New Initiative Launched to Advance Geospatial Solutions For Climate Action.
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados – Two initiatives aimed at advancing climate action across the Caribbean got underway here on Tuesday focusing on geospatial training, satellite data and artificial intelligence among other issues.
The event has brought together more than 50 climate professionals, including government officials, climate finance experts and regional development partners and is being organised by the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub in partnership with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC).
The delegates will also discuss a Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub (CCFAH) Regional Stocktake to assess progress, share lessons and identify priorities for accelerating climate finance access in the region.
“As climate risks intensify, the Caribbean must strengthen its capacity to access and manage climate finance. The Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub’s achievements demonstrate how targeted technical assistance and strong partnerships can unlock resources for resilient development, ensuring no Caribbean nation is left behind,” said Diane Wade-Moore, head of the Programme Development and Management Department at the Belize-based CCCCC.
Geospatial technology refers to a range of tools used to collect, analyse, and display location-specific data, and is used in the Caribbean to help countries effectively plan climate action.
Speaking during the opening session of the geospatial data applications training, Uzoamaka Nwamarah, head of the Climate Section at the Commonwealth Secretariat, said the “value of climate data lies not simply in what it reveals about the risks we face, but in how effectively we use it to protect our people, strengthen our economies and unlock investments for climate action”.
She also thanked the Azerbaijan government for its support through the COP29 Presidency Commonwealth Fund for SIDS under the project “AI and Space Data for Climate Solutions.” On Thursday, participants will review CCFAH’s support to Caribbean countries, strengthening their capacity to access international climate finance and contributing to the mobilisation of more than US$58 million for climate change adaptation and mitigation initiatives across the region.
Participants will also assess the Hub’s achievements, share country experiences and identify priorities for strengthening climate finance access across the Caribbean.
Through the deployment of Climate Finance Advisers, CCFAH has supported eight Caribbean countries – Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica and St Lucia.
Advisers work alongside governments to strengthen institutional capacity, develop investment-ready projects and advance national climate priorities. The CCCCC supports the CCFAH programme’s regional delivery by hosting the Commonwealth Regional Climate Finance Adviser, who provides climate finance coordination, project development support and technical assistance across Caribbean countries.
This arrangement extends assistance to countries without nationally embedded advisers and strengthens regional collaboration
For Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS), limited technical capacity and complex funding requirements remain significant barriers to securing climate finance.
The Barbados activities address these challenges by strengthening technical skills and creating space for countries and partners to examine how future assistance can better respond to regional needs.
The regional stocktake will examine programme results, lessons learned and emerging climate finance priorities, with the CCCCC contributing insights on regional needs and opportunities for stronger technical assistance and collaboration.
The activities will conclude on Thursday with practical recommendations to inform the next phase of CCFAH support and ensure that future interventions respond to Caribbean countries’ evolving needs and priorities.
