Jamaica has received a major boost in its efforts to strengthen climate resilience and secure greater access to international funding, following the approval of a US$2.1 million Readiness Grant from the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
According to a press release, the funding was secured through a proposal submitted by the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) on Jamaica’s behalf. The initiative, titled “Catalysing Climate Action by Building Jamaica’s NDA Capacity & Country Investment Platform,” is designed to help the country improve its ability to attract climate finance and develop projects that support long-term environmental, economic, and social resilience.
The CCCCC release said that the project was developed under the United Kingdom-funded Small Island Developing States Capacity and Resilience Programme (SIDAR) for the Caribbean, which aims to increase access to climate financing across the region and accelerate climate-resilient development.
The grant approval comes as Jamaica continues to recover from Hurricane Melissa, described as the strongest hurricane ever recorded to make landfall on the island. Losses and damages caused by the storm are equivalent to 56.7 percent of Jamaica’s 2024 Gross Domestic Product, highlighting the urgent need for large-scale climate investment, said the organization.
Welcoming the approval, Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Matthew Samuda, stated:
“The Government of Jamaica welcomes the continued Partnership with the GCF, especially considering our post Hurricane Melissa environment. The mobilization of US $2.1million is important to Jamaica’s work in building Climate Resilience”.
Through the project, Jamaica will upgrade its systems for collecting, managing, and sharing climate-related data and knowledge. The programme will also provide extensive training aimed at strengthening national expertise in designing, financing, and implementing climate projects.
One of the key components of the initiative is the establishment of a Climate Investment Platform. The platform will help connect investment-ready projects with suitable financing opportunities, making it easier for Jamaica to attract the level of investment needed to support recovery efforts and future climate resilience. In addition, a dedicated Project Management Unit will be created within the Nationally Designated Authority (NDA) office to oversee and support the platform’s operations, as per the release.
Executive Director of the CCCCC, Dr. Colin Young, said the investment will play an important role in helping Jamaica secure larger volumes of climate finance.
“Given Jamaica’s vulnerability to climate-related disasters and the urgent need of climate finance at scale to build resilience, this USD 2.1 million investment from the GCF will strengthen the country’s capacity to access greater levels of climate finance that ultimately will protect lives and livelihoods across Jamaica, including areas significantly impacted by Melissa. The CCCCC remains steadfast in supporting Jamaica to mobilise greater scale of climate finance as well as provide technical expertise and partnerships to accelerate climate action to ensure a more resilient future for all Jamaicans.”
The Green Climate Fund also emphasized the significance of the initiative.
Kristin Lang, Director of the GCF’s Department for the Latin America and Caribbean Region, stated:
“The Green Climate Fund is pleased to approve readiness support for Jamaica to establish a Country Investment Platform. These platforms serve as vital mechanisms to bring government, the private sector, and development partners together in a unified process to identify resilient policies and investments, while aligning public and private finance, both international and domestic.
“GCF is proud to be a partner of choice in bringing these platforms to life through our flagship Readiness Programme, the largest climate-focused institutional strengthening and technical assistance programme in the world.”
Meanwhile, Omar Alcock, Acting Principal Director of the Climate Change Branch within the Ministry of Water, Environment and Climate Change and Jamaica’s Nationally Designated Authority to the GCF, said the grant will be critical in helping the country access the financing needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen resilience to climate impacts.
The release said that the approval is also a milestone for the wider Caribbean. Jamaica has become the first CARICOM member state to receive approval under the Green Climate Fund’s new four-year Readiness Strategy, which came into effect in January 2024.
According to the press release, the grant further supports the mandate of the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre to help CARICOM countries access and effectively utilize climate finance while strengthening the institutional capacity needed to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the growing impacts of climate change.
