BELMOPAN. Belize, CMC – The Belize-based Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) Wednesday said it had signed a memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United Kingdom for work to be done under the Small Island Developing States Capacity and Resilience (SIDAR) program.
The CCCCC said that the MOU is for £2.7 million (One GBP=US$1.25 cents) and that the SIDAR program represents delivery on part of the UK’s overall commitment of £11.6 billion for climate finance, with a specific aim to support adaptation and resilience in Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
The SIDAR Caribbean program aims to augment access to climate finance and support the programmatic acceleration of climate-resilient actions in selected Caribbean countries. The UK’s support to the CCCCC will help Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states address the challenges they face in accessing climate finance.
The CCCCC said non-ODA eligible member states will be invited to participate in lesson learning and virtual training activities.
Through the CCCCC, the program will help address the barriers that Caribbean SIDS faces in planning for, accessing, and effectively utilizing climate finance. The program aims to facilitate a sustainable increase in the flow of climate finance, enhance project development and implementation capabilities, and support simplifying the multilateral funding processes with which they must engage.
The CCCCC said in partnership with member states, it will develop funding proposals aligned to national priorities for submission to various financial mechanisms under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and other multilateral and bilateral financing partners.
“This concerted effort by the UK is expected to help the Caribbean access US$50 million for the region over the next three years. Dedicated resources will be allocated to beneficiary countries for project preparation grants, including readiness activities, with a target of mobilizing three million US dollars in readiness support during the program’s implementation.”
The C said the SIDAR program will also establish a help desk to assist CARICOM countries in developing and implementing climate change projects. By fostering collaboration, knowledge sharing, and strategic leveraging of resources, the program is expected to drive sustainable climate actions in the Caribbean region, the C added.
“The implementation of this initiative under the SIDAR program marks an important moment in our collective efforts to combat the impacts of climate change,” said the UK Minister for the Americas and the Caribbean, David Rutley.
“Through close collaboration with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, the UK is delivering on its promise to help unlock greater amounts of climate finance, strengthen resilience, and secure a sustainable future for SIDS, including those in the Caribbean,” he added.
CCCCC’s executive director, Dr. Colin A. Young, said the Belize-based regional organization is pleased to partner with the UK to implement the SIDAR program in the Caribbean, which will increase both the flow and scale of climate finance to CARICOM member states States to help build their resilience to escalating and adverse impacts of climate change, as well as strengthen their capacity to utilize these resources effectively.
“We appreciate the UK’s commitment to tangibly assist CARICOM in increasing the flow of climate finance in the region,” he added.
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