
Small farmers provided with equitable and localized lending can afford to invest in climate adaptation technologies. Recent initiatives backed by the SCCF show these obstacles are far from insurmountable. Lack of access to finance from public sources and to markets for adaptation solutions.Low engagement by the private sector, including small and medium-sized enterprises and entrepreneurs, for developing and providing adaptation solutions.Limited institutional capacity to foresee and manage climate risks.Limited access to climate-resilient technologies and infrastructure.The SCCF facilitates the creation of strong, climate-resilient economies and communities by helping countries address a range of barriers, including: Strengthening technology transfer, innovation, and private sector engagement

Some areas where the SCCF could offer adaptation support to SIDS include: storm and flood early warning systems improved regional forecasts nature-based solutions such as mangroves and other protective measures enhanced resilience of roads, public infrastructure, and freshwater sources climate-resilient aquaculture, fisheries, and diversified incomes systemic resilience interventions in the food, urban and tourism space climate resilient health (vector- and water-borne disease) and measures to build resilience, reduce fragility, and diversify the local economy, reducing dependence on imports as well as mainstream climate resilience in policies and development planning and build domestic capacity for adaptation. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report refers to a range of projected adverse climate change impacts for SIDS, which will translate into direct adverse impacts on human security, health, infrastructure, ecosystems, agriculture and food, and the economy and livelihoods. Compounding these impacts, solutions are often difficult owing to SIDS’ geographic isolation and limited land area. Sea level rise will worsen this situation, especially on low-lying islands, and, together with increased heavy rainfall, worsen damage from tropical storms to coastal infrastructure, settlements, and coastal ecosystems. Salt water intrusion is severely impacting availability of drinking water as well as agricultural productivity on many islands. The Small Island Developing States of the Caribbean, African and Indian Ocean, and the Pacific, are among the world’s most vulnerable countries, due to a range of climatic and non-climatic factors.

Supporting the adaptation needs of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) The GEF’s new climate change adaptation strategy for the 2022-2026 period will focus SCCF support in the following two priority areas: Both funds have a mandate to serve the Paris Agreement.

The SCCF is managed by the GEF and operates in parallel with the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF). The Special Climate Change Fund, one of the world’s first multilateral climate adaptation finance instruments, was created at the 2001 Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to help vulnerable nations in addressing these negative impacts of climate change.
