In 2024, the Regional Collaboration Centres (RCCs) continued to support countries in achieving climate goals under the Paris Agreement with a view to bridging regional action with global ambition.
Their efforts have primarily focused on technical assistance and capacity building, facilitating access to support for the development and submission of and advancing participation in under the Paris Agreement. The RCCs have worked closely with national governments, private sector actors, and multilateral institutions to provide trainings, knowledge-sharing opportunities, and policy guidance tailored to regional needs. They have strengthened support towards adaptation related issues, including the formulation of implementable National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and transformational adaptation. The RCCs also supported stakeholders in their endeavors to access climate finance to implement their projects, and to prepare their Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) under the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF).
In this context, RCC Caribbean prioritized three main areas of work - see below their highlights. For more details, please visit the RCC Caribbean webpage.
1. Building and strengthening relationships and partnerships at national, regional and global level in support of climate action in the region.
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The RCC organized 3 regional partners stock-take meetings to assess capacity gaps and technical assistance needs for Caribbean countries in NDC 3.0 preparation. The third meeting had a strong turnout of 51 participants, highlighting collaborative efforts in regional climate action. RCC Caribbean also delivered a capacity-building webinar to the Guyana Resident Coordinator Office on carbon pricing and Article 6, supporting Guyana's efforts in climate finance mobilization to advance it's commitments. RCC Caribbean, in partnership with Island Innovation and GIZ, hosted a side event at SIDS4, featuring high-level participation, including Guyana’s Minister of Natural Resources Hon. Vickram Bharrat and UNFCCC's transparency divison director, Dr. Donald Cooper. The event, attended by 53 participants, provided a platform for Parties and non-Party stakeholders to explore linkages between national policies, transparency reporting, and finance mechanisms, emphasizing energy transition in SIDS as a key driver of climate action.
2. Providing targeted support to countries through capacity building and technical support.
RCC Caribbean delivered a webinar on support ecosystems for the next round of NDCs, providing national focal points with information on regional support for 2025
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NDC development. The session engaged 65 participants, enhancing their understanding of available resources. The RCC also supported the Dominican Republic in advancing the development of their emissions trading system (ETS) pilot framework in 2024. Through targeted one-on-one capacity building with government representatives, RCC Caribbean contributed to strengthening national understanding of the technical elements of an ETS. Additionally, this engagement fostered buy-ins from a few private sector organizations, paving way for their involvement in the ETS pilot. The RCC organized an Article 6 training for Cuban officials, featuring a south-south exchange with the Dominican Republic and Panamá to support knowledge transfer and identify context-specific opportunities. This training helped participants develop a blueprint for Cuba’s future actions under Article 6. Following the training, Cuban officials replicated the workshop in Havana, engaging 45 key decision-makers from ministries and financial institutions.
3. Ensuring exchange of knowledge that is specific to the Caribbean region in an effort to strengthen regional climate action.
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The RCC published a case study on Belize’s Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS), highlighting key lessons and successes as a regional knowledge product. Notably, Belize is the only Caribbean island to have published an LT-LEDS as of December 2024. The RCC provided targeted capacity-building on NDC processes for Caribbean youth, enhancing their understanding of UNFCCC processes. The webinar, "Introduction to NDCs and the NDC 2025 Outlook," highlighted regional success stories of youth integration into NDCs and opportunities for youth engagement in climate action. RCC Caribbean and partners hosted a successful week of events with approximately 70 participants, focusing on targeted capacity building for NDC 3.0 development. Key topics included agriculture, transport, energy, and access to finance. Additionally, sessions helped equip Caribbean governments with knowledge on integrating Article 6 and carbon pricing mechanisms, tailored to their national priorities.
Catch a glimpse of the RCCs’ efforts and milestones in action in this video.
