Data Gaps ‘Threaten’ Global Climate Funding Access for Barbados

• Barbados risks losing ground in its drive for international climate finance unless it can provide the detailed, reliable data required by lenders and donors, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment, National Beautification and Fisheries Santia Bradshaw warned. Speaking during a high-level site visit to the Fisheries Breakwater and Sugar Berth Works with a World Bank technical team, Bradshaw said international institutions increasingly require data to justify their investments.
• While Barbados has significant information collected over decades, the challenge is that the data remains fragmented and poorly integrated. Bradshaw said the country needs to move away from having “lots of reports which we do nothing with” and instead compile statistics that can inform decision-making and strengthen the government’s case when seeking financing. She noted that donors require specific measures of climate-related damage and economic losses, such as the number of fishing vessels lost and the impact on earnings and communities.
• The government is therefore working to strengthen the country’s data-collection and reporting systems through the Capacity Building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT). The project is intended to improve systems for measuring, verifying, reporting and demonstrating the impact of Barbados’ climate action, while standardising data collection, strengthening quality assurance, reducing duplication and supporting evidence-based policymaking.
• Bradshaw stressed that building capacity will be a long-term process as Barbados’ climate vulnerability continues to increase. The government said climate financing has not been halted, but access to funding depends on Barbados meeting the data requirements attached to individual financing agreements. Bradshaw said funding agencies are generally willing to release financing once the required information and targets are provided.
• The issue also highlights a wider challenge for Caribbean sovereigns, where reliable climate and economic data will be increasingly important to securing external financing. As lenders and investors require greater evidence of climate-related risks and financing needs, gaps in data could make it harder for governments to access funding for disaster recovery and resilience, potentially leaving them more reliant on domestic resources or additional borrowing and placing pressure on fiscal positions.

(Sources: Barbados Today & NCBCM Research)