Port of Spain, August 6, 2020 – With more intense hurricanes and climate extremes, mass sargassum influxes and the ongoing challenge of COVID-19, building resilience is a priority for Caribbean small island developing states (SIDS). A new report on “Rising to the climate challenge: Coastal and marine resilience in the Caribbean” from the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) highlights key lessons and innovations to build the resilience of coastal communities, livelihoods and the natural resources they depend on.

The report draws on ten years of work by CANARI and its partners across the Caribbean. Critical issues are highlighted including the need for action ‘on the ground’ focused on the needs of the most vulnerable, including women, youth, the very poor and key resources users such as fisherfolk. The report presents specific tools and methods that can be used by stakeholders managing coastal and marine resources – government, civil society and community groups, resource users and the private sector – to take action and build resilience using a participatory and socially inclusive approach. It also presents recommendations for funding agencies, policy makers and technical partners supporting management actions, including through the design and delivery of regional and national projects and programmes.

CANARI’s Executive Director, Nicole Leotaud, noted that “As we commit to transforming Caribbean economies coming out of the COVID-19 crisis, and tackling the climate crisis, the importance of building resilience is clear. We believe this new report can contribute to increased focus and investment in putting local communities and nature at the centre of our approach to ensure just, inclusive, sustainable and resilient development.”

The report was developed as part of two regional projects, Climate change adaptation in the fisheries of Anguilla and Montserrat project and Powering Innovations in Civil Society and Enterprises for Sustainability in the Caribbean (PISCES). These projects are being funded by the United Kingdom Government’s Darwin Initiative and the European Union, respectively.

The report can be downloaded in full here: https://canari.org/wp- content/uploads/2020/08/CANARI-Coastal-Marine-Resilience-Issue-Paper.pdf

About the projects: The Climate Change Adaptation in the Fisheries of Anguilla and Montserrat project aimed to mainstream climate change adaptation into fisheries management in Anguilla and Montserrat using an ecosystem approach to fisheries. It was jointly implemented by CANARI, the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources – Anguilla, the Fisheries and Ocean Resources Unit in the Ministry of Agriculture, Trade, Housing, Land and Environment (MATLHE) – Montserrat and the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES), University of the West Indies from 2017-2020. The project was funded by the Darwin Plus: Overseas Territories Climate and Environment Fund under the United Kingdom Government’s Darwin Initiative (DPLUS066). See: http://www.canari.org/climate-change-adaptation-in-the-fisheries-of-anguilla-and-montserrat.

The regional project, Powering Innovations in Civil Society and Enterprises for Sustainability in the Caribbean (PISCES), aims to address priority issues and needs by enhancing marine and coastal biodiversity conservation, sustainable livelihoods and socio-economic development. It is being implemented by CANARI in partnership with the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation (C-CAM), the Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations (CNFO), the Environmental Awareness Group (EAG), the Fondation pour la Protection de la Biodiversité Marine (FoProBiM), the Saint Lucia National Trust (SLNT) and Sustainable Grenadines Inc. (SusGren) from 2017-2021. This project is supported by the European Union (ENV/2016/380-530). See: https://canari.org/pisces

About CANARI: The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) is a regional technical non-profit organisation which has been working to promote and facilitate stakeholder participation in the stewardship of natural resources in the Caribbean for over 30 years. See: http://www.canari.org/.