St Vincent and the Grenadines submitted their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC) to the UNFCCC in 2015, communicating an unconditional, economy-wide reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of 22% compared to its business as usual (BAU) scenario by 2025[1]. Since then, the country has prepared an updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which was approved by the Cabinet in 2024. That NDC, however, was never submitted to the UNFCCC, and the country is now updating it to be submitted as the NDC 3.0. In an effort to strengthen their institutional capacity and deliver a robust document, St Vincent and the Grenadines sought clarification to understand the Global Stocktake (GST) Guidance for the NDCs 3.0 through a request directed to the UN Climate Change Regional Collaboration Centre for the Caribbean (RCC Caribbean). Based on this request, RCC Caribbean delivered two online technical sessions. Overview The GST outcome agreed upon at COP28 underlined that despite overall progress on mitigation, adaptation and means of implementation and support, Parties are not yet collectively on track towards achieving the purpose of the Paris Agreement and its long-term goals, and encouraged Parties to come forward with ambitious, economy-wide emission reduction targets, covering all greenhouse gases, sectors and categories and aligned with the 1.5°C limit in their next round of NDCs. The GST invited organizations in a position to do so and the secretariat, including through its Regional Collaboration Centres (RCCs), to provide capacity-building support for the preparation and communication of the next NDCs. The RCC Caribbean responded to this call and organized two technical webinars for representatives of the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines to support in understanding the GST guidance for the NDCs 3.0. The webinars provided an overview of the UNFCCC’s RCCs and the Paris Agreement and discussed the key GST guidance for NDCs 3.0.   The first webinar provided specific training on understanding the information to facilitate clarity, transparency and understanding (ICTU) requirements for NDCs 3.0. The inclusion of the ICTU elements in the NDCs was first highlighted in Article 4.8 of the Paris Agreement, which states "In communicating their nationally determined contributions, all Parties shall provide the information necessary for clarity, transparency and understanding […]". This was further emphasized in Decision 4/CMA.1.   The second webinar focused on the accounting approaches for NDC 3.0. In this case, the inclusion of the accounting approaches for NDCs was highlighted in paragraph 168 of the GST Outcome. The decision states that "…in accounting for anthropogenic emissions and removals corresponding to their nationally determined contributions, Parties shall account for their nationally determined contributions in accordance with the guidance contained in annex II to decision 4/CMA.1;’." Additionally, these technical sessions provided an opportunity for the RCC Caribbean to discuss and identify other areas of support needs of the government of St Vincent and the Grenadines. Importance of the training St Vincent and the Grenadines, like other Caribbean countries, contribute negligibly to the total global greenhouse gas emissions but is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change such as sustained droughts, floods, more intense tropical cyclones, increased coastal erosion and changing precipitation patterns. In response, these countries are committed to global climate goals, including those outlined in the Paris Agreement.   This is a critical time as the next round of NDCs is due this year 2025, requiring new and more ambitious NDCs from countries. The NDCs are the main vehicle for countries to express their climate ambition and actions, and to align them with their national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals. The government of St Vincent and the Grenadines is in a better position now to prepare their NDCs based on the training that was provided. The RCC Caribbean will continue to actively engage with Caribbean countries on their NDCs, including the hosting of knowledge sharing events, informative dialogues and workshops on relevant climate topics, and create knowledge products that can support countries in meeting their climate commitments. More information and the available resources on the capacity building event can be accessed here.   The RCC Caribbean would like to thank Ms. Janeel Miller-Findlay, Director of the Sustainable Development Unit within the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development and Culture and her staff for participating in the training. We would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the UNFCCC NDC Technical Support Unit and the Transparency Division for their contributions in the preparation of the technical sessions.  

Experiences and Lessons Learned from Saint Lucia

Le RCC Caraïbes a organisé un webinaire le 12 mai 2025 pour renforcer les capacités des pays de la région sur les approches non marchandes (NMA) au titre de l’article 6.8 de l’Accord de Paris.

Get a glimpse of RCC Caribbean's achievements in 2024

Session 2.I of the Caribbean Electric Mobility Forum

An NDCs-focused breakout session at the NDCFI investment forum

The role of blue carbon in climate mitigation

Access documents and outcomes, and watch the event again!

Assists in understanding and preparing for the implementation of Art 6.8

Designing the pilot Emissions Trading System in the Dominican Republic

Regional Webinar on NDC Implementation and Investment Planning

Understanding the GST guidance for the NDCs 3.0

Belize stands out as the only country in the Caribbean to have published a Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) and this webpage acts as a resource that can be shared with stakeholders and partners alike.

