Intervention Summary / Project Completion Review for projects below £1m that were approved
prior to January 2011.
Project Title: CARIBSAVE Caribbean Climate Change Risk Atlas (CCCRA) project
Aries #:
201634
The CARIBSAVE Partnership (CARIBSAVE) is a Not-For-Profit regional organization based in
the Caribbean. CARIBSAVE was formed in 2008 as a partnership between the Caribbean
Community Climate Change Centre (5Cs) and the University of Oxford.
CARIBSAVE stands for Caribbean Climate Change Tourism and Livelihoods Programme - a
sectoral approach to reducing vulnerability from climate change on the tourism industry and
those that rely on it, thereby boosting resilience.
Date Project Started: March 2010
Date Review Undertaken: June 2012
Why was UK support required and what did we provide?
The Caribbean is the most tourism dependent region in the world (over 25% of all earnings) and
one of the most vulnerable to predicted changes to the world's climate, as well as natural
disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes and volcanoes. Predicted sea level rise threatens the
viability of many coastal zones and small islands. On average, over 60% of the Caribbean
population and majority of economic activity and infrastructure are concentrated within 1.5 km
of coastline, so this is a substantial cause for concern.
Information on the impacts of climate change at country and destination level in the Caribbean
as well as for coastal communities was urgently needed to inform planning and adaptation
actions in the tourism sector. Resolution of global climate models was insufficient for small
islands and needed to be downscaled in order to support local decision making.
DFID’s funding of £750,000 (which followed on from a pilot in three sites1) provided ten
(10) countries with Climate Change Country Risk Profiles and action plans for the tourism sector.
They were produced for Anguilla, the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominican Republic, Grenada,
Jamaica, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Suriname Turks and Caicos2. Spatial data visualisation tools like
Google Earth ‘Fly In’ were used to convey beach and coastal impact results. A film series to boost
public awareness of the results and share good practice examples of adaptation in the region
(Climate change and tourism, Living shorelines and Caribbean fish sanctuaries) was also
produced.
Did the actual results achieved meet those we expected to achieve?
After a no cost extension, the outputs and results met our expectations and, in some cases,
exceeded them.
1
CARIBSAVE Seed Funding project pilot sites funded by DFID - Eleuthera in The Bahamas and Montego Bay and Negril in
Jamaica. Additional sites in St Lucia and Barbados funded by Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO)
2 AusAID supported a further five (5) country risk profiles i.e. Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Dominica, Nevis and St Vincent and
the Grenadines
Success indicators for this CCRA project were :
1. Baseline models and predications of the changes of climate on tourism and related
sectors produced in ten countries on a destination and national scale.
2. Increased public awareness, media communication material and activities.
3. Strengthened institutional capacity and knowledge base of the regional climate
modelling group.
4. Adaptive actions planned or adopted in the ten countries as a result of climate change
risk and vulnerability profiles, adaptive capacity assessments.
5. This work informs and is integrated into CDEMA/CTO Work Programme and assists in the
convergence between climate change risk scenarios and CDEMA Action Plans.
6. This work informs and is integrated into the Regional Advisory Committee on Gender and
Development /CARICOM COHSOD (Caribbean Community Council for Human and Social
Development) /UNIFEM (United Nations Development Fund for Women /UNDP (United
Nations Development Programme)/Regional Office, Institute of Gender and
Development Studies (Mona) Work Programme.
In the longer term:
1. Reduction of number of stakeholders and tourism-dependent communities at risk as
measured by maintenance of models and updating of vulnerability assessments in the
ten countries.
2. Plans for further replication of approaches, techniques and lessons to other countries in
the Caribbean Basin.
Information from the reports supported the region’s negotiating position that global warming
must be kept below 2 degrees, led to further work on loss and damage presented at United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC COP) and
helped prioritise adaptation support for small island developing states (SIDS) to reduce their
vulnerability.
Climate modelling projections under a medium to high greenhouse gas emission scenario (for
2020, 2050 and 2080 ) were undertaken, including assessments of the vulnerability of beaches
and coastal infrastructure to sea level rise (1-3m increase) and storm surges. Full details of the
data sets (temperature, precipitation, sea surface temperature etc) and time series /maps
produced are provided in the final project reports attached. Coastal impacts were shown through
Google Earth layers and used Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Digital Elevation
Modelling (DEM).
Participatory community livelihood impact analysis and vulnerability mapping was conducted at
key tourism destinations in each participating state, and examined how gender roles and relative
socio-economic status affects responses and ability to adapt. Action plans developed were
location specific. Elevation, distance from coast, local water availability, income and type of
livelihood all affect likely impact and make some more sensitive and or less able to cope.
Expanding work to more community sites and support of local climate change stakeholders in
use of the data is needed.
A review of the impact on inter-related sectors, namely agriculture and foods security, energy,
water quality and supply, disaster management, health and biodiversity and fisheries, was also
included as part of a holistic approach to understanding and tackling the risks. Some sector
studies were more robust than others depending on national data available (e.g. some sectors
struggled with out-dated data or it was difficult to identify share of tourism in the total).
