Dr. James Fletcher served as Saint Lucia’s Minister for the Public Service, Information, Broadcasting, Sustainable Development, Energy, Science, and Technology from 2011 to 2016. During this period, he played a pivotal role in coordinating the Caribbean’s 1.5-to-Stay-Alive civil society campaign and led CARICOM’s delegation at COP21. As a member of the select group of ministers appointed by the COP President, he was instrumental in forging the consensus that culminated in the historic Paris Agreement. In recognition of his work, Dr. Fletcher was featured in ‘Profiles of Paris’ (www.profilesofparis.com) as one of the key contributors to the adoption of this landmark accord.
Throughout his tenure as a minister, James Fletcher spearheaded an aggressive modernization of Saint Lucia’s energy sector. His ministerial accomplishments also included the commissioning of modern ICT centers in multiple underserved communities, the implementation of an island-wide free Wi-Fi program, the development of a 311-call center to improve public service information access, and the establishment of an Employee Assistance Programme to provide confidential counseling to public officers. James Fletcher is the author of ‘Governing in a Small Caribbean Island State’ and contributed the chapter ‘The Fight for Small Island Developing States’ to the Cambridge University Press publication ‘Negotiating the Paris Agreement: The Insider Stories’. He also curated, edited and produced ‘Where is the Justice? An Anthology of Caribbean Youth Perspectives on the Climate Crisis’ and authored the ‘Regional Strategic Action Plan for Governance and Building Climate Resilience in the Water Sector in the Caribbean’. In 2019, his outstanding work was recognized by the United Kingdom’s Chevening Scholarship Program, which honored him as one of 35 Global Changemakers (www.35.chevening.org). Most recently, he conceptualized and published ‘Climate Tipping Point’, a ten-issue graphic novel series aimed at educating young people about the impacts and dangers of the climate crisis. In the private sector, Dr. James Fletcher leads his consulting firm, SOLORICON.
In 2020, he launched The Caribbean Climate Justice Project, aimed at enhancing awareness and advocacy within civil society for a just response to the climate crisis. In 2024, he founded Youth IRIE – Innovators for Renewable and Inclusive Energy, to increase the participation and engagement of Caribbean youth in the region’s transition to renewable energy. In June 2024, Youth IRIE brought together over 40 young people from across the Caribbean for a very successful 4-day convening in Saint Lucia on sustainable energy and climate justice.
Currently, James Fletcher is the Chairman of the Executive Board of the Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (CCREEE). He holds a Ph.D. in Crop Physiology from the University of Cambridge and a B.Sc. (Hons) in Biochemistry from the University of Ottawa. He has previously served as a Permanent Secretary (Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; and Office of the Prime Minister) and the Cabinet Secretary in the Government of Saint Lucia, and the Director of Social and Sustainable Development in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).
