GEF Antigua and Barbuda

The North West Coast of Antigua lies within the Cedar Grove Watershed (W1) which is a drought risk zone with limited ground water stores and the lowest annual rainfall compared to other watersheds. The NW is also the main tourism zone on the island, with the greatest concentration of hotels and the highest levels of water use. There are no municipal waste water disposal facilities along this coast and many of the hotels have both private desalination plants and waste water disposal systems.

The North West Coast of Antigua is the main tourism zone on the island with the greatest concentration of hotels and the highest levels of water use. The NW tourism area has also been been identified as an environmental Hotspot due to the high levels of liquid and waste contamination (nutrients, microbiological and chemical pollution; suspended solids; solid wastes). There are no municipal waste water disposal facilities along this coast and many commercial stakeholders within the area have both private desalination plants and waste water disposal systems.

Objectives of the OECS Sustainable Financing and Management of Eastern Caribbean Marine Ecosystems Project
To address the region’s marine and coastal resource degradation threats and management challenges, especially the lack of sustainable conservation funding, the proposed 5-year OECS Sustainable Financing and Management of Eastern Caribbean Marine Ecosystems Project would:
(i) establish a system of long-term financing mechanisms to sustainably fund PAs in the participating countries;

The southwest region of Antigua includes some the most important natural systems on the island including the Wallings Forest and Fig Tree Drive, Cades Reef and the Cades Bay Marine Reserve and Mount Obama. All of these areas are utilised by a wide range of commercial and recreational stakeholders whose input is vital to the development of a comprehensive integrated management framework for this “ridge to reef” ecosystem.

One of the important activities planned for the project is the development of an efficient management system for the Codrington Lagoon National Park. The project seeks to further the development of a co-management mechanism that is supported by requisite policy and financial structures that will ensure the long-term sustainability of a multiple use landscape that is a sensitive and critical habitat.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is the largest funder of projects aimed at improving the global environment and promoting sustainable livelihoods in local communities. The GEF provides grants to developing countries for projects on biodiversity, climate change, international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer, and persistent organic pollutants.