Amplifying local voices for a just and climate resilient COVID-19 recovery

Description of project

The triple crises of the climate emergency, biodiversity decline, and uneven development pose a critical challenge to Caribbean small island developing states (SIDS). The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic provides a unique opportunity to address these crises as Caribbean governments focus their attention on recovery from its socio-economic impacts. Despite widespread calls for a transformative approach, there remains limited evidence of shift towards inclusive, green and resilient approaches.

The project, Amplifying local voices for a just and climate resilient COVID-19 recovery, aims to enhance the voices of the most vulnerable in calling for a pro-poor, inclusive, environmentally sustainable, and climate resilient approach to COVID-19 economic recovery in the Caribbean. In particular, it will foster coalition building and partnerships among civil society organisations (CSOs), local resource users, enterprises and other non-state actors, including academic and research institutes, to amplify the voices of vulnerable local rights holders and enhance their influence on policy and practice to deliver just and equitable outcomes. It is being implemented by CANARI in collaboration with Panos Caribbean from January 2021 to June 2022, with a grant of US$200,000 from the Open Society Foundations. See the project brief for more details.

Key outcomes

The overall outcome will be a strong and cohesive civil society voice advocating on climate justice and the just transition as part of COVID-19 economic recovery, and CSOs and other non-state actors better positioned to engage with government and development partners to contribute to enhanced national and regional efforts.

 

 

Key outputs and activities

  • A Caribbean Climate Justice Alliance established, including community-based organisations, local resource users and enterprises and other right holders, and other non-state actors across the Caribbean countries to catalyse action for climate justice and a just transition. Download report from launch here.
  • A Caribbean Climate Justice Agenda developed to amplify local voices, as well as local knowledge and experiences, and support collective advocacy at national and regional levels.
  • Capacity of at least 30 CSOs and other non-state actors enhanced across the Caribbean countries to conduct advocacy and influence policy and practice.
  • Collective advocacy campaigns initiated by CSOs, local rights holders and other non-state actors, with practical actions in at least four target Caribbean countries to highlight their needs and priorities for a pro-poor, inclusive, green and climate resilient COVID-19 economic recovery.

Recent news and blogs

Publications

For further information, contact Ainka Granderson, Senior Technical Officer at [email protected].

See related work under CANARI’s Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction Programme and Civil Society and Governance Programme.