More climate funding coming for civil society groups

Local civil society organisations (CSOs) are to benefit from increased access to climate funding under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The five-year agreement was signed on March 19 following the EFJ’s 29th annual general meeting held at Liguanea Club in New Kingston.

An innovative partnership for environmental sustainability, the MOU will scale up financing for CSOs focused on climate action and restoring ecosystems. It covers projects in climate resilience, environmental governance, nature-based solutions, sustainable livelihoods and inclusive community development.

The objective is to bolster Jamaica’s environmental resilience, climate adaptation, and sustainable development. Under the agreement, the entities will work together to advance their shared goals through joint resource mobilisation and programme development, research and knowledge sharing, and stakeholder dialogues.

Chief Executive Officer of the EFJ, Nicole Adamson, said that the agreement is the outcome of discussion between the organisations to see how they can align their interests to have greater impact.

“We realise that ourselves and UNDP, as well as some other entities, have been trying to implement projects throughout Jamaica on a smaller scale, but if we were to partner and pool our resources, then we could have a greater impact there, and see [in the] longer term, more sustainable development and impact throughout Jamaica,” she pointed out. Resident Representative, UNDP Multi Country Office in Jamaica, Dr Kishan Khoday, said that the MOU will help to fill gaps and build capacity among local CSOs, as the country works to meet the targets under Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals.

“This MoU is a strategic piece of that puzzle to try to actually scale up and accelerate implementation of things like climate action and biodiversity protection,” he said. He noted that the EFJ has been a trusted partner on local action initiatives, working on things like biodiversity, climate action, water and security with communities.

The EFJ is the implementing partner of the Jamaica Urban Solutions for the Environment project, funded by Global Affairs Canada, providing fund management, project management and oversight responsibility for a range of local projects across Jamaica.

UNDP is the largest implementer of grants for climate action and ecosystem resilience in the United Nations system, globally and in the Caribbean. The Multi Country Office in Jamaica prioritises climate resilience, natural resource sustainability, and disaster risk management as core pillars for assistance.