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The report examines the necessity of involving civil society organizations (CSOs) in climate action to support Caribbean governments facing disproportionate climate risks. It is part of a project funded by the Green Climate Fund's Readiness and Preparatory Support Programme, implemented across seven CARICOM Member States to enhance CSO access and readiness for climate finance.

The proposal seeks USD 762,359 over 18 months to address Saint Lucia's fiscal vulnerability and decreasing Official Development Assistance (ODA). It focuses on five workstreams: accessing the green bond market, developing a debt-for-climate swap roadmap, greening the local financial sector, increasing capacity for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), and developing a concept note for a 'Green Affordable Housing' project. The project is implemented by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in collaboration with the Government of Saint Lucia.

The report analyzes how SIDS and LDCs are disproportionately vulnerable to coupled ocean risks, including sea-level rise, ocean warming, and macroeconomic shocks. It emphasizes the need for context-specific resilience strategies, the integration of indigenous knowledge, and the deployment of novel financial tools to support a sustainable ocean economy.

The GCF Secretariat report for the period ending 31 July 2021 indicates that programming and implementation targets are largely on track, with 76% of the portfolio now under implementation. Key achievements include the approval of USD 1.2 billion in funding at the B.28 meeting and the adoption of the Integrated Results Management Framework (IRMF) at B.29. The Secretariat is working to diversify its private sector portfolio and improve direct access for entities. However, the Simplified Approval Process (SAP) targets are likely to remain unmet due to slow proposal development. The report also highlights the impact of COVID-19 on project expenditure and the ongoing efforts to finalize bilateral privileges and immunities agreements.

The document argues that Indonesia must shift from carbon-intensive 'grey' infrastructure to sustainable solutions to meet its low-carbon development goals and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. It identifies key barriers to this transition, including a lack of bankable project pipelines, inadequate valuation methods that ignore ESG risks, and a mismatch between infrastructure and budget planning. The author recommends adopting integrated planning, utilizing the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) methodology to quantify externalities, and establishing project preparation facilities to attract private investment. The brief also highlights international examples from Malaysia, the Netherlands, Saint Lucia, and South Africa to illustrate successful sustainable infrastructure strategies.

The report analyzes the integration of climate and disaster risk financing and insurance (CDRFI) within National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), finding that while insurance is widely recognized—particularly in agriculture—there are significant opportunities to improve risk modeling, social protection, and cross-sectoral dialogue between finance ministries and private providers.

The analysis reveals that while many countries link adaptation to disaster risk management and prioritize insurance—particularly for agriculture—there is a need for better risk analysis, adaptive social protection, and stronger dialogue between finance ministries and private CDRFI providers.

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) serves as the largest dedicated climate fund for developing countries, accounting for two-thirds of all multilateral climate finance last year. The GCF focuses on bridging the adaptation finance gap, where only one-fifth of global climate funds are currently allocated. To scale action, the GCF employs a strategy involving the translation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) into investment plans, piloting innovative technologies and business models, utilizing blended finance to crowd-in private investment, and strengthening the capacity of domestic financial institutions. Key initiatives include the Global Sub-national Climate Fund and partnerships to de-risk investments in adaptation technologies and coral reef protection.

The IAI Directorate reported progress in aligning its Scientific Agenda with its Strategic Plan, incorporating revisions from Canada, Argentina, and Colombia. Key scientific initiatives included transdisciplinary projects on vector-borne diseases in Jamaica and St. Lucia, and the development of a COVID-19 working group. The Directorate launched the Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) fellowship program, implemented in two countries, and established partnerships with Mitacs in Canada and the PAGES program. Efforts to bridge science and policy included a virtual workshop on drought policies for Southern South America and the creation of a fire monitoring platform for the triborder Amazon region (Brazil, Bolivia, Peru). The IAI also collaborated with the Belmont Forum on several Collaborative Research Actions (CRA) and published a special issue in the Journal Environmental Development on CRN3 results.

The IAI Executive Directorate reported progress in its strategic plan during 2020-2021 despite COVID-19 challenges. Key achievements include the launch of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) fellowship program, the development of a revised scientific agenda incorporating feedback from Canada, Argentina, and Colombia, and the execution of transdisciplinary projects on climate-driven vector-borne diseases in Jamaica and Saint Lucia. The IAI also expanded its partnerships with the Belmont Forum, Wellcome Trust, and Mitacs Canada, while contributing to the IPCC's chapter on Central and South America.

