Design of Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) measures for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) project proposal for Dominica entitled: Developing climate-resilient integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) in Dominica

Dominica’s people and natural ecosystems face growing climate risks, including:

• stronger storms and more intense hurricanes;
• rising sea levels and increasing ocean temperatures;
• flooding in low-lying areas; and
• coastal erosion.

Recent tropical storms and major hurricanes have adversely affected communities and infrastructure along Dominica’s west coast. Coastal communities account for 70% of the national population, and Dominica ranked 11th among 150 countries in the 2021 Global Climate Risk Index.

As climate events become more frequent and intense, these communities are expected to face greater risks and increasingly severe impacts.

About the project

The proposed project, “Developing Climate-Resilient Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) in Dominica”, aims to protect people living along Dominica’s coastline communities, against effects of climate change.

It aims to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable coastal communities through the identification and design of potential EbA measures. EbA measures conserve, restore or manage nature, in a way which protects communities from climate change effects. These may include the rehabilitation, conservation and sustainable management of critical ecosystems and habitats such as coral reefs, sea grasses, riparian forests, riverbanks and beaches.

How will this project benefit Dominica?

• By strengthening climate resilience: Identifying, developing EbA measures and interventions.
• By fostering inclusive participation: Ensuring government, private sector, civil society and vulnerable communities provide technical inputs, local knowledge, and varied stakeholder perspectives into the development of EbA measures and interventions.

What activities are we undertaking to achieve this?

To achieve the objectives, the following activities are being implemented:

• Identifying potential ecosystems and sites for the EbA

• Undertaking consultations with communities and government authorities to finalise site selection, and to identify potential EbA interventions.

• Undertaking a multi-criteria analysis (including a consideration of relative costs and benefits) to finalize the selection of the EbA interventions to be further developed.

• Designing the EbA interventions, i.e. the specific measures for the rehabilitation, conservation and/or sustainable management of the identified ecosystems.

What have we achieved so far?

• Conducted comprehensive desk review to identify priority sites and EbA interventions based on project proposal documents; national policies, plans and strategies; and peer-reviewed literature and technical reports.

• Held online stakeholder consultations to gather technical inputs, local knowledge, and multi-stakeholder perspectives to inform development and prioritisation of EbA measures and interventions under this project proposal.

• Held community stakeholder consultations and participatory mapping exercises in August 2026 among six communities of Calibishie, Portsmouth, Layou, Coulibistrie/Colihaut, Soufriere/Scotts Head and the Kalinago Territory.

• Field visits to potential EbA sites with the priority communities above

More information about this project

Contact Dr. Natalie Boodram, Senior Technical Officer, at natalie@canari.org.

Related programmes

• Resilience
• Biodiversity and Ecosystems