Caribbean Civil Society Partnership by BridgeCaribbean

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Pitch

A tailored and demand-led outreach project to foster civil society partnership and community adaptation in the vulnerable Caribbean region

Description

Summary

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is made up of 15 small and low-lying islands that are home to 17 million people with high vulnerability to natural and economic shocks. Climate change poses an urgent threat, especially sea-level rise, fresh-water scarcity and extreme weather events. Unlike their northern neighbors, Caribbean states recognize the urgent threat and the need for strong political will (i.e. Liliendaal Declaration). Since 1997, they have made progress to study vulnerability, downsize climate models and establish research stations. Regrettably, the reliance is on top-down approaches with scarce attention to community-based adaptation. This is where grassroots and nongovernment organizations are vital: advocating change, designing innovative projects, accountability and improving trust in the community. Moreover, transformative change cannot occur without civil society: challenging power imbalances and pushing for institutional and legal reform (Canales, 2011; Chishakwe et al., 2012; Agrawal et al., 2008).

Unfortunately, these organizations work in isolation. In 2012, the Commonwealth Foundation undertook the largest consultations with civil society in the Caribbean to understand their perspective of development and vulnerability. It underscored the risk communities face to climate change but  also revealed that there is little collaboration among grassroots and local nongovernment organizations. Despite their call for greater partnership, cooperation among civil society has stalled due to geography and declining resources. The Caribbean Civil Society Partnership utilizes technology and expertise to bridge this divide and foster civil society partnership across the 15 CARICOM states. It will be the first of its kind in the Caribbean - tailored to local issues, culture and communication to enable knowledge sharing and collaboration as well as scaling up local projects, increase access to information, climate funds and planning tools.

Category of the action

Adaptation

What actions do you propose?

Recent years have seen the proliferation of numerous climate portals; demonstrating the growing need for knowledge sharing and collaboration across communities, practitioners, researchers and policy-makers. However, despite their aim to empower communities and facilitate partnership; ironically, many portals are supply driven and operate largely in isolation. Promising signs are seen among the largest of these climate and development portals and the first steps towards a community of best practice is witnessed in the informal Climate Knowledge Brokers Group (CDKN and GIZ, 2012) and Knowledge Brokers’ Forum. The Caribbean Civil Society Partnership is based on these early lessons to create a demand-led climate initiative for partnership in the Caribbean, while leveraging other climate portals to ensure long-term success.

We do not need to re-invent the wheel and instead seek to design a project in collaboration with other knowledge brokers in the field of climate change and development. This means not being a one-stop shop or duplicating the work of other organizations; but building a regional network in the Caribbean which will connect to other regional and global climate networks.

Links to other climate portals:

• Google Custom Search which will direct users to recommended climate sites if information is not available on ours
• REEGLE with automated tagging API: an intelligent search tool and built-in glossary of terms
• RSS feeds to add relevant content from other sites including Eldis, Livelihoods Direct, Earth News Bulletin and the Panos Caribbean media network
• Sharing the platform with global climate portals, as pioneered by WeADAPT and Knowledge Navigator. Also potential for joint marketing
• Connect with CCCCC’s Stock Take of government projects in the Caribbean, WeADAPT’s Climate Information Portal and ALM

A survey of the top 20 climate portals worldwide found that only three make mention of adaptation projects in the Caribbean and none include local Caribbean nongovernment organizations: CRiSTAL includes one project in Haiti; WeADAPT has one project in Belize; and ALM lists ten projects; though only the work of large development agencies is included. In 2005, CARICOM established the CCCCC as a clearinghouse and focal point of government coordination on climate change. Also to deliver projects funded by large international development agencies. They do not represent nongovernment organizations but are keen to work in partnership with our project to reach out to Caribbean civil society. In fact, this July they are launching a risk management toolkit for government planning and finance (CCORAL), which they wish to adapt at a later stage for civil society users in partnership with our project.

As mentioned earlier, civil society in the Caribbean is failing to work together on climate change and development, a situation worsened by falling and redirected ODA and widespread emigration (between 55-89% in the region). Consultations reveal the need for greater partnership to better access donors, share knowledge and expertise, learn lessons of best practice and strengthen their collective voice (Stakeholder Forum, 2008; Commonwealth Foundation, 2005). This initiative aims to foster partnership between under-represented grassroots and local nongovernment organizations in the Caribbean; and connect these organizations with global players. However it is not enough to simply be better connected. The project is designed to foster a community of best practice, encourage collaborative and scaling up of community-based projects, and increase access to financial and human resources.

PROJECT DETAILS

The Caribbean Civil Society Partnership will undertake twin activities: the development of a Web-based Portal and a dedicated Knowledge Management Team. In some ways the knowledge management team will be more important to first reach out to local organizations, develop the overall strategy, actively grow the network, seek new partnerships with other climate portals and monitor and evaluate to ensure tools are being effectively used. There will be outreach on traditional and social media; as well as identification of key Caribbean experts, or ‘trust agents’. The knowledge management team will also follow-up with all member organizations and produce a quarterly newsletter of civil society activities, areas of interest and events. Finally, the team will maintain up-to-date lists of climate funds and links to crowdfunding such as KIVA, EcoMicro and MicroPlace.

