Programme on Integrated Adaptation Strategies in Grenada

projekt beendet

Context As an island, Grenada, along with its sister islands Carriacou and Petit Martinique are bracing for an increase in extreme weather events such as storms, floods or droughts, as well as rising sea levels brought about by climate change. The island is extremely vulnerable: in 2004, for example, Hurricane Ivan destroyed almost 90 percent of residential buildings, tourism facilities and agricultural land. Stronger tropical storms caused by an increase in the temperature of the ocean’s surface are anticipated.The mainstay of the Grenadine economy is tourism, which is being adversely affected by the rising sea level, longer periods of droughts, beach erosion, loss of coastal areas and flooding. An increase in the sea level of half a metre would destroy up to 83 per cent of the beaches. Much of the infrastructure, including the port, power stations, roads and many residential buildings, is also at risk.Objective The population and ecosystems are more resilient to climate-related risks.Caribbean. An introductory workshop in Grenada to the Carribean Climate Risk Assessment Tool, (CCORA). © GIZ Approach The pilot programme pursues an integrated, multi-sectoral approach, linking local activities to national measures. The National Climate Change Committee, for example, is being advised in the development of systematic risk analyses to identify susceptible coastal zones in the country and to increase their resilience to climate change. A community fund provides direct support to the population in small-scale adaptation measures. The project also promotes measures to enable Grenada to access climate finance for adaptation activities over the long term and to share information about experiences in the region. The individual components are broken down as follows: mainstreaming of climate change and adaptation aspects in national planning processesintegrated water resource and coastal zone managementcommunity-based climate change adaptationclimate financing, PR work and knowledge managementGIZ is working to implement the programme together with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).Results achieved so farThe National Climate Change Committee, which has not convened since 2011, became active again in July 2014 with a new structure, assuming responsibility for coordinating the activities of the government, the private sector and non-governmental organisations.Many employees of various ministries, the private sector and non-governmental organisations were introduced to the structured climate risk analysis of the Caribbean Climate Online Risk and Adaptation Tool (CCORAL). A total of 11 local trainers were taught how to flexibly deploy this tool to meet the needs of Grenadian organisations. At the same time, discussions are underway at the political level to determine how CCORAL can be integrated into the Grenadian budget and planning process so that it is mandatory.Government, the private sector, scientists and non-governmental organisations worked together to draft a policy for coastal zone management in Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique; it is currently discussed in various communities throughout the tri-island state. The policy is scheduled for cabinet approval by the end of 2014.A new information sheet which is published every two months provides farmers with relevant meteorological information and forecasts that allow climate-sensitive agricultural practices to be introduced.The current national ‘Growth and Poverty Reduction’ strategy was reworked to integrate climate change and now supports a climate-sensitive policy for poverty reduction.A new logo marks all of the government’s climate adaptation activities. Since the logo was introduced in May 2014, various weekly and monthly newspapers in Grenada have printed numerous articles dealing with the issue of climate change adaptation. Support is also being provided for an awareness campaign directed particularly at younger target groups with a climate change song being circulated as a music video.

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