The document examines the existential threats faced by small island developing states (SIDS), highlighting their extreme vulnerability to sea-level rise and economic shocks despite contributing less than 1% of global carbon emissions. It advocates for a transition from seeing themselves as 'small islands' to 'large ocean states' by leveraging their exclusive economic zones (EEZs) through the 'blue economy.' The brief emphasizes the need for innovative financing, such as blue bonds and debt-for-climate swaps, and the urgent transition to domestic renewable energy to reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports.

The report finds that while health is a priority in National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), SRHR is largely overlooked in overarching documents, creating a gap between sector-specific health planning and national climate strategy. It argues that realizing SRHR is a foundation for climate resilience and recommends integrating SRHR into vulnerability assessments, gender analyses, and monitoring systems.

The report analyzes 19 general NAP documents, five health-sector NAPs, and five Green Climate Fund proposals to assess the integration of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in climate adaptation planning. It finds that while health is universally prioritized, specific SRHR issues are rarely addressed in general NAPs and often disconnected from sector-specific health plans. The document argues that SRHR is a fundamental basis for climate resilience, as its denial limits women's agency and participation in climate action. It provides eight recommendations to better integrate SRHR through gender-responsive vulnerability assessments, inter-agency collaboration, and systemic health sector adaptation.

The report analyzes 19 National Adaptation Plan (NAP) documents, sectoral health plans, and Green Climate Fund proposals to assess the integration of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). It finds that while health is universally prioritized as a sector for adaptation, specific SRHR issues are rarely addressed. The document argues that climate change negatively impacts SRHR and that the denial of these rights increases climate vulnerability. It recommends using existing gender and health guidelines, incorporating SRHR into vulnerability assessments, and fostering collaboration between government bodies responsible for climate, gender, and health to ensure inclusive and rights-based adaptation strategies.

The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has established a four-year work programme (2020-2023) to scale up climate finance for its Borrowing Member Countries (BMCs). The strategy focuses on three main areas: public sector investment in water security, renewable energy, and resilient infrastructure; leveraging the private sector through financial sector transformation; and enhancing institutional capacity through GCF Readiness support. The pipeline includes regional programmes for financial transformation, Integrated Utilities Services (IUS) for energy, and water security, alongside single-country projects in The Bahamas, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Grenada. The CDB emphasizes the need for concessional financing to address high public debt levels exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The document argues that the financial system's current inertia and short-term bias prevent the redirection of private capital toward net-zero, climate-resilient economies. It emphasizes that limiting warming to 1.5°C is technically feasible but requires a dramatic scale-up of investment in energy, land, urban, and industrial systems. The report advocates for a dual approach of 'market fixing' (carbon pricing and risk disclosure) and 'market shaping' (de-risking and policy support) to overcome investment barriers. In the context of Covid-19, it highlights the risk of 'colourless' recovery packages entrenching fossil fuel dependence and proposes integrating NDCs into investment plans, alleviating debt through climate swaps, utilizing multi-sovereign guarantee funds, and expanding green bond markets to support developing nations.

The NAP Global Network's 2020-2021 report highlights a shift toward short-term technical assistance via its Country Support Hub and a focus on transitioning from adaptation planning to implementation. Key achievements include supporting 20 countries with their first Adaptation Communications (ADCOMs), facilitating peer learning on gender-responsive action and conflict-sensitive planning, and developing knowledge products on climate and disaster risk finance and insurance (CDRFI). The Network's 2025 strategy emphasizes enhancing monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems and elevating underrepresented voices, particularly women, in adaptation decision-making.

The NAP Global Network provides demand-driven support to developing countries through long-term in-country programs and short-term technical inputs via its Country Support Hub. Over five years, the Network has helped countries like Colombia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, Kiribati, Peru, Saint Lucia, and South Africa achieve milestones including the adoption of NAP documents, the creation of sectoral adaptation strategies, and the establishment of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems. Key lessons emphasize that building trust-based relationships with government partners is essential and that a 'value chain' of technical assistance, peer learning, and knowledge resources accelerates the transition from planning to implementation.

The report analyzes the integration of climate and disaster risk finance and insurance (CDRFI) within National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes, finding that while insurance is widely mentioned—particularly for agriculture—there are significant opportunities to better utilize risk analytics, adaptive social protection, and diverse financial instruments to enhance climate resilience in developing countries.

The document outlines Saint Lucia's comprehensive climate policy environment, highlighting the role of the Department of Sustainable Development and the National Climate Change Committee in coordinating national efforts. It details the implementation of the National Adaptation Plan (2018-2028), the development of Sectoral Adaptation Strategies and Action Plans (SASAPs), and the submission of an Updated Nationally Determined Contribution in January 2021. The paper also examines the integration of gender considerations, the challenges of climate finance, and the emerging focus on loss and damage policy.