Enhancing Caribbean civil society’s access and readiness for climate finance

Civil society’s leadership and capacity to build climate resilience is critical for the Caribbean. Civil society organisations (CSOs) are well positioned to lead “bottom up” approaches to reduce vulnerability and build the climate resilience of at-risk communities and their livelihoods. However, they often have limited access to and engagement in climate finance and decision-making processes nationally and regionally.

 

About the Project

The project, “Enhancing Caribbean Civil Society’s Access and Readiness for Climate Finance”, sought to improve access to climate finance and better support climate action by CSOs in the Caribbean. It was implemented from February 2020 to August 2022 in collaboration with national designated authorities and leading national and regional CSOs from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States, including Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Suriname. The lead national designated authority for the project was the Climate Change Division – Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation in Jamaica. CANARI was the implementing entity and delivery partner for the project. The project was funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme.

 

How has this project benefitted the Caribbean region?

• By strengthening civil society’s capacity to access and deliver climate finance and demonstrate leadership in tackling the climate crisis and building resilience.

• By promoting a more participatory and inclusive enabling environment for climate decision-making and financing, including policies, strategies and multi-stakeholder mechanisms.

 

What did we achieve?

• Mechanisms for CSO engagement in climate change decision-making developed and enhanced at national and regional levels in the Caribbean, including a Civil Society Engagement Strategy for the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre

• Increased uptake of innovative climate change solutions among Caribbean CSOs and their public and private sector partners to scale up impact and build local resilience

• The technical and organisational capacity of Caribbean CSOs strengthened to directly access climate finance and effectively deliver climate change adaptation and mitigation

• Enhanced awareness and actions to integrate CSO-driven interventions and strengthen the pipeline of climate change projects/programmes nationally and regionally for the GCF and other climate funds

 

Project news and information

• Regional training of trainer workshop, “Building Local Resilience to Climate Change”, held on June 20-23, 2023, in Port of Spain, Trinidad supporting over 40 civil society representatives from 12 Caribbean countries to learn best practices and innovations. Check out video highlights here.

• Unlocking climate finance for locally-led action & COP26

• GCF regional dialogue, Delivering Caribbean Climate Ambitions: Climate Finance, Civil Society and Partnerships, on March 16-18, 2021

• Suriname launches GCF project to enhance Caribbean civil society’s access and readiness for climate finance

• Jamaica launches GCF Project to Enhance Caribbean Civil Society Readiness for Climate Finance

• St. Kitts and Nevis launches Green Climate Fund project to enhance Caribbean CSOs’ access to and readiness for climate finance

• Belize National Designated Authority to Green Climate Fund launches two projects

• US$ 1.29 million from Green Climate Fund to enhance Caribbean civil society’s access and readiness for climate finance

 

Project-related communications

• Caribbean Resilience Knowledge platform

• Caribbean Climate Justice and Resilience Agenda 2023-2030

• GIS StoryMap: Building Caribbean Resilience: A spotlight on civil society action to build local resilience

• Implementing climate change action: An online course for Caribbean civil society organisations

• Implementing climate change action: A toolkit for Caribbean civil society organisations [EN], [SP]

• Guidelines for Accredited Entities to Enhance Civil Society Engagement in Climate Finance

• Guidelines for National Designated Authorities to Enhance Civil Society Engagement in Climate Finance

• Caribbean Climate Innovation Series

• Caribbean Civil Society’s Access to Climate Finance Infographic [EN], [FR], [DU]

• Enhancing Caribbean Civil Society’s Access and Readiness for Climate Finance Report [EN], [FR], [DU]

• Videos:

Community Climate Action in Antigua and Barbuda video series:

• • Antigua and Barbuda Association for People with Disabilities
  • Gilbert Agricultural and Rural Development (GARD) Centre
  • barbudanGO
  • Antigua and Barbuda Department of Environment’s support to CSOs

Community-Led Climate Action in Belize video series:

• Friends for Conservation and Development
• Monkey River Watershed Association
• Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM)

Community Innovation in Climate Action in Grenada video series:

• Best Practices Farmers Movement in Grenada
• Petit Martinique Women in Action (PWIA) and fisherfolk in Petite Martinique
• Kipaji Development Initiative
• St. Patrick’s Environmental and Community Tourism Organization (SPECTO)

Community-Led Climate Action in Jamaica video series:

• Mafoota Agricultural Co-operative
• St Catherine Community Development Agency (SACDA)
• Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation (C-CAM)

Climate Action in St Kitts and Nevis video series:

• Fahies Agricultural Women’s Cooperative
• Family and Friends of Mansion
• Nevis Historical and Conservation Society (NHCS)

Community Innovation in Climate Action in Saint Lucia video series:

• Anse La Raye Disaster Committee
• Green Haven Fresh Farm
• Saint Lucia National Trust (SLNT)
• Ti Kaye Resort and Spa

Community Climate Action in Suriname video series:

• Ambrosius Bees
• Association of Indigenous Village Leaders 
• Centre for Agricultural Research in Suriname (CELOS) and Tropenbos Suriname

General:

• Delivering Inclusive Climate Action in the Caribbean: Civil Society Perspectives
• Scaling Up Finance for Climate Action in the Caribbean: Civil Society Perspectives
• Animation on Climate Finance for Civil Society Organisations in Belize

 

More information about this project

• Project brief
• GCF proposal
• Contact Dr. Ainka Granderson, Resilience Programme Manager, at ainka@canari.org

 

Related programmes

• Participatory Governance
• Resilience