Key sectors to benefit from climate resilience project

A NUMBER of key sectors will benefit from technical support to boost climate-change resilience under a US$19.8 million programme, which was officially launched on Thursday.

The project, the first Adapta-tion Programme implemented by the Inter-American Develop-ment Bank (IDB) under the Pilot Programme for Climate Resi-lience, will provide strategies and action plans for the water, health, and tourism sectors, as well as coastal resources and human settlements.

Minister of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change, Robert Pickersgill, said the initiative is integral to the country's adaptive response to climate change and will build on the work that has already begun in fostering strong programmatic action to address the issue.

strong support

Speaking at a ceremony to launch the programme at Hotel Four Seasons in St Andrew, Pickersgill said that agencies and stakeholders would receive strong financial and technical support.

He noted that an integral part of the programme is the training of all climate change focal points across ministries, as well as policymakers.

Focus will be placed on mainstreaming climate change into development planning; providing information on novel approaches, including climate financing, to overcoming the challenges of climate change; and disseminating lessons learned from adaptation interventions.

Important, the programme will also implement integrated adaptation strategies in the vulnerable Upper Rio Minho Watershed to include the implementation of land-management and soil-conservation measures, as well as livelihood and resilience-building activities.