The film series was shown at COP16, COP17 and UNESCO conferences as well at high level
country launch events in 6 states (at which, feedback was very positive). The films are available
on You-tube, Caribbean television networks and in secondary schools. They highlighted the
climate risks but also the opportunities and the importance of coastal ecosystems-mangroves
and coral reefs in protecting shorelines and coastal communities and the potential benefits of
fish sanctuaries/marine reserves.
All participating governments have endorsed the reports (through Ministry of Tourism, Foreign
Affairs or UNFCCC focal point), which several setting out how they intend to use or develop the
work further.
A one page synopsis, a summary report and links to full reports and data sets are available on
line from the Caribsave and Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre clearinghouse
websites. Summary reports /sheets have been used for wider dissemination amongst partners
and stakeholders.
Several projects expanding research and undertaking practical action followed on from the CCRA
programme e.g. sea level rise and coastal erosion studies for St Lucia under their Pilot
Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR), CCCCE-ARK (Climate Change, Coastal Community
Enterprises, Adaptation, Resilience and Knowledge) and C-Fish (Caribbean Fish Sanctuaries
Partnership Project) which build on strategic alliances between tourism, fisheries and craft sector
and adaptation action for coastal communities. The PAR-Ca project is expanding the scientific
and local knowledge from comparative sites in Canada and Caribbean on drivers of vulnerability
and capacity to adapt at community level.
The Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), the tourism sector lead for Caribbean
Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) framework, incorporated the production of CCCRA
Country Profiles in their work plan and showcased result at the 2012 annual Caribbean Tourism
Conference held In Guyana. UNIFEM, Bureau of Gender Affairs and UNDP helped ensure gender
and livelihood analysis considerations were comprehensively addressed in the vulnerability
mapping work. Members of the Caribbean Climate modelling group based at the University of
West Indies in Jamaica supported the data analysis and were involved in several staff exchanges
and provided with resource support.
National stakeholders benefitted from the new science, boosting their awareness of likely
impacts and work on potential losses and damages in the region enhanced the local and
international debate about priorities and key sectors at risk.
Use of the data sets by ministries is useful but only as a first step. Work now needs to be done to
integrate this climate risk information into national or community planning. Future uncertainty
and limits of data availability / model resolution are still an issue. More emphasis on capturing
tangible results and impact on target groups – particularly those relating to changes in risk or in
behaviour, is critical moving forward.
Coastal community activities are often seasonal. Men and woman are affected differently by
weather variability and find different ways to cope. Men were found to be more dependent on
natural resources (agriculture, fishing) for their livelihoods, as well as technical and mechanical
income generating work. Woman had higher unemployment rates, tended to be more
dependent on government agencies and engaged in education and health work. Generally men
were expected to be responsible for installing protective structures before slow onset events,
while women ensuring sufficient food stocks, cared for children and helped rebuild. Insurance
cover for climate related events is particularly low. Gender differences observed with respect to
financial security, social protection provisions and ownership can reinforce and make people
more vulnerable following disasters or weather extremes and variability and this should be
factored into adaptation responses.
Value for Money Assessment.
The project was delivered within budget but required an additional 12 months to complete the
work plan and obtain final endorsement by key ministries or focal points. These delays were
partly due to the inclusion of AusAID support for five additional countries, delays in approval
from some Governments but also the need for re-drafting to ensure high quality and accessible
reports for a range of target groups and audiences. We have made clear that all data should be
completely and freely available without conditions.
The broad and influential CARIBSAVE partnership base, the importance of tourism in the region
and strong outreach programme helped yield significant returns for our investment e.g.
 Work has been showcased at international climate events (UNFCCC COP 16-18) and
contributed evidence for negotiations;
 Our support has drawn in other donors e.g. AusAID have provided funds for another
five (5) countries in the region, follow on work;
 The programme has helped to consolidate the national and regional evidence base for
action and risk assessment;
 Adaptation projects (e.g. fish sanctuary support) are already being implemented at
national level to reduce risk and minimise losses due to climate variability and change.
Effort has also gone in to contain costs e.g. use of local and regional target action project teams
which also ensure sustainability and, where possible, combining activities to deliver value for
money. Programme design took on board the lessons learnt from the pilot programme we
supported3, especially in terms of making linkages4 and ensuring interdisciplinary exchange as
well as including gender analysis and impacts on livelihoods to strengthen the vulnerability
assessments.
3
CARIBSAVE Seed Funding project pilot studies (Eleuthera in The Bahamas and Montego Bay and Negril in Jamaica, St Lucia and
Barbados-funded by DFID and Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).
4 The Bahamas, Jamaica, Barbados, Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos coincide with the five beneficiary states of the
Regional Disaster Risk Management for Sustainable Tourism in Caribbean project (IDB funded and executed by CDEMA, CTO,
University of West Indies UWI and CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality-CROSQ).