin-island Federation.  St. Kitts and Nevis has been fortunate to secure $20,000 USD in funding from UNESCO as an official partner driving this effort.  I would like to also thank Ambassador David Doyle for his diligent work in advocating and promoting the interests of not just the Federation, but the people who call the St. Mary’s Biosphere Reserve, home.”

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