The Secretary-General joined climate finance advisers and technical experts from the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub in a virtual meeting to mark the success of recent applications in Tonga and Antigua and Barbuda.
The Secretary-General joined climate finance advisers and technical experts from the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub in a virtual meeting to mark the success of recent applications in Tonga and Antigua and Barbuda.
In Tonga, climate finance adviser Othniel Yila helped the country become the first Pacific Island to secure an adaptation planning grant from the Green Climate Fund. The grant of over US$1.6million will help the Tongan Government adapt effectively to climate change impacts such as increased temperature, increased intensity of tropical cyclones, and sea level rise.
In a first for the Caribbean, climate finance adviser Martin Barriteau helped Antigua and Barbuda secure funding for an Enhanced Direct Access project from the Green Climate Fund. The project will help build the resilience of individuals, businesses and communities by awarding grants and loans towards activities such as increasing the resilience of homes and buildings.
Participants from many parts of the Commonwealth including the Africa, Pacific and Caribbean regions shared their experiences and ideas on the video call.
Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said:
“There has never been a greater need for us to share experience and knowledge to build resilience. Pioneering progress made in one country can offer solutions for others, saving time and resources in identifying successful approaches. The climate is changing and won’t wait. Communities across our Commonwealth are already facing climate change impacts including increased extreme weather events, drought and coastal erosion.
“The Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub has proved that by sharing with others what works and what doesn’t work, we can accelerate the pace of climate action. I am incredibly grateful to everyone that is part of the Hub and urge you all to keep the conversation going so that more countries are able to replicate these successes.”
The Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub helps some of the most climatically vulnerable countries in the world access the money they need to tackle climate change.
The Hub has now secured a total of US$33.6 million in climate finance for Commonwealth countries, with a further US$572.6 million in the pipeline.
The Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub will organise further virtual sessions for Commonwealth countries to share lessons from successful climate finance grant applications.
