A Caribbean Climate-Smart Zone
The Caribbean Climate-Smart Accelerator combines the capacity and development experience of Caribbean countries with world-class innovation and delivery capabilities.
Clearing impediments to implementation of climate-smart initiatives in the Caribbean region.
PACKAGE
We identify and package a pipeline of projects that are ready for immediate funding and implementation.
ADVOCATE
We raise awareness and ensure that the Caribbean’s Small Island Developing States (SIDS) receive assistance to become more resilient.
MONITOR
We monitor the implementation of activities to ensure solutions are more rapid, sustainable and deliver a higher positive impact.
The Accelerator
The CCSA accelerates priority initiatives toward a Climate-Smart Zone, delivering resilience, social development, and broad-based economic growth for the Caribbean. We raise awareness and ensure that the Caribbean’s Small Island Developing States (SIDS) receive assistance to become more resilient.
Our central objective is to help transform the region’s economy by fast-tracking sound public and private investment opportunities that support climate action and economic growth through sustainable development.
Drawing on the deep experience of our nations and institutions, a group of twenty-seven visionary Caribbean Governments, alongside some of the largest global companies, financial institutions, and foundations have joined the Accelerator to make the Caribbean a beacon of climate-smart development.
Our goals
Create a roadmap detailing the key milestones with costs, implications, and timelines for moving at pace to our desired state
Place the region on an irreversible path to generate 90% of electricity from renewable resources and electrify the transport sector by 2035
Place the region on a firm path to protect 30% of our ocean and land by 2030
Strengthen the region’s economic resilience against exogenous shocks by building climate action as an economic industry
Our approach
Convening and creating economies of scale to strengthen the ability of projects to attract resources and best practice
Structuring, implementing, and fundraising for blended financial facilities to deliver new sources of capital and increase funding available for climate action across the region
Applying innovation to the most difficult-to-solve challenges, working with technology developers and through collaboration with other accelerators
Engaging the private sector to execute through cross-sector partnerships and other mechanisms, further enabling national governments to focus on policy development
THE CARIBBEAN CLIMATE-SMART ACCELERATOR PILLARS
Climate-Smart Map
90% Renewable Energy for All
Protecting 30% of Ocean and Land
1.5% Green Jobs
Board of Directors
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR of CARPHA from July 2019
The Executive Director provides leadership and Direction to CARPHA in executing the functions laid out in the Inter- Governmental Agreement. Along with the CARPHA team, Dr St John has led the public health response in the CARICOM region.
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR-GENERAL of the World Health Organisation from October 2017 to April 2019, with direct responsibility at the World Health Organization for Climate and other Determinants of Health (CED) (first Barbadian to be Assistant Director General)
Former Chief Medical Officer of Barbados (first Barbadian to hold that office) for over 12 years-Top Public Health Advisor to the Minister of Health and responsible for the oversight of the management of the Health Sector
Chairman of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (first Caribbean person to do so) from 2012 -2013
Over the last 15 years, she has worked with partners to lead the incubation and start-up of several global initiatives, including: The Elders, The B Team, The Carbon War Room (successfully merged with the RMI), Ocean Unite, The Caribbean Climate Smart Accelerator, 100% Human at Work, The Virgin Unite Constellation and The Branson Centres of Entrepreneurship. She also played a key partner role in the incubation of many other initiatives such as The Audacious Project.
As part of her work over the last three decades, Jean has helped corporations put the wellbeing of people and the planet at their core, including working with over 25 Virgin businesses across 15 industries to help embed purpose in all they do. Jean also served as a Partner in the Virgin Group leading their people strategy.
Jean spent eighteen years living and working on six continents to start and help lead mobile phone companies in South Africa, Colombia, Bulgaria, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and the US. She was the joint CEO of Virgin Mobile in Australia prior to starting Virgin Unite.
Jean has long explored the overlap of the business and social sectors and has been involved in both, having worked for the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife in Australia, and in numerous volunteer roles, including a year-long stint as a VISTA volunteer where she worked with – and learned from - homeless teens in Chicago. She is also the co-founder of Plus Wonder, a not-for-profit to inspire partnerships of purpose.
Jean holds a number of advisory board roles, including The Elders, The NewNow, the Sara Blakely Foundation, Last Mile Health Advisory Council, The Vatican’s Humanity 2.0, Penn State Board of Visitors, Vintro and the boards of RMI, The Caribbean Climate Smart Accelerator, Ocean Unite, AID Live, Unite BVI Foundation, and Just Capital. She is also honored to be a B Team Leader.
