Coastal protection for adaptation to climate change in small island states in the Caribbean

completed

The aim of the project was to improve ecosystem services that reduce the negative impacts of climate change on coastal zones in the selected program countries (outcome). The project covered the countries of Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada. The aim was to make a contribution to reducing climate-related risks for the coastal population in small island states (SIDS) (overall objective). The project consisted of two components. Component 1 included investments in local adaptation measures to protect and improve the integrity of relevant coastal ecosystems. This included measures in the areas of protection and sustainable management, rehabilitation and monitoring of coastal ecosystems relevant to adaptation. Component 2 included measures for regional knowledge management and monitoring with regard to ecosystem-based adaptation to climate change. The project was sponsored by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC or 5Cs), the specialist organization for climate issues of the Caribbean Economic Community (CARICOM) based in Belize. In terms of development policy, the project was particularly aligned with the Regional Framework for Achieving Development Resilient to Climate Change 2011-2012 developed by 5Cs for the Caribbean, as well as with the goal of German development cooperation in the Caribbean to contribute to protecting the global public goods of climate, environment and biodiversity and to adapting to climate change. The executing agency was supported in planning and implementing the project by an implementation consultant (IUCN). The target group of the project was the coastal population living in the catchment area of the adaptation measures who are affected by the effects of climate change. This included in particular the local population who are directly threatened by coastal erosion, storm surges, etc. or who live from sources of income that are significantly affected by climate change. The project was implemented between April 2014 and the end of 2018. The total cost of the project amounts to just under EUR 5.2 million. The share of funding from FC is EUR 4.2 million. There was no direct connection to other development cooperation projects. Indirect synergy effects existed with the projects of the Technical Cooperation CARICOM on the management of coastal resources and the conservation of marine biodiversity in the Caribbean, as well as on adaptation to climate change to protect natural resources and diversify agricultural and forestry production, as well as a number of other bilateral and international development cooperation projects implemented by 5Cs.