This event will focus on the unique challenges and success stories faced by Caribbean Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) in the development and implementation of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

fostering collaboration with key stakeholders from the public and private sectors

Workshops on A6, Carbon Pricing and NDCs in the Caribbean

Supported the private sector in the Dominican Republic to design a pilot ETS

RCC Caribbean hosted the workshop for the public sector in the Dominican Republic.

Empowering Caribbean Youth for Inclusive NDCs

Exploring potential opportunities for Haiti's engagement in Article 6

Webinar to exchange knowledge and experiences on NDC 3.0 preparation and update.

On 22 August 2024, RCC Caribbean and the Issue-based Coalition (IBC) for Climate Change and Resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean co-hosted a webinar aimed at enhancing understanding of carbon pricing for the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Guyana and facilitating discussions on Article 6's role in harmonizing international carbon markets.  Background As countries prepare for a new submission cycle of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0) to meet the temperature targets outlined in the Paris Climate Change Agreement, there is increasing momentum to implement carbon pricing as a strategy for reducing emissions and promoting investment in cleaner alternatives. Various stakeholders, including economists, businesses, governments, NGOs, and international organizations like the World Bank and IMF, advocate for carbon pricing as a crucial tool for transitioning to a low-carbon economy. UN Secretary-General António Guterres has emphasized the need for significant progress in this area. By placing a price on carbon, governments can signal to investors the value of low-carbon investments while allowing polluters to choose between reducing emissions or continuing their activities at a cost. Guyana, with approximately 18.4 million hectares of forest, has emerged as a leader in monetizing its forest climate services, signing a landmark agreement with Norway in 2009 that generated over $200 million. The country plans to sell $750 million in REDD+ credits by 2030. Guyana's Low Carbon Development Strategy 2030 aims to capitalize on ecosystem services and integrate its forest climate services into international carbon markets, particularly those aligned with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Against this backdrop, the RCC Caribbean and IBC on Climate Change and Resilience to facilitate enhancing understanding of carbon pricing for Guyana and facilitating discussions on Article 6's role in harmonizing international carbon markets. Objectives Deepen the comprehension of carbon pricing mechanisms and their role in global climate action. Showcase Guyana's leadership in carbon pricing, including the submission of the Article 6.2 Initial Report and the use of emissions reductions projects to benefit local communities. Discuss the integration of carbon pricing into national policies and market-based approaches like REDD+. Emphasize the strategic importance of Article 6 for leveraging international carbon markets. Target Audience The session attracted over 30 attendees. Representatives from the UN system, including the UN Resident Coordinator's Office in Guyana, UNEP, UNDRR and UNFCCC. Key outcome Provided information on carbon pricing instruments and their role in the implementation of NDCs. Provided knowledge of Article 6 instruments and the strategic. Outlined Guyana's 2030 Low Carbon Development Strategy and the use of international carbon markets to achieve national climate goals.

The 2023 RCC Annual Report is out: check out the RCCs' achievements per region!

On 30 May from 10:00 to 11:30 local time, RCC Caribbean will host the side event ‘Unlocking sustainable future in SIDS: national climate policies and actions on clean energy and climate finance’, together with our partners and co-organizers lsland Innovation and GIZ.   The side event will discuss linkages between national policies, transparency reporting and finance mechanisms through the lens of energy transition in SIDS as an opportunity to advance climate action in small islands. The event will feature key experts and government representatives who are invited to share their national experiences. Register your interest to join the side event here.   Background The event 'Unlocking sustainable future in SIDS: national climate policies and actions on clean energy and climate finance' will take place as a side event of SIDS4. It offers an opportunity to focus on practical and impactful solutions and to forge new partnerships and cooperation at all levels. The event will also highlight the advantages of clean energy investments to national planning.  The Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS4) will be held under the overarching theme of “Charting the course toward resilient prosperity". The Conference will aim to assess the ability of SIDS to achieve sustainable development, including the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals.   Objectives Discuss challenges and opportunities in the clean energy transition in SIDS including assessing the perspectives for an interconnected energy market Facilitate SIDS debate on the importance of clean energy national policies, long-term development strategies and sustainable development efforts Share experiences on sustainable energy initiatives, models of energy transition and on mobilizing climate finance for national climate action Discuss the biennial transparency reporting for NDC tracking (critical role of BTRs) Discuss the role of carbon markets in NDCs and how they can drive implementation and transformative change in SIDS   Target Audience Government officials from SIDS (Caribbean, Asia Pacific, Africa); Non-Party stakeholders including Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), regional organizations and private sector with interest in clean energy development   Participation To inform your participation, please visit the SIDS4 Conference page or explore the SIDS4 Side Event Concept Note. Register your interest to join the side event here.  

