Monday, November 17, 2022

(CCCCC Press Release 2022/018)

(Sharm EL Sheikh)  The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) and the Barbados Water Authority (BWA) today signed, at the CARICOM Pavilion at COP27 in Egypt, a Subsidiary Agreement in relation to the USD $50 million Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle for Climate Resilience Wastewater systems (3R-CReWS) project recently approved by the Board of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) at the 34^th meeting held in Incheon, South Korea in October.

The 3R-CReWS project will be implemented over 5.5 years and will help improve water resilience and health, well-being, and productivity using low carbon, climate resilience, and energy management technologies and strategies.  This will ensure that water is protected, managed, recycled, reused, and conserved for the direct benefit of 155 farmers for irrigation and 225 households.

The Subsidiary Agreement governs the implementation arrangements between the CCCCC, as the Accredited Entity to the GCF and delivery partner for the 3R-CReWS project, at the BWA. As such, it is a critical part of project implementation.

Signing on behalf of the CCCCC, was Executive Director, Dr. Colin Young, and on behalf of the Barbados Water Authority, Mr. Keithroy Halliday.

During the signing ceremony witnessed by several government Ministers from CARICOM and their delegations to COP27 in Egypt, and other stakeholders, Dr. Young said, “signing this Subsidiary Agreement at COP27, only 27 days after the signing of the Funding Activity Agreement with the GCF, is a remarkable achievement and reflects the commitment of both the CCCCC and the BWA to fast track the first disbursement of funds from the GCF. The Government of Barbados is intent on ensuring that the activities of this project are rapidly deployed so as to positively impact the lives of its citizens and build resilience to climate change. Today’s signing is also a testament to the strong partnership between the CCCCC and BWA.

Calling the event, a signature moment, Mr. Keithroy Halliday, Executive Director of the BWA applauded the unprecedented pace at which the signing had followed the project’s approval saying, “this has come quickly and is important that we are able to action the climate change agenda and not just talk.  As a Small Island Developing State (SID), Barbados likes to lead by example, and by extension, we hope all SIDS in the Caribbean and around the world follow suit, however small, we must find methods to exert the right to influence.”

GCF Executive Director, Dr. Yannick Glemarec who was also present during the signing reiterated the strong relationship between the GCF and the CCCCC and highlighted that the GCF has made significant improvements in decreasing the amount of time between the approval of projects and the disbursement of funds. He commended the CCCCC and the BWA for ensuring that conditions precedent to disbursement are rapidly met.  “This project will unlock investments to build climate resilience in vulnerable communities in Barbados. I am delighted to see that we are moving to implementation so quickly with this agreement being signed just one month after our Board approved the funding. Our partnership with Barbados and the CCCCC shows that we can deliver climate support very quickly to where it is most needed.”

The CCCCC remains committed to working assiduously with BWA and the Government of Barbados to ensure that the 3R-CReWS is successfully implemented.