Jean has been on the TED and TEDx stages as a host and speaker and has been the recipient of a number of awards including Bernie Glassman Trailblazer Award, the FilmAid Philanthropic Leadership Award, the Susman Sustainability Award and the 2021 Beta Gamma Sigma International Honoree Award.
Dr. Jules has had extensive regional and international experience, most of it focused on education, social policy and organisational transformation. He served as Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Caribbean Examinations Council (2008-2014) leading a thorough modernization of the Council.
He has also served as Vice President Human Resources, Cable and Wireless, St. Lucia (2005-2008); Permanent Secretary for Education & Human Resource Development St. Lucia (1997-2008), as well as Permanent Secretary for Education and Chief Education Officer in revolutionary Grenada from 1981-1983.
He has provided consultancy services to national governments, regional and international organizations in the Caribbean, Africa, Europe and North America. He chaired the World Bank’s Vision 2020 Committee on Education in the Caribbean and has served on numerous private sector, educational, and philanthropic boards.
Racquel has enabled leadership and organizations around the world to go beyond their current vision and stay on the cusp of what’s next.
As the newest UN Global Ambassador in the Race to Zero, Racquel has become a critical advisor for driving the shift to digital, process automation, and implementing key turnaround projects that heighten customer engagement and strengthen organizational performance.
Known for her ability to build coalitions, Racquel’s success in the public and private sectors has allowed her to drive important advancements on world-changing topics that require regional consensus, such as climate change, sustainability and building resilience.
Since becoming Director in 2015, Daniel has consistently led the Department in delivering strong results which formed the majority contribution in the Bank achieving its critical Approval and Disbursement targets. Before being promoted to his current position, Daniel held various management positions within the Projects Department including that of Acting Division Chief in the Economic Infrastructure Division where he was responsible for all infrastructure interventions including those in the Water and Sanitation and Energy Sectors.
Prior to joining CDB, Mr. Best was the Regional Project Manager for a multinational commercial financial institution where he successfully led the implementation of the organisation’s regional infrastructure development mandate. Mr. Best is a Civil Engineer with a Master of Business Administration from the University of Durham and a Project Management Professional with over 24 years’ successful experience building, leading and functioning within multidisciplinary and multicultural project teams and work environments.
Daniel has a passion for acting and has become central figure within the Barbadian Performing Arts scene appearing in a number of local stage, television and movie productions.
She has extensive experience on leading policy dialogue with governments on various aspects of development.
Prior to joining the Bank, Ms. Burunciuc was a Deputy Governor of the National Bank of Moldova, the country’s central bank.
She has a Master’s degree in Public Administration from George Washington University (USA) and a Master’s level degree in Economics, Management and Planning from the Technical University of Moldova.
Mr. Kamau was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Baylor University in 2005, studying economics, international development, and political science in the University Scholars program. He completed a Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy of Tufts University in 2007, with concentrations in quantitative methods in economics, and international trade. Currently, he is a doctoral candidate at Oxford University, studying applied economic growth, driven by innovation and technical change.
Our Team
Racquel has enabled leadership and organizations around the world to go beyond their current vision and stay on the cusp of what’s next.
As the newest UN Global Ambassador in the Race to Zero, Racquel has become a critical advisor for driving the shift to digital, process automation, and implementing key turnaround projects that heighten customer engagement and strengthen organizational performance.
Known for her ability to build coalitions, Racquel’s success in the public and private sectors has allowed her to drive important advancements on world-changing topics that require regional consensus, such as climate change, sustainability and building resilience.
Cheryl assumes the role of Finance Innovation Director with the Caribbean Climate Smart Accelerator Inc. with responsibility for the fundraising, finance, administration and technology portfolios.
Her career includes fifteen years’ experience in progressively complex senior management roles, providing financial management and strategic leadership for operations across several industries. She has extensive experience with business financing for operations, capital projects and investments and has provided successful leadership of related business functions specifically procurement, technology, human resources and administration with a focus on leveraging technology solutions to build operational efficiency and improve process management.
She has completed graduate and postgraduate education in business and financial management and is currently pursuing additional post graduate studies in financial and commercial law.
Kiesha is an experienced organizational and project management professional with over 15 years of experience, focused on innovation for growth across a variety of sustainable development sectors.
An adept project manager, Kiesha’s work has traversed several thematic areas including climate change, eco-agritourism, regenerative agriculture, active labour market stimulation, education and leadership development for the public sector.
She has also managed projects in the areas of social safety net protection, poverty alleviation, vocational training and advocacy for persons with disabilities, food security, health, and water & sanitation.
