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Box 1 The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Economic Union
(...) Article 14[of the Revised Treaty of Basseterre (RTB)] sets out the areas of legislative competence which Member States have agreed to accord to the Organisation subject to stated caveats. These include: (...) ● Environmental policy. (...)

2.3. In 2018, the OECS adopted a new Development Strategy: Shaping our Shared Prosperity 2019 to 2028. This new OECS Development Strategy (ODS) succeeds the OGDS and represents a new systematic approach to holistically respond to the ongoing and emerging threats to the social and economic development of the OECS and its peoples. It reaffirms the commitment of the OECS Member States to achieving sustainable development and takes cognisance of the different levels of national development among Member States as well as the need for Member States to individualize policies and strategies. (...)

2.5. The ODS[OECS Development Strategy] has been developed around three pillars:
1. Generating Economic Growth.
2. Promoting Human and Social Wellbeing.
3. Sustainable Use of Natural Endowments.

2.6. (...) Pillar 3[of the OECS Development Strategy] is founded on a vision of sustained, inclusive and sustainable socio-economic growth that supports the livelihoods and aspirations of present and future generations of OECS citizens. It seeks to promote and maintain environmental integrity while supporting enhanced growth, productivity, social equity, resilience and adaptive capacity.

2.7. The OECS has received support from the OECD Development Centre for the development of a regional strategy scorecard consisting of 40 indicators that run across the pillars of the Development Strategy (economy, social, and environment), allowing policy makers to set priorities in implementation based on measurable results. The support has also produced, a report that identifies opportunities and constraints, and sets the priorities for the implementation of the ODS[OECS Development Strategy]: (1) investing in renewable energy, and strengthening regulation, the business environment, and the financial sector; (2) boosting value-added in tourism, expanding digital services, and promoting the sustainable ocean economy and agriculture; (3) closing the skills gap, enhancing the quality of education, and improving social protection.

2.13. In the OECS Development Strategy, the specific objective for the tourism sector is to contribute to an environment that maximally leverages in a sustainable manner the tourism sector for generating output and creating jobs, thereby contributing to the attainment of GDP growth and reduced unemployment. The elements of the strategic framework for the sector is as follows: (...)
•Sustainable Tourism: Expand Community Participation in tourism; Environmental and Cultural Sustainability; Develop inter-sectoral business linkages; Investment and Product Development; and Human Resource Development.

2.15. The OECS Commission, funded under the 11th EDF RIGHT programme, is undertaking tourism product enhancement through Community-based Tourism, Historic/Heritage Tourism and Tourism Niche Marketing (including culinary, eco-tourism, digital nomad) initiatives, to attract new market segments encouraging value-added visitor experiences and spending.

2.16. With the funding support from the World Bank in 2023/24 the OECS Commission will embark on a comprehensive revision and updating of the OECS Common Tourism Policy (2011), paying particular attention to the inclusion of the Blue Economy to increase competitiveness. The updated OECS Tourism Policy is expected also to contain guidance on sustainable tourism development and climate-smart and resilience policies to foster a prosperous and more equitable tourism industry.

2.17. In 2021, the OECS signed on to the Glasgow Declaration for Climate Action in Tourism. Sensitisation has begun on Climate Action in Tourism and work is on-going on the development and implementation of an action plan.

2.22. In the last two years the uncertainty and instability around food and agriculture supply chains have increased the urgency for the Governments of the OECS region to implement a cooperative regional approach to the transformation of their food and agriculture sectors. This increased insecurity of food supplies results from the impacts of the Russia-Ukraine war, the COVID pandemic, climate change, a weak multilateral development cooperation environment and an increasing digital divide.