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Barbados

This project introduces an innovative utility-led approach to scaling distributed clean energy in Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS), supporting GCF’s goal of expanding access to sustainable, affordable, and resilient renewable energy, particularly in underserved regions. 

 The Caribbean region faces intensifying climate impacts—including storms, floods, and rising temperatures—and remains reliant on fossil fuel-based electricity, a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Participating countries risk missing critical opportunities to decarbonise their energy sectors and adapt their systems to growing climate pressures without targeted investment. 

The Integrated Utility Services (IUS) project aims to accelerate the adoption of distributed renewable energy, energy efficiency, and other clean energy technologies. It combines customer education, installation support, and utility bill repayment to reduce upfront cost barriers. It also creates the conditions to scale this approach by strengthening institutional and regulatory frameworks and building the technical capacity of utilities. 

The project introduces an innovative utility-led approach to scaling clean energy that can be replicated across SIDS. By linking demand-side solutions with regulatory measures and innovative financing mechanisms, this project supports the development of more resilient and efficient energy systems.

Local CSOs and CBOs in landscapes-seascapes around the world access grant financing and technical assistance, including capacity development and knowledge sharing to maintain and enhance their socio-ecological resilience, well-being and socio-economic conditions for global environmental benefits.

Barbados is among the world's most water-scarce countries, with water abstraction levels exceeding 100 per cent of sustainable aquifer supply during periods of below-average rainfall. Agriculture, a major water consumer, is heavily affected by climate change, disrupting crop production and threatening food security. In addition, Barbados faces significant environmental degradation caused by inadequate wastewater treatment. In 2018, the ageing South Coast Sewage Treatment Plant experienced breakdowns and blockages, resulting in raw sewage flooding the streets and vital tourism areas, creating massive environmental and health hazards.

This project aims to increase Barbados’ water resilience to climate change. Its focus is on increasing water security, food sovereignty, and improving environmental conditions, particularly those of small-scale farmers and residents. Critical infrastructure, such as the South Coast Water Treatment Plant, will be upgraded to efficiently deliver reclaimed water for agricultural irrigation and aquifer recharge.

The project introduces a novel financing approach through a “Debt-for-Climate Conversion” or debt swap, which will create fiscal space and generate savings over time, allowing Barbados to invest in climate-resilient infrastructure.

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Caribbean are highly vulnerable to climate change, which affects crucial economic sectors such as tourism, agriculture, and fishing. Rising sea levels and changing weather patterns threaten natural habitats and increase the severity of natural disasters. Despite minimal contributions to global emissions, SIDS in the Caribbean face significant economic risks, with projected annual losses of USD 22 billion by 2050, making emissions reduction essential.

The Caribbean Net-Zero and Resilient Private Sector programme supports climate resilient investments in the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. Focusing on agriculture, sustainable infrastructure, renewable energy, transport, and the blue economy, the programme aims to overcome investment barriers by providing advisory services and blended finance solutions. It also emphasises gender mainstreaming to close gender and diversity gaps in the region.  

Moreover, the programme aims to scale up private climate finance through local actors by combining advisory services with concessional financing from GCF, which will enhance the region's climate resilience and sustainable development. By mobilising 3.4 times the funding from IDB Invest and other co-financiers, it will help reduce the existing climate finance gap for SIDS in the Caribbean region.

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Barbados

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Adaptation Fund

Climate Investment Funds

Green Climate Fund

Global Environment Facility