U.N.D.P.’s Japan-Caribbean Climate Change Partnership Wraps Up
U.N.D.P.’s Japan-Caribbean Climate Change Partnership Programme wrapped up this week. Back in 2016, the J-C.C.C.P. was launched in eight Caribbean countries, including Belize. The partnership, worth fifteen million U.S. dollars, forms part of the Japanese government’s pledge to support developing countries with projects to tackle climate change. The three-year partnership looked at access to climate resilient technology, as well as policies to support green energy and other measures to help countries respond to climate change. In Belize, J-C.C.C.P. conducted a climate change survey, which resulted in an awareness campaign that was supported with visits to vulnerable communities. The J-C.C.C.P.’s work in Belize also helped to develop a national climate change communications strategy, as well as plans to help the country adapt and respond to the impacts of climate change such as the implementation of a sustainable agriculture and water resources management pilot project. More than thirty-five community-based projects were implemented and over two hundred thousand people benefitted directly across the Caribbean. To close off the partnership, U.N.D.P. produced a video to share an overview of the regional project.
The United Nations Development Programme’s Japan-Caribbean Climate Change Partnership closed out the three and a half- year project with a three day workshop and wrap up event. The Climate Change Resilience project was launched in 2016 through partnerships with governments, civil society organizations, regional agencies and communities across eight Caribbean countries with funding from the Government of Japan.
Toshihide Kanaya
Toshihide Kanaya, Second Secretary, Embassy of Japan, Trinidad & Tobago
“Small Island Developing States in the Caribbean region are vulnerable to natural disasters often triggered by climate change. The government of Japan recognizes the necessity for improving the region’s resilience. So, that is why the J-C.C.C.P. was formulated to tackle this climate change issue.”
U.N.D.P.’s J-C.C.C.P. implemented more than thirty-five community-based projects. These concentrated on water resources management, climate-smart agriculture, climate-resilient infrastructure, renewable energy and energy efficiency. The overall objective was to improve the region’s focus on implementing measures for climate change resilience through collective efforts, plans and actions designed to adapt for the long term.
Danielle Evanson
Danielle Evanson, Manager for Climate Change and Disaster Risk Resilience, U.N.D.P.
“It can be seen that J-C.C.C.P. has facilitated several forward steps in our region to advance climate action. These are possible only through the support and commitment of the national stakeholders and community beneficiaries who are the drivers of these processes. This reminds us that we each have contribution to make and we are stronger when we work together for the collective building of resilience in our countries and in this great region.”
The final day’s main event featured an official presentation of the project’s results. One of the highlights of the presentation was sharing the fact that the project actually exceeded project targets and expectations in key areas.
Sheri Frederick
Sheri Frederick, J-C.C.C.P. Interim Project Manager, U.N.D.P.
“This has been a tremendous project and I continue to see impacts every day. We are putting sustainability plans in place not only as a project, but on every project.”
Over two hundred thousand individuals directly benefited from the U.N.D.P.’s J-C.C.C.P. Climate resilience project activities in the region. The project has come to a close but the knowledge, infrastructure and the project elements that were put in place will carry on through the various stakeholders.
