Earth Today | Jamaica to boost civil society readiness for climate finance

JAMAICA’S CLIMATE Change Division, together with the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), recently announced the national launch of the project ‘Enhancing Caribbean civil society’s access and readiness for climate finance’.

The effort is funded by a US$1.29-million grant from the Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme of the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

“Any challenge that impedes our growth, affects the natural environment and impacts the well-being and livelihoods of people and communities needs the civil society movement at the forefront. Our future depends on your action and commitment,” said Pearnel Charles Jr, minister of housing, urban renewal, environment and climate change, in his remarks.

“It is in the development of strategic frameworks that we want civil society to play a greater role and partner with government entities and accredited entities to the GCF to ensure that financing is channelled to those that need it the most,” noted principal director for the Climate Change Division, UnaMay Gordon, in welcoming the GCF’s support and collaboration with CANARI.

CANARI’s senior technical officer and project manager, Dr Ainka Granderson, said civil society in Jamaica and the wider region is “well positioned” to lead bottom-up approaches to tackle the climate crisis and achieve impact on the ground for vulnerable communities and their livelihoods.

“However, efforts are often small-scale and piecemeal as civil society lacks the necessary funding and technical assistance. Mobilising funds from GCF and other climate funds is key to better support civil society and local communities, and channel resources to the most vulnerable,” she added.

The goal of the project is to build the capacity of civil society organisations (CSOs), including national non-governmental organisations, community-based and resource user groups, such as farmer and fisherfolk associations and cooperatives, to access and deliver climate finance and build climate resilience in the Caribbean.

It will enhance CSOs’ knowledge, skills and organisational structures, and strengthen institutional mechanisms to enhance civil society voice and participation in climate change decision-making, nationally and regionally.

It is being implemented from February 2020 to August 2022 by national designated authorities to the GCF across the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)mMember states, with the Climate Change Division in Jamaica as the lead authority. CANARI is serving as the implementing entity for the project.

The project’s scope includes the CARICOM region, with targeted activities in Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and Suriname.