“Wah, it really hot, I never feel it so!” a woman exclaimed on the Castries Boulevard as she struggled to open her umbrella against the midday sun.
Moments later, when approached for comment, she added with a sigh, “My boy, these days, awa awa awa… That sun not easy.”
Her words, though simple, echoed the sentiments of many Saint Lucians who, almost daily, remark on the intense and seemingly unrelenting heat blanketing the island in recent months.
While the complaints may sound casual, the cause is anything but. The phenomenon driving these rising temperatures is part of a broader, global pattern — climate change.
“The increasing temperatures we are experiencing are becoming a new normal not only in Saint Lucia but around the world,” explained climate policy advisor Jevanic Henry. “As more greenhouse gases get trapped in our atmosphere, largely due to human activities such as burning fossil fuels, manufacturing, and deforestation, the planet is warming at a rapid rate, leading to various changes in the climate.”
Henry added that Saint Lucians are not imagining the temperature difference. Citing data from the World Meteorological Organisation, he noted that “2024 is on record as the hottest year ever recorded, and the science is indicating thus far that 2025 is on track to be the second or third.”
Across the island, the heat has changed the way people go about their daily routines, from how they travel to when they choose to shop.
“If I’m in town, I try to stay in shade as much as possible,” said one shopper on Bridge Street. Another man, resting under a storefront awning on Jeremie Street, shared, “Well bro, I myself does just avoid town around certain hours.”
Meanwhile, retailers have seen mixed reactions to the rising temperatures. At MP Das Electronic Hardware and Raj Communications Ltd, sales representatives said fan purchases have remained steady in recent years. However, a sales associate at Courts Castries Branch reported a different trend, noting that demand has “definitely increased,” with yearly fan shipments often selling out within just a few months.
Still, staying cool isn’t only about comfort. It’s also driving up water demand at a time when Saint Lucia is already grappling with supply challenges.
At an October 3 press briefing, Head of the Project Management Unit at the Water and Sewerage Company (WASCO) Maurice Norville noted the rising temperatures have led to increased water use.
“Our water demand [has gone up] because you have persons who want to take more frequent showers, longer showers, you want to drink more water — so there’s an increased demand for water on a whole.”
The rising heat isn’t just sending water demand up, it’s also driving higher electricity use with many homes and offices relying more heavily on fans and air-conditioning units to stay comfortable. According to Henry, this trend has broader implications for the economy.
The situation presents challenges on multiple fronts. With inconsistent rainfall and ageing water infrastructure, the island’s utilities are under strain, and households are being forced to strike a delicate balance between staying cool and conserving resources.
“As a country that does not produce oil, the growing use of electricity to power cooling equipment should be a concern from an economic standpoint. At the household level, we can also assess our water consumption habits and identify ways to harvest more rainwater and reduce wastage,” Henry advised.
Yet, amid the rising temperatures and strain on resources, there’s opportunity on the horizon.
“Islands such as Saint Lucia, which receive a consistent supply of energy from the sun, can capitalise on advancing their renewable energy transition. With improvements in technology making solar energy increasingly cheaper, it is more economically viable in the long term — but the required legislation needs to be swiftly advanced to ensure a holistic enabling environment.”
For now, umbrellas, fans, and shaded sidewalks may be the immediate relief. But as temperatures continue to climb, long-term solutions like renewable energy and water conservation may prove to be the only way to truly keep Saint Lucia cool.