Overall, it is insufficient to simply assume that if you “build it they will come”. It takes time for users to get up to speed with new initiatives and this is where the team will facilitate the overall process of engagement. Promising services include hosting webinars for training and online discussions, podcasts with local radio, field trips to new community-based projects and briefs of new participatory learning approaches.

Organizations across the environment and development spheres will be included. Already 60 have been identified for the initial consultations to begin mapping civil society organizations across the 15 states, reaching out with initial questionnaires and telephone interviews, then followed with meetings on each of the islands. These in-depth consultations will not only inform the design of the tools of the project and encourage early buy-in; they will also establish a complete picture of local activities – becoming the first clearinghouse of community-based projects and programs in the Caribbean.

The web-based portal will be based on the promising work of AfricaAdapt with a demand led interface tailored to the local culture, traditional knowledge and modes of communication. Some elements will be designed in advance, but others will emerge through consultations as well as evolve organically over time. Some of the tailored services that will be discussed:

• Directory of grassroots and nongovernment organizations as well as CSO Ministerial contacts
• Clearinghouse of community-led adaptation projects with links to other directories such as Stock Take, ALM and WeADAPT
• Links to useful risk management tools such as CCORAL and the Caribbean Weather Impact Group (CARWIG)
• Maintained list of climate funds and crowdfunding sources such as KIVA, EcoMicro and MicroPlace
• Online library with links to such services as Eldis and Panos Caribbean
• Multimedia & multilingual content including participatory photography and video
• Hosting webinars & podcasts
• Adobe Creative Cloud for coordinating specific funding proposals and projects between users
• Online forum for emerging issues and problems

On the site, local voices and testimonials will be given equal footing to climate science and modelling. In addition, consultations will be run prior to launch including questionnaires, interviews and an initial focus group held in Trinidad & Tobago where there is already government support with the newly established Civil Society Board. These consultations will not only discover what tools and services are most effective but understand a) what organizations want to do that they cannot currently do owing to lack of information and resources; and b) how they search for new information and partners.

Lastly, there will be a formal launch hopefully held in partnership with CCCCC and government policy-makers. This will not only raise early awareness of the initiative but also include the added benefit of bringing many of these organizations together with government policy-makers. Technology has made great strides and much can be accomplished through email, webinars, cloud technology, and online networks; however, lasting partnerships are created through trust and face-to-face contact. Ideally an annual meeting would be held on a different island each year, subject to funds. In time, in time incorporating an award for most innovative project.

SUMMARY

Audience: Grassroots and local nongovernment organizations based in the Caribbean

Knowledge sharing is encouraged with international organizations, policy-makers, development agencies, scientists, private sector and the general public but the tools and strategy will be designed specifically for local and under-represented civil society organizations.

Purpose

• Improve access to information
• Promote collaboration between grassroots and local nongovernment organizations across the Caribbean and internationally
• Support knowledge sharing of community-based adaptation and communities of best practice
• Improve access to climate funds
• Strengthen the collective voice of civil society, especially for institutional and legal reform

Content

• Case studies & projects including lessons learned
• Multimedia & multilingual content
• Links to global publications such as Eldis and Earth News Bulletin
• Expert opinion
• News & Events
• Links to CCCCC Stock Take database and global climate portals
• Links to decision-making and risk management tools such as CCORAL and CARWIG

Subject Focus

• Community-based adaptation
• Climate compatible development
• Decision-making processes in the region
• Ecosystem-based services
• Disaster risk reduction
• Marine environment
• Agriculture

FINAL THOUGHTS

As it is often said, adaptation policies need not start from scratch. “People have been managing climate hazards for centuries”; a reality that forms the starting point for approaches such as community vulnerability and resilience frameworks and local adaptive capacity (Prowse and Scott, 2008). Despite this, the majority of climate change initiatives focus on top-down interventions. For example, 85% of all priority projects identified by the NAPAs pay little to no attention to local communities and institutions (Agrawal et al., 2009). Community-based adaptation challenges this traditional top-down approach. Although small and low-lying island states require large-scale interventions and infrastructure such as coastal protection and early warning systems, these will not be enough for the Caribbean. Vulnerability can be greatly reduced and local adaptive capacity strengthened though inductive socio-economic solutions, rooted in the existing coping strategies of communities and individuals to risk (Huq and Reid 2007). Community-based adaptation partners indigenous and scientific knowledge, hand-in-hand, to build community-led initiatives, with the long-term aim of scaling up and feeding into higher-level processes.

