Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is a small island country located in the Eastern Caribbean. Being in the path of the Atlantic hurricane belt makes the country vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms. Coastal flooding is a major concern due to storm surges and high wave action. High winds and rainfall, coupled with the mountainous terrain, are principal risk factors. Landslides pose significant hazard risks that are elevated during seasonal rains. As the Grenadines have no rivers, they are reliant on rainwater harvesting, thus making them highly susceptible to droughts.
INVESTING IN ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
CIF’s investment in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is through its Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR). The country is one of six Caribbean island nations participating in a regional PPCR program to improve climate data collection, analysis and sharing, and pilot innovative climate resilient initiatives. In line with its own strategic plan for climate resilience under PPCR, the country aims to support mainstreaming climate change in national development planning and decision-making.
Its $15-million PPCR investment plan is focused on efforts to reduce its vulnerability to natural hazards and climate change impacts through: (i) adaptation investments in infrastructures such as roads, bridges, schools and health centers, and (ii) building capacity for the assessment of climate risks and integration of resilience objectives to policy and decision-making process across sectors.
Through the CIF-TAF, approximately $300,000 was programmed for technical assistance activities in 2021. The program covered an array of activities that aim to scale up affordable, clean and resilient energy in the region.
