Climate Change Enabling Activity (Additional Financing for Capacity Building in Priority Areas)

UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY
Financing for (Interim) Measures for 
Capacity Building in Priority Areas Part II
Country:	St. Kitts and Nevis

	Project Title:
	St Kitts and Nevis: Climate Change Enabling Activity (additional financing for capacity building in priority areas)

	GEF Focal Area:	Climate Change
Country Eligibility:	[x] Eligible under a financial mechanism of the UNFCCC
	[x] Eligible under paragraph nine (b) of the Instrument

	Date of Ratification:	7 January 1993

	GEF Financing (Phase I):	US$ 158,620
GEF Additional Financing (Phase II):	US$ 100,000
Total Costs:	US$ 258,620

	GEF Implementing Agency:	UNDP

	Executing Agency:	Government of St Kitts and Nevis

	Local Counterpart Agency:	Ministry of Health and Environment

	Initial National Communication Submission:	November 2001



Estimated Starting Date of Phase II Project Activities:	October 2002

	Project Duration:	1 year

CURRENT PROJECT STATUS
St. Kitts and Nevis submitted its first national communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change during the month of November 2001. The project began in March 2000 with the project initiation workshop being held during May 2000.
There was training in climate change scenario during July 2001, while the first workshop with regards to greenhouse gas issues occurred during June 2000.  A workshop was held in November 2001 to finalize all greenhouse gas issues
During July 2001 a workshop was held to comprehensively address vulnerability issues, and a national consultation during early November 2001 to finalize the national communications report.  The National Communications for St Kitts and Nevis is available on the UNFCCC website
The Implementing Agency and the GEF focal point of St.Kitts and Nevis have satisfied themselves that the proposal for additional funding complies with the Operational Criteria for the expedited financing of climate change enabling activities. 
By undertaking the Phase II enabling activity, St.Kitts and Nevis is aware that they must await both the future decisions of the Conference of the Parties regarding the preparation of second national communications and GEF guidelines to operationalize those decisions. 
Activities to be Involved in Phase II Project
The National Communication Support Unit (NCSU) is currently developing regional/global proposals in several areas of work that might have implications for the national activities described in this project. Implementation of the project will be carried out in close co-ordination with the NCSU to ensure that areas of synergy will be identified where possible, and to avoid duplication for cost effectiveness. The country will be informed of the proposed NCSU activities as soon as they are underway.
In accordance with the Operational Guidelines for Expedited Financing of Climate Change Enabling Activities, the Government of St Kitts and Nevis hereby requests additional interim funds in the amount of US$100,000 to conduct new enabling activities in follow-up to those activities conducted under the UNDP/GEF Enabling Activity Project.
These funds are requested to undertake additional activities to fulfill St Kitts and Nevis's obligations under the UNFCCC. These interim funds are essential to maintaining and enhancing the capacity of the GOS to prepare future National Communications, while helping to ensure continuity with ongoing enabling activities.
The justification for Phase II is based on the following factors:
The Phase II will build upon activities completed in the context of St Kitts and Nevis’s First National Communications, and as such follow established guidelines and norms for country projects;
The overall goals of Phase II will allow St Kitts and Nevis to extend current knowledge, facilitate the emergence of national networks, and promote the integration of climate change concerns into development planning dialogue.
The proposed Phase II capacity building activities is provided in the paragraphs below. 
A. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
As a federation of small island states, adaptation to climate change is of critical importance, given the low-lying nature of St. Kitts and Nevis.  For instance, the vulnerability studies carried out under the initial National Communication indicate, that major coastal impacts can be expected from sea level rise and other climate change effects. Intensification of present pattern of coastal erosion, saline intrusion, and sea flooding are expected. These will impose additional stress on several already impacted resources such as beaches and coral reefs and will have serious economic and social impacts. The experience of recent extreme weather events has highlighted the vulnerability of the major settlements to hurricanes and flooding events. In particular, a number of major hurricanes has drastically affected housing, tourism, commercial and public building and facilities. 
In this context, technology transfer to adapt to the potential impacts of climate change is a critical area or work for St. Kitts and Nevis. Therefore an analysis of St. Kitts and Nevis’ technological needs as it relates to adaptation will be carried out under this component.