The Global Climate Fund (GCF) is financing a transformative initiative project
aimed at upgrading the building infrastructure in Antigua and Barbuda to withstand
Category 4 and 5 hurricanes.
The Ministry of Finance-Project Management Unit is spearheading the GCF Build
Project, which is a six-year undertaking that will involve shifting the country’s
building sector towards a more proactive approach to development as the nation
positions itself to respond to the predicted impacts of climate change.
The project is designed to make direct investments in critical public service and
community buildings, to have them climate-proof against Category 4 and 5
hurricanes. Additionally, the project aims to mainstream climate resilience into the
building and financial sectors and facilitate the upscaling of such interventions
across all buildings in the country fostering sustainable development. Lastly, the
project will deliver interventions through the Antigua and Barbuda Meteorology
Services (ABMS) to strengthen climate information services to facilitate early
action within the building sector to respond to extreme climate events.
As part of the effort to mainstream climate resilience in the building sector, the
Government engaged a team of consultants to conduct a Strategic Impact
Assessment (SIA) of the proposed updating of the Building Code for Antigua and
Barbuda to accommodate Category 4 and 5 hurricanes.
In a bid to gather valuable insights and feedback, a wide cross-section of
stakeholders, including members of households, businesses, representatives from
the private and public sectors, youth, and community groups were engaged in
consultative sessions in July 2023. The consultants are assessing possible
environmental and social impacts and gender risks, likely to manifest, once the
updated Building Code is operationalized, and recommend mitigation measures to
address these potential impacts and risks.
The Ministry of Finance Project Management Unit has organized a validation
exercise to review the consultants’ findings and recommendations before
finalization. The first session will be held in Antigua at the Maria Holder Early
Childhood Conference Centre on March 8, 2024, and the second, in Barbuda, at the
Holy Trinity Primary School on March 9, 2024.
Stakeholders participating in this validation exercise will provide input critical to
ensuring that Antigua and Barbuda effectively transition to the updated building
code, by ensuring that the impacts and risks are properly identified. As a result, this
will ensure that the appropriate provisions are implemented.
