The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), through its partnership with the Green Climate Fund (GCF), is financing a USD 27.1 million (mn) initiative to scale up hydrometeorological services and multi-hazard early warning systems in Belize and Trinidad and Tobago, strengthening those countries' ability to anticipate, prepare for and respond to climate-related hazards and extreme weather events.

The project is being financed primarily through a USD 24.1 mn grant, approved by the GCF and channelled through CDB. The Bank will also provide USD $1.2 mn in grant financing while USD 1.88 mn in counterpart funding will come from the Governments of Belize and Trinidad and Tobago. The project will be implemented by the Caribbean Meteorological Organisation, the Region's specialised institution for meteorology and climate services, in partnership with national meteorological and disaster management agencies in the beneficiary countries.

The initiative will strengthen the countries' capacity to detect, monitor, analyse, forecast and communicate information on weather, water and climate-related hazards. It will also support improvements in disaster risk management, climate information services, institutional capacity, and the delivery of timely warnings to vulnerable communities, helping to reduce loss and damage from increasingly frequent and severe climate-related events.

Belize and Trinidad and Tobago, like many Caribbean countries, continue to face growing threats from climate change, including hurricanes, flooding, droughts, heatwaves and sea-level rise. Strengthened early warning systems are recognised as one of the most critical and cost-effective tools for protecting lives, livelihoods, infrastructure and critical economic sectors.

Director of CDB's Projects Department, Mr. L. O'Reilly Lewis, said the intervention reflects a shared commitment by CDB and GCF to building resilience in vulnerable Caribbean countries.

"This investment, made possible through the Green Climate Fund's support, represents a critical step in strengthening climate resilience in Belize and Trinidad and Tobago. As climate-related hazards become more frequent and severe, robust early warning systems are essential to protecting communities, safeguarding key economic sectors and preserving development gains. The project advances CDB's strategic focus on accelerating climate action, strengthening institutions and building social and environmental resilience, while creating a model that can inform similar investments across the Caribbean."

The project is aligned with CDB's Strategic Objectives 2026-2035, particularly its emphasis on Social and Environmental Resilience, Strengthening Institutions, and Accelerating Climate Action. It also supports the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 13, Climate Action.

Division Chief, Environmental Sustainability, Ms. Valerie Isaac, highlighted the practical benefits that will accrue from the intervention.

"This project will help transform how climate and weather information is generated, shared and used. Strengthening forecasting capabilities, improving coordination among national and regional institutions, and enhancing communication with at-risk populations,  enables communities, governments and key sectors to have access to timely, actionable information that supports preparedness and informed decision-making before climate related hazards occur."

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