An integrated approach to physical adaptation and community resilience in Antigua and Barbuda’s northwest McKinnon’s watershed

Category: MCF

Antigua and Barbuda McKinnon's Watershed Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resilience Project

This project, submitted by the Department of Environment of Antigua and Barbuda to the Adaptation Fund, seeks US$9,970,000 to implement an integrated approach to physical adaptation and community resilience in the northwest McKinnon’s watershed. The core purpose is to reduce community vulnerability by enhancing the watershed's capacity to manage extreme rainfall and simultaneously increasing the resilience of the built environment to multiple climate change stressors. The project aims to ensure the community can withstand projected climate change impacts while ecosystems accommodate increased rainfall. Key objectives include: 1. Implementing concrete adaptation actions along 3 km of urban and semi-urban waterways using ecosystem-based approaches (like wetland restoration for disease vectors) and engineering solutions (like drainage and retention ponds) to build resilience against extreme hydro-meteorological events and latest climate change projections. 2. Establishing a revolving fund mechanism to disburse concessional loans to vulnerable households and businesses, enabling them to meet new adaptation guidelines and standards for built infrastructure (e.g., water harvesting, hurricane shutters, mosquito screens, water storage) to cope with extreme climate variability. 3. Supporting social adaptive capacity and local ownership through community-awarded contracts and enhancing the climate resilience of community buildings (such as centers, schools, and clinics) to withstand hurricanes and droughts and serve as shelters. The project targets the Coastal Infrastructure, Buildings and Environment, and Livelihoods sectors within the specified watershed. The provided text does not specify deadlines, compliance dates, or specific regulation/statute names beyond the project's own proposed guidelines and standards.

REQUEST FOR PROJECT/PROGRAMME
FUNDING FROM THE ADAPTATION FUND
An integrated approach to physical adaptation and community resilience in
Antigua and Barbuda’s northwest McKinnon’s watershed
Submitted by the
Department of Environment
Government of Antigua and Barbuda
Accredited National Implementing Entity to the Adaptation Fund
The Adaptation Fund Board Secretariat
1818 H Street NW
MSN P4-400
Washington, D.C., 20433
U.S.A
Fax: +1 (202) 522-3240/5
Email: afbsec@adaptation-fund.org
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PROJECT/PROGRAMME PROPOSAL TO THE ADAPTATION FUND
Project/Programme Category: Program
Country: Antigua and Barbuda
Sectors: Coastal Infrastructure, Buildings and Environment,
Livelihoods
Title of Project/Programme: An integrated approach to physical adaptation
and community resilience in Antigua and
Barbuda’s northwest McKinnon’s watershed
Type of Implementing Entity: National Implementing Entity
Implementing Entity: Department of Environment
Ministry of Health and The Environment
Executing Entity: Department of Environment
Amount Requested: US$9,970,000*
*Does not include Project Preparation Grant ($30,000)
Project Background and Context:
Geographical Context
Antigua and Barbuda is a twin-island state located in the eastern region of the Caribbean
Sea (Figure 1). The country’s land area consists of two large islands – Antigua and
Barbuda – with many smaller inhabited and uninhabited offshore islands. The twin island
state lies on a 3,400-km2 sub-marine plateau and have an exclusive economic zone of
approximately 110,071 km2 – significantly larger than Antigua’s landmass of 280 km2.
Antigua is fringed by 25 km2 of coral reef on its north, east and south coasts, and by sandy
beaches on the west coast, all of which are vital to the country’s tourism and fisheries
sectors. Barbuda is a flat coral island with an area of 161 km2, predominantly consisting
of limestone flats.
Antigua’s topography is varied, comprising three distinct geological zones: i) a
mountainous region of volcanic soils in the southwest; ii) central plains of clay-like soils
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stretching to the east; and iii) limestone hills in the north. The highest point of the island
is Mount Obama/Boggy Peak at 402 m, located on the southwest corner of the island.
Figure 1. Geographical location of Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean1
Socio-economic Context

Tags: Adaptation, Adaptation Planning, Biodiversity, Buildings, Cities, Climate Change, Climate Change Risks, Climate Finance, Climate Fund, Climate Protection, Co Benefits, Compliance, Development, Disaster Risk Management, Disease Prevention, Drr, Energy Storage, Environmental Degradation, Finance, Funding, Governance, Green Investments, Guidance, Health, Healthy Environment, Housing, Incentive, Infrastructure, Institutions / Administrative Arrangements, Investment, Land Use, Loan, Meteorology, Natural Resources, Planning, Policy, Procurement, Regulation, Rivers, Spatial Planning, Technology, Water, Water Management, Wetlands

Sector: Multi-sector

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