RCC Caribbean and RCC Latin America build capacity for effective implementation in Cuba with Article 6 workshop    From 14 to 17 May, RCC Caribbean teamed up with RCC Latin America to deliver a three-day workshop that connected seven Cuban officials with Article 6 practitioners from the governments of Panamá and the Dominican Republic. The workshop raised awareness about Article 6 and its different mechanisms among relevant Cuban ministries and facilitated knowledge exchange and stronger collaboration between Cuba, the Dominican Republic and Panamá.    Background  Article 6 of the Paris Agreement provides a framework for international cooperation to enhance ambition and action on climate change mitigation and adaptation. Article 6 encourages greater private sector involvement and investment in low-carbon projects, helping to scale up climate finance and accelerate the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon economy.  Capacity-building support and regional collaboration enable all governments to participate in Article 6 activities.     Objectives  This Article 6 workshop seeks to increase understanding and enable collaboration, specifically it aims to:  Introduce Article 6 instruments to governmental ministries in Cuba outside the environmental sectors  Deepen understanding of Article 6 mechanisms, with focus on potential uses in national and regional contexts  Equip participants with knowledge to develop an implementation plan for Cuba to engage with Article 6 mechanisms  Develop the necessary skills and knowledge to train other officials in Cuba and amplify impact  Facilitate knowledge exchange and sharing of experiences among Cuba, Panama, and the Dominican Republic 

RCC Caribbean mobilizes regional partners for the NDCs 3.0   In late April 2024, RCC Caribbean brought together more than 15 partners in the region to connect countries with support for the NDCs 3.0. This meeting was convened as part of a global series of partner meetings to develop ambitious NDCs by early 2025. Connecting governments with support for NDC development can increase the confidence needed to make bold commitments and accelerate implementation.    Background The Paris Agreement requires all Parties to prepare, communicate and maintain successive Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that it intends to achieve. The NDCs are the main vehicle for countries to express their climate ambition and actions, and to align them with their national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals. This is especially relevant now with Decisions 6/CMA.3 and 1/CMA.5 requiring new and more ambitious NDCs from countries to be developed and submitted in 2025, with targets until 2035. In addition to being more ambitious, the NDCs 3.0 must be country-owned, country-driven, implementable, and well-positioned to unlock financing. The first Global Stocktake (GST) outcome underlined that despite overall progress on mitigation, adaptation, and means of implementation and support, Parties are not yet collectively on track towards achieving the purpose of the Paris Agreement and its long-term goals. As such, 43 percent emission reduction is needed by 2030 relative to 2019 levels, 60 percent emission reduction is needed by 2035, and net zero emissions by 2050. The outcome therefore encouraged Parties to come forward with ambitious, economy-wide emission reduction targets, covering all greenhouse gases, sectors and categories. The GST decision also emphasized the need for collective efforts by inviting the UN Climate Change Secretariat, including through the RCCs, and other organizations in a position to do so, to provide capacity-building support for the preparation and communication of the next NDCs.  Diverse development and implementation partners are providing NDC preparation and implementation support to countries in the Caribbean, including support for data and analysis, policy and planning, finance and investment, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement. This regional partner meeting is a follow-up to the global support workshop on NDCs convened by the UNFCCC secretariat in early March 2024 in Bonn, Germany. At that meeting, partners put together a framework to inform the NDC 3.0 support ecosystem.   Objectives To provide a platform for dialogue and exchange among development and implementing organizations actively supporting countries in the Caribbean on NDC development in 2024-25 Partners to discuss priority areas of work in addition to the types and scope of support available to the countries in the region To provide an opportunity for partners to discuss their perspectives on country engagement on NDC 3.0 and identify opportunities to create awareness around support available in the region.   Way Forward RCC Caribbean will map out the different support avenues available to the countries in the region and  provide insight on where collaborations can be developed. This information will be shared with the network of partners and made available to countries in the region. This exercise will hopefully ensure that Caribbean countries can access support that is fit for their purposes. RCC Caribbean will continue to engage with these and other partners providing support in the region on NDC development. The plan is to convene regular meetings to continue the discussions and collaborations on the way forward for the region to develop ambitious NDCs 3.0.

