Barbadians are beginning to warm up to the idea of a green economy.
That is the word from national coordinator of the GEF Small Grants Programme (Barbados) David Bynoe, who said younger people were also turning to the fund for assistance.
He said that between 2013 and 2016, the programme had invested over US$5 500 000 in 57 projects across Barbados.
The majority dealt with land degradation (39 per cent); 24 per cent were related to climate change; biodiversity and conservation accounted for 18 per cent, and capacity development and chemicals and waste made up eight per cent each.
Payne said when the Small Grants Programme initially began in 1994, the coordinator was responsible for Barbados and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. That created some challenges as it meant there was one set of funds servicing the entire region.
“In 2013, Barbados transitioned to a national modality and what we found was that the uptake of projects became much greater and therefore we were able to mobilise a lot of funds nationally,” Payne told the DAILY NATION on Tuesday.
He was speaking on the sidelines at a press conference at the United Nations House, Marine Gardens, Christ Church, where details of next month’s National Green Knowledge Fair were disclosed.
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