As climate change intensifies across the Caribbean, schools are increasingly at risk from hurricanes, floods, and rising seas—yet education remains largely excluded from global climate finance. Of nearly 600 climate projects approved between 2006 and 2023, only one placed education at its core. Recognising this gap, the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), in collaboration with Save the Children, UNESCO, and the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP), has launched the Climate-Smart Education Systems Initiative to help Caribbean nations access the funds needed to protect and strengthen their education systems.

Through the Climate Finance Access Network (CFAN), expert advisors are being embedded in ministries to build capacity and develop strong, fundable climate-resilient education projects. This work is already underway in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, and Jamaica, where the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth & Information is preparing a Green Climate Fund proposal following the USD 16.6 million in damages caused by Hurricane Beryl (2024).

The initiative highlights that education must no longer be sidelined in climate adaptation efforts. Safe, sustainable, and resilient schools are essential not only for learning continuity but also for national recovery. By integrating education into climate finance strategies, the Caribbean can empower its young people and communities to withstand—and thrive amid—the growing challenges of a changing climate.

Source: https://www.globalpartnership.org/blog/unlocking-climate-finance-education-caribbean#:~:text=