{"id":136766,"date":"2021-09-07T08:45:18","date_gmt":"2021-09-07T12:45:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/?p=136766"},"modified":"2021-09-07T10:04:10","modified_gmt":"2021-09-07T14:04:10","slug":"antigua-and-6-other-caribbean-countries-to-benefit-from-new-grant-of-us13-9-million-to-support-biodiversity-conservation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antiguanewsroom.com\/antigua-and-6-other-caribbean-countries-to-benefit-from-new-grant-of-us13-9-million-to-support-biodiversity-conservation\/","title":{"rendered":"Antigua and 6 other Caribbean countries to benefit from New grant of US$13.9 million to support biodiversity conservation"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Helping communities conserve biodiversity, build resilience to climate change and pursue sustainable development will be the focus of a new five-year, US$13.9 million grant-making and capacity-building program launched by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) in the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot.<\/p>

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Civil society organisations\u2014including community-based groups, nongovernmental organisations, academia and the private sector\u2014will be eligible for the grants. The countries targeted by the funding are Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.<\/p>\n

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CEPF is a joint initiative of l\u2019Agence Fran\u00e7aise de D\u00e9veloppement, Conservation International, the European Union, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan and the World Bank. The fund empowers civil society organisations to protect the world\u2019s biodiversity hotspots<\/strong><\/a>\u2014the most biologically diverse yet threatened terrestrial ecosystems\u2014and help communities thrive.<\/p>

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The new investment in the Caribbean Islands will be financed through the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund \u2013 Caribbean Hotspot Project of the World Bank, using funds provided by the Government of Japan.<\/p>

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CEPF will have a regional implementation team (RIT) based at the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute<\/strong><\/a> (CANARI). The team will help implement CEPF\u2019s strategy by directly supporting grantees in the hotspot. CEPF and the RIT will also work with Instituto Tecnol\u00f3gico de Santo Domingo<\/strong> <\/a>(INTEC) to establish networks and partnerships among conservation organisations, government agencies, private businesses and communities.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe CEPF grants will enable groups to build and apply local knowledge and skills to address the biodiversity crisis and climate challenges,\u201d said Olivier Langrand, executive director of CEPF. \u201cThis local conservation leadership will guide the people of the Caribbean Islands in protecting their unique nature and the services it provides. In addition, keeping natural systems intact contributes to the prevention of diseases transmitted from animals to people, such as COVID-19.\u201d<\/p>

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“This funding will ensure that green growth and climate-smart development are at the forefront of economic recovery in the Caribbean by strengthening and supporting civil society organisations. It aligns with the World Bank’s Climate Change Action Plan, <\/a>which supports the strengthening of climate adaptation and resilience in developing countries,” said Lilia Burunciuc, World Bank Country Director for the Caribbean.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt is an important moment for our region as we recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and deal with the impacts of climate change, including extreme weather,\u201d said Nicole Leotaud, executive director and managing partner of CANARI. \u201cOur grantees will work with Caribbean communities to build the health and resilience of the ecosystems that support our livelihoods, culture and well-being. Recent events have taught us just how important it is to have resilient systems and organisations that can withstand shocks.\u201d<\/p>

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CEPF previously invested US$6.9 million in the Caribbean Islands Biodiversity Hotspot from 2010 to 2016. CANARI also served as the RIT for that investment, during which grants were awarded to 68 civil society organisations in eight countries. Projects focused on sustainable agriculture, agroforestry, protecting watersheds, and nature-based tourism to support rural community development as well as food security.<\/p>

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Some grantee results from the initial investment include:<\/p>\n

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