With support from the Green Climate Fund, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines prepared a Readiness Needs Assessment Report and Action Plan to increase access to climate finance for implementation of national priorities. The Unite Caribbean team, which will liaise with the National Designated Authority, the Meteorological Service and the CCCCC, includes a Communications Specialist, a Stakeholder Engagement Specialist, Climate Change Specialists and a Waste Management Specialist.
With recurrent climate-related disasters, including hurricanes, flooding, droughts, and extreme rainfall events, climate information is a critical tool for reducing risks and strengthening resilience. Yet different user groups—including farmers, fisher folk, tourism operators, water managers, health practitioners, energy providers and local communities—have distinct information needs, levels of technical understanding, preferred communication channels, and decision-making processes. As a result, climate information that is technically accurate may not necessarily be accessible or relevant for all users.
The core objective of this consultancy is therefore to strengthen the connection between climate information providers and users. This requires moving beyond a traditional communication approach focused on information dissemination towards a user-centred framework that places stakeholder needs, behaviours, capacities, and decision-making contexts at the centre of the strategy. A key aspect of the assignment will therefore be to identify where communication breakdowns occur along the climate information value chain—from the production of information by the Meteorological Service to its interpretation and use by end-users.
The primary challenge to be addressed by this assignment is therefore not the production of climate information itself, but the effectiveness of its communication and uptake by users. The country has invested significantly in producing weather forecasts, climate outlooks, advisories, and early warning information. However, the value of these products depends on whether they reach the intended users in a timely manner, are understood, trusted, and translated into informed decisions and actions.
For more information, please contact Ronald Roach.
