Participatory research to enhance climate change policy and institutions in the Caribbean: ARIA toolkit pilot 27 th meeting of the CANARI Partnership January 29 – 30, 2015 Trinidad and Tobago

Introduction 1 year project: January 2013(got started March/April) Funded by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN): US$90,000 Implementation partners: – Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) – lead regional NGO – World Resources Institute (WRI) - international capacity building and comparative research Adaptation Rapid Institutional Analysis (ARIA) tool – Saint Lucia National Trust - lead NGO in Saint Lucia. Pilot countries: Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago

Objectives Overall objective: to pilot a rigorous and participatory research process in Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago that builds understanding of effective climate change adaptation policy, institutions and actions, and improves capacity for participatory climate change policy design and adaptation implementation in Caribbean SIDS. Specific Objectives, such as: facilitate and support participatory research by civil society on climate change adaptation policy, institutions and actions analyse the current state of policy, institutions and actions identify high-priority and low-cost “next steps” develop island-specific approaches to vulnerability assessment

ARIA toolkit Two phase approach: 5 main functional areas that would enable climate change adaptation readiness: assessment, prioritisation, coordination, information management, and mainstreaming Phase I: examined the capacity of national institutions to effectively adapt to climate change in their respective countries. Phase II: examined the capacity of the institutional arrangements to effectively adapt to climate change within three priority sectors. [Saint Lucia: Food Security, Freshwater Resources, Livelihoods and Culture] [TnT: Food Production, Coastal Zone, Tourism] ARIA Phases I and II workbooks: desk-reviews and interviews with informants from key agencies knowledgeable about climate change and climate change adaptation initiatives. Advisory panel: established to provide quality control of research, networking for greater impact and engagement, and awareness-raising on results.

Research Findings The assessment identified priority areas for strengthening institutions arrangements for climate change adaptation in the two countries. Both countries needed to develop an inventory of adaptation activities, including projects, programmes, and efforts to integrate adaptation into sectors. This inventory could help provide learning, reduce duplication and increase transparency to the public. Horizontal and to a lesser extent vertical coordination efforts appeared to be more institutionalised in Saint Lucia than Trinidad and Tobago. In Saint Lucia, the National Climate Change Committee meets regularly and has broad representation, although civil society participation and transparency to the public could be improved. These processes were just beginning in Trinidad and Tobago and were confined mostly to disaster management and coastal zone management.

Research Findings cont’d Information management was inadequate in both countries. Systems for monitoring and disseminating information were too often not functioning, out of date, or not reaching their target audiences. Efforts should be made to maintain and enhance stakeholder- informed platforms that provide accessible and useful climate information relevant for different sectors. Mainstreaming of climate change adaptation was yet to be formalised through regulations, but is a central part of the CARICOM Regional Implementation Plan to guide the delivery of the ‘Regional Framework to Achieving Development Resilient to Climate Change’, which is expected to be followed by participating governments. Saint Lucia’s Pilot Program on Climate Resilience is the most advanced effort so far to develop initiatives to mainstream adaptation. Overall, transparency, participation and accountability mechanisms could be improved to enable better public understanding, engagement, and ability to push for accountability.

Research Findings cont’d Agencies were sometimes unaware of what each other was doing, suggesting that better communication procedures needed to be adopted. The research process also affirmed that significant knowledge gaps existed at the civil society level regarding national climate change adaptation priorities and activities. These included, to varying degrees, awareness of potential impacts and vulnerabilities, relevant institutions with which to access information and participate in decision-making, and existing plans and programs to address vulnerabilities at the national or sectoral levels.

Lessons learned Lessons learned from the Study include: The process for identifying priority sectors in Phase II may need more guidance to increase consistency and reduce overlap. Mandates and responsibilities for climate change adaptation procedures among ministries and agencies may be in a state of flux or unclear, even to those within the agencies, which could result in a fair level of uncertainty in the responses by some interviewees. Additional financial support was needed for training and staff time to enable local CSOs to carry out Phase II research. Organisers of the Phase I workshop should consider inviting both government and civil society stakeholders to the same start-up/information workshop.

Lessons learned cont’d Lessons learned from the study include: The establishment of an advisory panel for the study took significantly longer than expected and contributed to delays in completion of the research products. While the advisory panel can play an important role, future project organisers should consider the time that would be required to get the inputs of the panel into the various phases of the project. Due to the scope of the study, the varying capacities of the partners involved and the need to interact with high level public sector officials (which is very time consuming), CANARI underestimated the time that would be required to conduct such a study and consequently the cost.

Study outputs Saint Lucia: Report on the Adaptation: Rapid Institutional Analysis (ARIA) Informational Meeting with Civil Society Organisations Report on the Adaptation: Rapid Institutional Analysis (ARIA) Phase II Research Meeting with Civil Society Organisations Report on the Adaptation: Rapid Institutional Analysis (ARIA) Phase II Presentation on Research to Civil Society Organisations Enabling Civil Society in Saint Lucia to adapt to the impacts of climate change (Policy Brief) Trinidad and Tobago: Report on the Workshop to Review the Findings of Phase I and Initiate Phase II of the Adaptation: Rapid Institutional Analysis (ARIA) Study

Study outputs cont’d Adaptation: Rapid Institutional Analysis (ARIA) Phase II Research Report Strengthening Institutional Arrangements in Trinidad and Tobago to Facilitate Climate Change Adaptation Policy Formulation and Execution (Policy Brief) Overall Technical Report: Making Adaptation Work: An Institutional Analysis of Climate Change Adaptation in Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Lucia. Enhanced capacity of both CANARI and SLNT, as well as the other stakeholders involved in the assessments, to conduct institutional assessments on adaptation readiness. It demonstrated that the toolkit could be effectively used by civil society organisations (CSOs) to assess adaptation readiness at the national and sectoral levels. For future use a handbook or users guide would be of valuable assistance to CSOs utilising the tool. Thank you