The Government of the Virgin Islands is seeking to amend the Climate Change Trust Fund Act to allow for greater access to various types of regional and international funding avenues to address issues relative to Climate Change and the environment.

Premier and Minister of Finance Honourable Andrew A. Fahie  during the 2020 Budget Address said, “To further care for our environment, we must push ourselves to go green and to adopt more environmentally friendly options.  To demonstrate our seriousness about this, a package of incentives is being worked on which would feature zero tax on the import of clean energy systems such as solar and wind power generation equipment, and hybrid vehicles.”

The Premier in his address themed, “Transformation for Resilience and Sustainability:  SMART strategies, Empowered People, and Green Development”, said with the implementation of these measures, it is expected based on advise, that by 2030 the BVI can be 60 percent green, thus reducing the BVI’s carbon footprint and saving the private and public sector millions of dollars, presently spent in imported fossil fuels.

Honourable Fahie added, “The potential exists for citizens who generate their own electricity to earn money by selling excess power back to the power grid.  We will also explore options for encouraging motorists to switch from the traditional petrol and diesel to liquified petroleum gas which is a lot cheaper and more environmentally friendly.”

Premier Fahie outlined that there are other ways of protecting the environment including addressing issues resulting from oil spillage, and the introduction of a National Beach Use Policy which will seek to establish a legal framework that ensures sustainability of the BVI’s natural resources.