The National Designated Authority (NDA) of the government of Antigua and Barbuda, Ambassador Diann Black-Layne, today signed its readiness grant agreement with the Green Climate Fund (GCF).

A signing ceremony between Ambassador Black-Layne of the Ministry of Health and the Environment and GCF’s Executive Director Héla Cheikhrouhou took place on the sidelines of the latest climate change negotiation meeting in Bonn, Germany (ADP 11-2).

With a grant of USD 300,000, the Caribbean country will put in place the preliminary infrastructure needed for GCF to extend its support to the two-island country’s larger-scale climate adaptation initiatives.

Antigua and Barbuda intends to use the grant to increase the capabilities of its Ministry of Health and Environment in coordinating with other ministries on GCF, and to design and implement a knowledge management system to facilitate proper organization of climate financing projects.

Once these support systems are in place, the country aims to propose projects for GCF funding largely centred on combating droughts and floods—weather events that have become more common in the island nation.

“My government is looking forward to working closely with Héla and her team at the GCF for the full and efficient implementation of the Country’s INDC,” explained Ambassador Black-Layne. “Antigua and Barbuda and the Caribbean is being impacted by climate change and the resources provided by the Fund will be an absolute need for our region,” she explained. “We thank the Executive Director and her staff for their help with this process.”

Climate change financing for adaptation efforts of small island developing states (SIDS) is a priority of GCF. Fifty per cent of the Fund’s adaptation funding is earmarked for SIDS, least developed countries (LDCs), and African states.

Given their high vulnerability to the effects of climate change, SIDS have been among the first countries to benefit from the Fund’s support. In addition to Antigua and Barbuda, the Fund has also committed readiness support to Comoros, Cook Islands, Dominican Republic, and the Federated States of Micronesia.

To date, GCF has finalized readiness proposals with 17 countries for a total of USD 4.6 million.