Building a Climate-Smart Zone Together

As we move forward in our shared mission to create a climate-smart Caribbean, we are proud to share the next chapter in our journey. Building on the momentum of the first quarter of 2025, the Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator (CCSA) continues to make meaningful progress in strengthening the region’s climate resilience. Thanks to your ongoing support, we are advancing impactful initiatives that safeguard our communities, ecosystems, and economies from the growing threats of climate change.

Growing Resilience: Advancing Climate-Smart Agriculture Across the Caribbean

• Our Climate-Smart Agriculture initiative made strong progress, moving from planning to implementation. Hydroponic units were installed across four Caribbean countries, local partners were actively engaged, and a regional onboarding session brought participants together to begin planting—marking a key transition from setup to cultivation. What began as a pilot is now producing food, building skills, and making an impact in schools, community centers, and farms throughout the region.
• Each country is now tailoring the program to meet local needs. In some areas, it’s being integrated into broader initiatives around community resilience and education, while others are using early data to inform future scaling. Newly joined countries are preparing for training sessions to extend the initiative’s reach, and additional regional engagement signals growing interest in expansion.
• Overall, the initiative is helping to enhance food security, create learning opportunities, and strengthen local resilience. Each new hydroponic unit reflects a shared commitment to a more sustainable, climate-smart future for the Caribbean.

Powering Early-Stage Ventures with Catalytic Support

• CCSA’s Innovation Fund moved from vision to execution, building real momentum in its mission to support Caribbean-led climate solutions. 
• This quarter, seven high-potential ventures were awarded scholarships through the Project Preparation Facility. These projects were selected based on their potential to drive measurable climate impact, create local economic opportunities, and scale across island contexts. 
• Selected project proponents will participate in a five-month programme designed to strengthen their technical foundation, sharpen their business models, and improve their ability to attract capital. Each venture will receive dedicated support tailored to its stage of development, including guidance on structuring investment, refining impact metrics, and engaging with funders.

Enhancing Data-Driven Decision Support in the Climate-Smart Map

• With the support of our data partners, CCSA continues the technical development of the Climate Smart Map by enhancing data granularity, integrating new geospatial and socioeconomic datasets, and refining analytical capabilities. 
• This ongoing work strengthens the platform’s utility as a decision-support tool, enabling more precise risk assessments, investment planning, and policy formulation. 
• The enriched data infrastructure underpins the production of targeted, evidence-based reports that support innovation, climate resilience, and sustainable economic development across the Caribbean’s climate-smart zone.

Advocacy for Financial Innovation

• In March 2025, a major step forward for climate finance in the Caribbean was realized with the official launch of the GFANZ Caribbean Chapter. Announced at the Sustainable Energy for All Global Forum in Barbados, the new chapter brings together leading financial institutions and development partners to support regional alignment with net-zero goals and increase climate-aligned investment.
• CCSA played a key role in supporting the development of the chapter. From early coordination to shaping the regional focus, CCSA helped ensure the chapter’s design reflected the Caribbean’s unique financing needs and opportunities. CEO Racquel Moses was appointed Chair of the GFANZ Caribbean Chapter’s Consultative Group, underscoring CCSA’s trusted position as a regional convenor and bridge-builder between sectors.
• CCSA is helping to shape one of the Caribbean’s most promising conservation finance strategies by promoting the use of sustainable and green financial instruments by sovereigns
• This effort aims to unlock new capital for marine protection and climate adaptation across the region.
• CCSA delivered technical sessions during the Caribbean NDC Finance Investment Forum in Grenada and the Global Sustainable Island Summit 2025 in St. Kitts and Nevis, socialising regional stakeholders to advance understanding of debt-for-nature strategies. 
• Across each of these forums, CCSA served as both a technical resource and convener, sharing insights, scoping financing models, and facilitating high-level engagement with country representatives and development finance institutions.

Looking Ahead

Join us in transforming the Caribbean’s future by supporting the achievement of our remaining goal of $14,768. Your investment will:

• fuel vital data-driven tools for decision making
• enable innovative farming projects that empower communities, boost food security, and build lasting climate resilience across the region.
• supports our advocacy for the development of innovative and relevant financial solutions for the Caribbean  

Together, we can drive sustainable growth and protect our islands from climate risks — help us make climate-smart solutions a reality today!

Links:

• CCSA's Climate Smart Map