RCC hosted a series of webinars in preparation for NDC 3.0

Promoting transformative climate innovation in both the Caribbean and the Pacific SIDS

Learn about the dynamic cyclical process to developing and implementing NDCs

Innovative hands-on experience using a computer-based carbon market simulator

A webinar series on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement will be hosted by UN Climate Change Regional Collaboration Centres to share information and provide knowledge on Article 6 with key stakeholders to increase their understanding and readiness for participation

The Latin America and the Caribbean Climate Week (LACCW) is now open for receiving Expressions of Interest to host an event at the climate week. National, regional and local governments, the private sector, investors, youth organizations, science organizations, universities and schools, cooperatives, Indigenous Peoples organizations, filmmakers, media and other stakeholders are welcome to submit their event proposals. Hosted by the government of Panama in Panama City, the Latin America and the Caribbean Climate Week 2023 takes place from 23 to 27 October 2023. The Latin America and the Caribbean Climate Week seeks to facilitate and accelerate the region’s response to the climate crisis. The climate week offers opportunities for presenting new ideas, taking part in lessons learned, and finding opportunities for working together. We welcome diverse applications from stakeholders working in the region and ask that all submissions align with one or several of the four thematic tracks that the climate week will focus on: Energy systems and industry Cities, urban and rural settlements, infrastructure, and transport Land, ocean, food, and water Societies, health, livelihoods, and economies The 2023 Regional Climate Weeks provide a timely opportunity for policymakers, practitioners, businesses and civil society to share climate solutions, overcome barriers, realize opportunities and ultimately take concrete action that will allow us to course-correct and achieve the Paris Agreement goals and objectives. LACCW 2023 is hosted by:  

During each of the 2023 Climate Weeks, the UN Climate Change and its Regional Collaboration Centres will host Dialogues on Carbon Pricing, Article 6 Training, and DNA Forum

On 26 May 2023, UN Climate Change hosted a webinar about the Notification to Parties on the NDC and LT-LEDS Synthesis Reports. The webinar shared details about the planned NDC and LT-LEDS Synthesis Reports for 2023 and opened an opportunity for countries to share their perspectives.   Webinar for Latin America and the Caribbean on NDC/LT-LEDS Update and Synthesis Report 2023 26 May 2023 |11:00 AM EST (UTC -5) |10:00 PM AST (UTC -4) | 17:00 AM CEST (UTC+2) Virtual Webinar Click here for the Concept Note in English and here for the Concept Note in Spanish   Video in English   Video in Spanish         The Webinar shared details about the NDC and LT-LEDS Synthesis Reports for 2023 being prepared by the secretariat and solicited country perspectives regarding their plans to submit updates to NDCs or LT-LEDS in advance of COP28. The webinar also covered important dates and approaches for the updated NDC Synthesis Report and LT- LEDS Synthesis Report for 2023. Development partners joined to share opportunities and resources to facilitate these efforts.  The Webinar was organized by RCC Caribbean and RCC Latin America. Additional support comes from collaborating UN Climate Change staff and our development partners. 

With a specific focus on National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) – COP27 event

Advancing strategic collaboration on finance in the Eastern Caribbean

 LACCW 2022 marks a key step on the road to COP27 This year's Latin America and the Caribbean Climate Week, LACCW 2022, wrapped up on 22 July  in Santo Domingo. Explore the LACCW 2022 Output Report and Event Programme to learn more about how these discussions represent a step on the road to COP27. Watch the Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony to discover key takeaways and inspiring examples of action, hear from the host government and be inspired by youth from the region. Videos available in Spanish: Opening Ceremony and Closing Ceremony.

Over three webinars, the Caribbean AGYLE engaged more than 40 young people from across the region on crucial climate change topics. These informed how young people can help shape a resilient, low-emission future for the Caribbean and contribute to global climate action.

On 25 May 2022, an informative webinar was held to share details on the NDC Synthesis Report and LT-LEDS Synthesis Report that will be prepared in 2022 with Parties in Latin America and the Caribbean.

After 2 years, the ETF/CGE support unit organized the first in-person hands-on training workshop on transitioning to the ETF and tracking progress in implementing and achieving NDCs for the Caribbean region

Decisions in key areas and adoption of rules for Article 6 of the Paris Agreement at COP26 in Glasgow sparked a growing interest in many countries which currently have no international emission cooperation mechanisms in place. The capacity building on carbon pricing is an integral part of the implementation of such mechanisms under Article 6.