Welcome to the GEF Antigua Website

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.

GEF Antigua endeavours to feature all environmental related issues being addressed through local Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded projects in Antigua and Barbuda. One feature project of the site is the Sustainable Island Resource Management Mechanism (SIRMM) which is a full size Global Environmental Facility (GEF) project. It is the first of its kind within the OECS countries. The project aims to evolve and implement a Sustainable Island Resource Management (SIRM) that will stabilize and maintain ecosystem functions that lay the foundations for sustainable economic development whilst preserving the environment. There are four main project outcomes:

1. Easy and reliable access to information for environmental management by all stakeholders
2. A Sustainable Island Resource Management Plan developed and in place
3. Policy and institutional reforms provide for implementation of the SIRM Plan
4. Requirements for implementation of the SIRM Plan in place, as well as mechanism for capture of lessons and best practices via four on the ground demonstration projects.

Antigua and Barbuda supports a range of globally and regionally significant terrestrial marine habitats and species. Several problems including inadequate conservation, planning and management of these important, yet limited, resources has resulted in both a loss of species diversity and degradation of the functionality of the island ecosystems. The SIRMM project is designed to address such issues on a national level with the full participation and involvement of key stakeholders. The project will also address international issues related to the country’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.

GEF Antigua focuses mainly on all related work and achievements of the SIRMM project in its effort to rehabilitate the fragile environment of Antigua and Barbuda. The site also features articles published within the local media to raise awareness on local environmental challenges as well as reports produced under the Project. Feel free to peruse all reports for a wider appreciation of the concerns facing this twin island state.