Dominican communities can play a pivotal role in increasing the island’s resilience and building forward better – this is the focus of the UNDP Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) in Dominica, as the team officially launched the 7th Operational Phase (OP7). The launch of the 7^th Phase, under the theme “supporting local actions for green economy”, took place on Tuesday 2nd March, 2021, at the Prevost Cinemall Conference room, with a mixed audience of both in-person and virtual. The hour-long session allowed several key players to share their view on the reach and continued work of the programme.

The UNDP Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF-SGP) embodies the very essence of sustainable development by "thinking globally acting locally". By providing financial and technical support to projects that conserve and restore the environment while enhancing people's well-being and livelihoods. Now in Operational Phase 7 (OP7), SGP continues to demonstrate that community action can maintain the fine balance between human needs and environmental imperatives. Over the years SGP has worked with several partners, including grantees, National Steering Committee, other UNDP implemented projects, government and non-government organisations, donors, volunteers, and technical persons, enabling the country programme to contribute significantly to success stories among grantees and their local communities.

Yoko Watanabe, Global Manager of the GEF Small Grants Programme, addressed the group and highlighted the role of communities to the success of the programme. Noting that SGP didn’t see communities as just beneficiaries, she explained, “This is a programme that supports community ideas and community-led programmes and it is owned by the communities and we support the ideas coming from the communities on the ground… Communities are essential as partners in moving forward in addressing problems in environmental issues with government with private sector and other stakeholders and hold a very important role.”

Ugo Blanco, Deputy Resident Representative, UNDP Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, spoke to the pioneering vision of the programme that has promoted community-led development for over 25 years. “ “Community involvement is at the core of sustainable development and resilience building, and we are committed to facilitating projects like the GEF-SGP that create tangible results and solve real world problems with people and community at the core.”

The Goal of the OP7 SGP Programme across the globe is to promote and support innovative, inclusive and impactful initiatives, and foster multi-stakeholder partnerships at the local level to tackle global environmental issues in priority landscapes and seascapes. Dominica is one of the first of the 125 countries in the programme to launch this phase. GEF-SGP has successfully implemented 133 projects to a tune of 3.5 million in funding across the region is working toward continued and stronger growth with a focus on innovation, inclusion and impacts. This 7^th phase will seek to achieve the GEF-SGP mandate by focussing on:

·       Community-based conservation of threatened ecosystems and species

·       Sustainable agriculture and fisheries, and food security

·       Local to global coalitions for chemicals and waste management

·       CSO-Government-Private Sector Policy and Planning Dialogue Platforms

·       Enhancing social inclusion

GEF-SGP will build on traditional knowledge from the community and use that knowledge to innovate and bring about tangible benefits to all communities, with a special focus on vulnerable and disadvantages groups in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs.

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For media queries contact Agnes Esprit- agnes.esprit@undp.org