Supporting civil society organisations in Saint Lucia to engage in national adaptation plan processes

Despite ongoing civil society involvement in climate adaptation, there is a clear need to deepen and broaden engagement in Saint Lucia’s National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process—particularly for women-led, marginalised, and historically under-represented groups. Saint Lucia launched its NAP in 2017 and adopted its first 10-year plan (2018–2028); however, strengthening the participation of these groups and fostering broader, more inclusive civil society engagement is essential to ensure adaptation efforts are gender-responsive and reflect diverse local priorities.

About the project

From May to December 2025, the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), in collaboration with the Saint Lucia Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CCSO), implemented the NAP Global Network Pilot Initiative: Supporting Civil Society Organisations in Saint Lucia to Engage in National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Processes. Supported by Global Affairs Canada and the International Institute of Sustainable Development (IISD) – NAP Global Secretariat, the pilot sought to mobilise and facilitate the engagement of women-led and other vulnerable or historically marginalised groups to ensure a more gender-responsive and inclusive approach to adaptation and building local resilience to climate change in Saint Lucia.

The pilot focused on strengthening the capacity of these groups to engage meaningfully in the NAP and wider climate policy process. It also supported strengthening of the Saint Lucia CCSO as a key mechanism for collective advocacy and coordination by civil society on climate adaptation. It involved participatory needs assessments and targeted capacity building workshops, to better equip CSOs to input into the formulation, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of the NAP, as well as Sectoral Adaptation Strategies and Action Plans (SASAPs) and related initiatives. The pilot also supported co-development of strategic tools to enable CSOs to sustain their influence in the NAP and wider climate change adaptation policy landscape.

How has this project benefitted Saint Lucia?

• By piloting a model for inclusive CSO participation in climate governance: Explored approaches and shared lessons to better engage women-led, marginalised, and historically underrepresented CSOs in the NAP process, supported existing local coalition – the Saint Lucia CCSO, to strengthen visibility, coordination and collective action, and identified and facilitated opportunities to enhance CSO–government collaboration in climate governance.

• By empowering local CSOs to engage in the NAP and wider climate policy process: Strengthened technical knowledge, policy literacy, advocacy skills, and leadership through training, access to technical assistance and development of practical tools, increasing CSOs’ readiness and capacity to participate effectively.

• By developing CSO-focused resources to track NAP progress and support sustained advocacy: Created a MEL form for CSOs to document contributions, communication products, and an online repository to strengthen access to information, ongoing capacity building and ensure sustained CSO influence in adaptation processes.

What activities did we undertake to achieve this?

• Mobilisation & coalition building:Engaging existing CCSO members and identifying additional women-led and other vulnerable or historically marginalised groups in Saint Lucia to participate in pilot activities.

• Participatory CSO needs assessment: Conduct of participatory needs assessment with participating CSOs to establish a baseline and inform targeted activities and support for enhanced engagement with Saint Lucia’s NAP process and SASAPs.

• Capacity building for NAP engagement including:
  • Delivery of targeted technical training to address key areas/needs identified in the CSO assessments and strengthen civil society leadership in climate adaptation.
  • Provision of technical assistance, including financial support and resources, to participating CSOs to bolster engagement and relevant networking, knowledge-sharing and advocacy activities related to the NAP process.

• Strengthening CSO influence on the NAP process including:
  • Development of strategic communication and advocacy resources to empower CSOs to engage, monitor and advocate effectively, and sustain their influence in the NAP process.
  • Supporting CSOs to leverage current opportunities to input in the NAP process and SASAPs, including civil society priorities and recommendations to strengthen CSO roles and influence.

What did we achieve?

• Built CSO capacity for adaptation governance: 29 CSOs from diverse sectors, over 80% women-focused, strengthened their understanding of and ability to engage in NAP planning, implementation, and monitoring; 100% of participants reported new learning, with 73% rating gains as considerable or extensive.

• Strengthened civil society coordination and leadership: The Saint Lucia CCSO was able to start expanding its membership, initiating or deepening relationships with a wider cross-section of CSOs operating in various sectors, and appointed a new Chair from the Caribbean Women in Leadership (CIWiL)—demonstrating increased interest in collaborative action and stronger organisational leadership emerging from the initiative.

• Delivered practical tools for sustained CSO engagement in the NAP process: 3 new resources were developed to support CSO readiness to engage in the NAP – an online repository, brief NAP explainer (infographic and video) and MEL form and a (voluntary) Monitoring Evaluation and Learning (MEL) reporting form to capture CSO’s contributions to NAP process, aligned with national processes.

• Enhanced community-level awareness and advocacy: Nine CSOs implemented NAP awareness-raising and advocacy initiatives with frontline communities, translating capacity building into local action.

• CSO inputs captured for the Tourism Sectoral Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan (SASAP) being developed under the GCF NAP Readiness project in Saint Lucia.

Project related publications

• Saint Lucia – Let’s Talk NAP (Explainer infographic)
• Saint Lucia – Let’s Talk NAP (Explainer video)
• NAP Navigator Toolbox

For more information about this project

• Download the project summary
• Contact Candice Ramkissoon, Senior Technical Officer at candice@canari.org

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