Kiesha has worked in 17 countries across the English and non-English speaking Caribbean with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the former Department of Foreign Affairs and Development (DFAT-D) of the Government of Canada and the former Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID).
She also gained extensive experience in program management and organizational leadership for NGOs during her tenure at the National Centre for Persons with Disabilities in Trinidad & Tobago. A firm believer in volunteerism, she has committed her time and expertise to various NGOs.
Most recently as Managing Director, her energies have been focused on the establishment of the Walkers Institute for Regenerative Research, Education and Design (WIRRED). WIRRED is a not-for profit think tank, research centre and consultancy dedicated to climate change and regenerative agroforestry practices. The organization is committed to the implementation of climate-smart strategies which demonstrate that ecosystem-based mitigation and adaptation offer tremendous opportunities in achieving climate resilience. She continues to serve on the Board of Directors of WIRRED working with a talented team to offer nature base solutions geared towards building habitat, increasing biodiversity and sequestering carbon, while reconnecting people to nature through eco-agritourism and educational experiences.
Kiesha firmly believes that holistic partnerships are at the heart of climate-smart regenerative development and she continues to work to catalyze a multi-sector network that includes the private sector, public sector, academia, various industry sectors & economies and the community.
Kiesha holds a M.Sc. in Project Management, with a specialization in the Economics of Oil and Gas (& Renewable Energy) from the University of Liverpool, a BSc. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology & Management, from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus, is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and has trained as an Executive Coach with Erickson Coaching International.
Gynelle Findlay, New Media Visionary, Web/App developer, Graphic Artist, writer. Masters in Computer Science & a Bachelors in Political Science and Economics at the University of the West Indies. Ms. Findlay is also an innovative tech entrepreneur who has assisted the establishment of many successful companies and organizations having experience working in communications for seventeen years.
Tiffany holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from the University of West Indies and a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification from the Project Management Institute. Being an avid learner, Tiffany also holds several certificates from short executive courses.
She loves the outdoors and believes accountability is a part of humanity. Our actions have an impact on living things and the more knowledge we have, the better choices we make in our actions
Tiffany views her role of Chief of Staff as a unique opportunity to merge professional and personal interests to help Caribbean entities sharpen their competitive advantage in an increasingly global world thus propelling the Caribbean region into the First World.
Alliance, Coalition Countries & Partners
THE ALLIANCE
- 8 Minute Energy
- Algas Organics
- Bill Gates
- BMR Energy
- Breakthrough Energy Coalition
- Bridgeway Foundation
- Cave Shepherd & Co. Ltd.
- Clinton Foundation
- Committee on Sustainability Assessment
- Chris Hohn, TCI Fund Management
- CCRIF SPC (formerly the Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility)
- Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)
- Environmental Services Inc.
- Envision Energy
- Fahr LLC
- Global Affairs Canada (GAC)
- Government of Canada
- Harneys
- Ionian Management Inc.
- Long Haul Capital Group LLC
- LowCarbon.com
- Mats Granryd, GSMA
- Munich Climate Insurance
- Organisation of American States (OAS)
- PwC
- Risk Cooperative
- Sutter Securities
- Swiss Re
- Willis Towers Watson
- Writing Legends
- TBWA\Melbourne
COALITION TERRITORIES
- Anguilla
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Aruba
- Commonwealth of The Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belize
- Bonaire
- Bermuda
- British Virgin Islands
- Cayman Islands
- Republic of Costa Rica
- Curaçao
- Dominican Republic
- Commonwealth of Dominica
- Grenada
- Cooperative Republic of Guyana
- Republic of Haiti
- Republic of Honduras
- Jamaica
- United Mexican States
- Montserrat
- Republic of Panama
- Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Republic of Suriname
- Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
- Turks and Caicos Islands
- United States Virgin Islands
PARTNERS
- Airbnb
- Boston Consulting Group
- BITT Digital Inc
- Branson Centre for Entrepreneurship, Kingston
- Caribbean Community (CARICOM)
- Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA)
- Doris Duke Charitable Foundation
- Global Facility for Disaster Reduction & Recovery (GFDRR)
- Government of Canada
- Green Climate Fund (GCF)
- Inter-American Development Bank Group (IDB)
- Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA)
- Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)
- PwC
- Sir Richard Branson
- Source Global PBC
- TBWA\Melbourne
- Templeton World Charity Foundation
- The ELMA Caribbean Foundation
- The Nature Conservancy
- Tides Foundation
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
- Rocky Mountain Institute
- University of the West Indies
- Virgin Unite
- Virgin Group
- World Bank Group (WBG)
- Wyss Foundation