Climate change is already impacting human and natural systems. As international agreements stall or fail to set hard targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions, nations, states and communities must grapple with policies and plans to adapt to increased levels of risk. Adaptation requires the capacity and willingness across sectors and scales to assess threats, identify vulnerabilities, marshal resources, and take action, all while monitoring results, and adjusting to new information. In addition to information problems, adaptation effectiveness is shaped by governance processes, including coordination, political leadership, inclusive decision-making, and accountability. When confronting the uncertainty and extent of climate change impacts many emphasise “soft adaptations”, such as behavioural changes or institutional arrangements over physical infrastructure. These types of changes are often more equitable and legitimate with public engagement.

The project was based on three important assumptions, supported by empirical evidence. The first is that while understanding local level context is essential for resilience building, national-level policymaking and implementation is critical to address large scale climate change threats. In many cases, the implementation of adaptation plans is piecemeal, often due to insufficient financing, but also because of an incomplete understanding of vulnerabilities, a lack of public engagement or knowledge, poor coordination, weak accountability, or lack of integration of adaptation into sectoral plans and policies.

The second assumption is that institutional capacities must be measured and monitored so that decision-makers can respond accordingly and be held accountable. Finally, the ability and capacity of civil society to engage in the adaptation planning and implementation process has the potential to improve information flow, produce more relevant adaptation options, and provide public accountability.

The ARIA institutional analysis of climate change adaptation in Trinidad and Tobago and Saint Lucia has provided researchers with a snapshot of how key institutions function. While both countries are middle to high income, and thus have some amount of adaptive capacity, as small island states in a disaster-prone region, they are exposed to tropical storms, sea level rise, coral bleaching and acidification, and are projected to face increasing temperatures and reduced annual average rainfall.

Both nations have contributed two national communications to the UNFCCC and have developed climate change adaptation policies. They are also both part of CARICOM, which has developed a regional implementation plan. However, vulnerability needs to be more thoroughly assessed in Trinidad and Tobago, and both countries can do more to assess socioeconomic and political drivers of vulnerability. Both countries need to develop an inventory of adaptation activities, including projects, programs, and efforts to integrate adaptation into sectors. This inventory can help provide learning, reduce duplicative efforts, and increase transparency to the public.

This technical report is of use to decision makers in Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago, as well as other small states, through its assessment of the current state of adaptation in both islands and specific institutional, educational, political and capacity based roadblocks to adaptation.