Civil society organizations are ideally positioned to undertake such work, with small initiatives already beginning in the Caribbean region. The barrier, however, is that these projects are working in isolation and many more cannot get off the ground due to geography, lack of expertise and financial resources. Climate change is an urgent and common threat to the region. Sea-level rise, heat waves and extreme weather events are not isolated to political boundaries. Caribbean organisations dedicated to the environment, development and governance need to start communicating and working together to safeguard the people and communities of the Caribbean.

Who will take these actions?

The web portal will be designed and maintained by Cubeworks. Partnership will be sought with regional and international organizations such as CaribSAVE, UWI, CDKN, Commonwealth Foundation and climate portals as mentioned above. Specifically, the CCCCC has shown interest in partnering with this project.

Laurel Murray is a research/policy consultant in climate change and development. Her background lies in both the sciences and political science with a focus on the politics of climate change and emerging field of community-based adaptation. She also has experience running workshops, focus groups, podcasts and marketing and communications. Laurel brings her knowledge of climate change and civil society engagement; as well as her experience co-running a similar knowledge-sharing platform dedicated to UNFCCC negotiators. She will lead the Knowledge Management Strategy and design of the web-based portal in collaboration with other knowledge brokers in the field.

Jonathan Greaves is a recruitment specialist within the global commodity sectors. His expertise lies in identifying and matching individuals to specific needs, usually centered on start-up projects in niche sectors. He is skilled at mapping new commodity markets and lends this expertise to mapping the Caribbean civil society network. He also speaks three of the four languages in the region and is adept at establishing and matching needs with potential partners. Jonathan brings his experience in market research and conducting interviews, especially for the initial outreach and consultations of the project.

Deepti Sastry is a performance/accountability advisor for a large relief and development organization. She refines the delivery of programs in the field, evaluates processes and translates the concepts of quality and accountability into practice. She will advise throughout and offer guidance on monitoring the project’s performance and wider impact on communities of practice.

Where will these actions be taken?

The base will be in Belize where CCCCC is also located. The actions will be taken across the 15 member states of CARICOM: Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad & Tobago.

Overseas Territories are not included but could be phased in at a later stage. 

What are other key benefits?

Climate change is not only a global environment problem; it is a barrier to development especially for the world’s poor. Fortunately, climate change adaptation can work in tandem with poverty-reduction, health and institutional reform. In fact it was former Assistant Secretary-General, Dr. Edward Greene, who spoke of CARICOM’s collective action on climate change as a pillar for functional integration – reinforcing a bond and collaboration across the constellation of islands. Now dedicated action is needed to bridge civil society, not just government, across the fields of climate change, development, health, disaster risk reduction, coastal resource management and agriculture.

What are the proposal’s costs?

The Caribbean and Civil Partnership is a multi-year project. The first two years are expected to cost $96,000 USD. The design of the web-based portal will be $10,000 USD with another $10,000 USD towards maintenance. The remaining sum will be dedicated to the knowledge management team; specifically travel, consultations, the focus group and outreach. 

The $10,000 USD competition prize money would be put towards initial consultations and the development of a beta site.

Time line

Related proposals

Proposal also submitted to another Climate CoLab contest: Adaptation and Civil Society Groups

References

Agrawal, Arun, Perrin, Nicolas, Chhatre, Ashwini, Benson, Catherine, Kononen, Minna. (2009). Climate Policy Processes, Local Institutions, and Adaptation Actions. Social Dimensions of Climate Change. Issue 119.

Canales, Nella (2011). Civil Society and the Integration of Climate Change Risks into Planning and Policy-making. CARE Peru.

CDKN and GIZ (2012). Climate and Development Knowledge Brokers Workshop Report. By the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN).

Chishakwe, Nyasha, Murray, Laurel and Chambwera Muyeye (2012). Building Climate Change Adaptation on Community Experiences: Lessons from Community-Based Natural Resource Management in Southern Africa. International Institute for Environment and Development.

Commonwealth Foundation (2005). Breaking with Business as Usual: Perspectives from Civil Society in the Commonwealth on the Millennium Development Goals.

Commonwealth Foundation (In Progress). Breaking Point: The post-2015 MDG agenda.

Downes, Andrew (2005). Progress Towards Achieving The Millennium Development Goals in the Small States of the Commonwealth. Commonwealth Secretariat.

Huq, Saleemul and Reid, Hannah (2007). Community-Based Adaptation: A Vital Approach to the Threat Climate Change Poses to the Poor. International Institute for Environment and Development

Huq, Saleemul (2008). Community-based Adaptation. Tiempo. Issue 68.

Liliendaal Declaration (2009). Issued by the Thirtieth Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community. Georgetown, Guyana.

Murray, Laurel (In Print). Perspectives from Civil Society on the Millennium Development Goals and Post-2015 Agenda: A Focus on Small States and Vulnerability. Commonwealth Foundation.

Stakeholder Forum (2008). A Synthesis Document of Global Stakeholder Inputs. Prepared for the UN High Level Event on the Millennium Development Goals 2008.