THE EASTERN and SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN REGIONAL REPORT Antigua and Barbuda – Barbados – Dominica – Grenada – Guyana St
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RAPID CLIMATE CHANGE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT THE EASTERN AND SOUTHERN CARIBBEAN REGIONAL REPORT Antigua and Barbuda – Barbados – Dominica – Grenada – Guyana St. Kitts and Nevis – St. Lucia – St. Vincent and the Grenadines Suriname – Trinidad and Tobago September 2013 This publication was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by The Cadmus Group, Inc. and Sun Mountain International. i Cover photos: Top left: Water spills over sea wall barriers during a heavy storm in Georgetown, Guyana. Photo credit: Vanessa Benn Top right: A restaurant and apartment building in Christ Church, Barbados, have been affected by recent changes in coastal erosion and beach size and are at risk to additional structural damage. Photo credit: Bruce Kernan Bottom left: A man and his newborn enjoy the beach in Grenada. Photo credit: Toby Carter Bottom right: A sea wall in the town of Layou, St. Vincent, was constructed in 2006 with funds from the Caribbean Development Bank. Photo credit: Mike Seager Disclaimer The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Agency for International Development or the United States Government. ii Contents Chapter 1: Eastern and Southern Caribbean Regional Report ....................................... viii List of Acronyms ............................................................................................................................................................... ix Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Background and Purpose ................................................................................................................................................... 2 Methodology ........................................................................................................................................................................ 3 Predicted Effects of Climate Change .............................................................................................................................. 4 Institutional and Legislative Framework ......................................................................................................................... 5 Impacts of Development Projects ................................................................................................................................... 6 Impacts of Ongoing Projects on Climate Change Vulnerability ................................................................................. 6 Priority Issues, Needed Actions, and Recommendations to USAID ......................................................................... 7 Priority Issue 1: Financing for the Conservation of Ecosystems ................................................................................ 7 Priority Issue 2: Participation in Ecosystem Conservation .......................................................................................... 8 Priority Issue 3: Planning and Regulation for Ecosystem Conservation ................................................................... 8 Priority Issue 4: Data Collection, Analysis, and Use ..................................................................................................... 8 Priority Issue 5: Institutional Capacity ............................................................................................................................. 9 Priority Issue 6: Policies, Laws, and Regulations ........................................................................................................... 9 Priority Issue 7: Effect of Climate Change on Vulnerable Groups ............................................................................ 9 Priority Issue 8: Potential for Clean Energy ................................................................................................................. 10 Priority Issue 9: Systems for monitoring threats from the effects of climate change ............................................ 11 Priority Issue 10: International Donor-Funded Climate Change Projects .............................................................. 11 Bibliography ....................................................................................................................................................................... 12 ANNEX A: Terms of Reference for the Rapid Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments .............................. 13 ANNEX B: Focus Group/Interview Questionnaire .................................................................................................. 19 ANNEX C: Bio-Sketches of Team Members .............................................................................................................. 20 ANNEX D: Photos .......................................................................................................................................................... 22 ANNEX E: Ongoing Caribbean Region Climate Change Projects ......................................................................... 24 ANNEX F: USAID–Funded Climate Change Projects in Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Region ........ 35 ANNEX G: Sites Visited by Country ........................................................................................................................... 38 Chapter 2: Antigua and Barbuda ...........................................................................................40 List of Acronyms .............................................................................................................................................................. 41 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................. 42 Background and Purpose ................................................................................................................................................. 43 Predicted Effects of Climate Change ............................................................................................................................ 43 Legislative and Institutional Framework ....................................................................................................................... 45 Current Projects Affecting Vulnerability to Climate Change .................................................................................... 46 Development and Clean Energy Projects ..................................................................................................................... 46 Climate Change Projects .................................................................................................................................................. 46 Priority Issues, Needed Actions, and Recommendations to USAID ....................................................................... 47 Priority Issue 1: Lack of Program/Project Implementation ...................................................................................... 47 Priority Issue 2: Financial Constraints ........................................................................................................................... 48 Priority Issue 3: Food Security ........................................................................................................................................ 48 Priority Issue 4: Storage and Treatment of Water Resources .................................................................................... 49 Priority Issue 5: Coastal Zone Management Unit ....................................................................................................... 49 Bibliography ....................................................................................................................................................................... 50 Appendix A: Quotations from Key Informants and Focus Group Discussion ..................................................... 51 iii Chapter 3: Barbados ................................................................................................................53 List of Acronyms .............................................................................................................................................................. 54 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................................. 55 Background and Purpose ................................................................................................................................................. 56 Predicted Effects of Climate Change ............................................................................................................................ 56 Legislative and Institutional Framework ....................................................................................................................... 58 Current Projects Affecting Vulnerability to Climate Change .................................................................................... 59 Development and Clean Energy Projects ..................................................................................................................... 59 Climate Change Projects .................................................................................................................................................