Capacity building at different levels is a key requirement to mainstream climate change into the sector and national planning process and for effective planning, budgeting and implementation of adaptation measures. To enhance adaptive capacity in the country, the climate change framework referred to previously was developed with the aim of guiding Saint Vincent and the Grenadines towards a green, low-emission and climate resilient development pathway, the overarching objective of which is to pursue the creation of a resilient nation. 

To support, align and compliment the national climate change framework, this Readiness Grant has the goal of strengthening Saint Vincent and the Grenadine’s National Adaptation Planning by enhancing its national adaptation planning capacity and accelerate its National Adaptation Plan implementation to build the country’s climate resilience. The goal builds on the outputs and outcomes of previous and on-going adaptation projects and readiness initiatives in SVG. builds on the outputs and outcomes of previous and on-going adaptation projects and readiness initiatives in SVG.

This Readiness Grant is also aligned to Saint Vincent and the Grenadine’s portfolio of GCF Readiness and Preparatory Support projects focusing on country programming, gender responsiveness, private sector mobilization and civil society engagement.

To achieve the goal of this Readiness Grant, a number of barriers need to be overcome. Among the major barriers that have hindered SVG’s efforts to realize its national adaptation planning thus far include:

1. Absence of a properly constituted, formalized institutional and decision- making framework within the country to undertake adaptation planning and implementation.
2. Absence of a structured approach to research, monitoring, evaluation and learning to provide the evidence basis in the form of data and information to inform climate change adaptation planning and implementation in SVG.
3. There is no mechanism for formal engagement of the non-state sector especially the private sector in adaptation planning and implementation in SVG.
4. Inadequate funding to finance national adaptation planning and implementation.

A consultative, inclusive, gender responsive and science-based approach will be utilized in the implementation of the programme.

The goal of this Readiness Grant2 is in line with the country’s approved National Adaptation Plan (NAP) and will contribute towards the objectives of the NAP which are:

(a) Promote an enabling environment to facilitate the mainstreaming of climate change adaptation into the planning, budgeting and implementation processes of the public and private sectors and civil society

(b) Improve the capacity for data and information collection, analysis and sharing

(c) increase access to technology and financing for adaptation and

(d) Implement adaptive actions geared towards increased resilience of the Vincentian population.