The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH has been working in the Caribbean for over 30 years. The regional office for the Caribbean, based in the Dominican Republic, coordinates GIZ’s projects and programmes.
GIZ manages projects and programmes in the following countries:
• Antigua and Barbuda
• Barbados
• Dominica
• Dominican Republic
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Haiti
• Jamaica
• St. Kitts and Nevis
• St. Lucia
• St. Martin
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines
GIZ does not currently have a country office in Belize. The GIZ country office in Guatemala is therefore also responsible for Belize.
The Caribbean is one of the world’s regions worst hit by climate change. The warming, acidification and heavy pollution of the oceans pose an existential threat to the region’s biodiversity, with its coral reefs, mangroves and tropical forests. The population of the islands and archipelagos suffers particularly from the consequences of drought, torrential rain, hurricanes and other impacts of climate change.
The Caribbean states use fossil fuels (coal, oil, diesel, natural gas) as their primary energy source. Importing these fuels incurs high costs and hinders necessary public investment. The energy supply is also not yet equipped to handle extreme weather conditions, leading to shortages and, in some cases, power outages lasting several months in the region.
The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) is the main commissioning party for GIZ’s activities in the Caribbean. Other GIZ projects in the region are commissioned by actors including the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU), and the European Union. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) is one of the regional partners. GIZ is also involved in binational cooperation with Haiti and in the nation’s transnational projects with the Dominican Republic.
Our work on site: For environmental protection and efficient resource management
GIZ’s priority activities in the region are as follows:
- Environmental policy, conservation and sustainable management of natural resources
- Renewable energies and energy efficiency
GIZ’s work in the area of environmental policy and resources helps to increase the Caribbean states’ resilience in the face of climate change and to protect biodiversity. To this end, GIZ provides advice and training to assist local authorities and conservation areas with systemic resource management. Another project in the Dominican Republic and Haiti promotes cross-border protection of conservation areas and binational research and education initiatives.
GIZ works in the area of renewable energies and energy efficiency to reduce the dependency of Caribbean states on fossil fuel imports. This includes providing initial and further training for renewable energy specialists. Another project supports conversion to a more resilient energy infrastructure and networking between policy-makers, researchers and businesses to promote a coherent energy policy.