$7.5-Million Youth Climate Action Fund Launched in Mo’bay

The St. James Municipal Corporation has launched the Youth Climate Action Fund Programme, a $7.5-million initiative aimed at promoting climate solutions in Montego Bay through youth engagement.

This innovative programme is funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies in collaboration with United Cities Local Governments (UCLG) and the Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation (BCPI) at Johns Hopkins University, USA.

It will provide grants of $150,000 to $750,000 to groups made up of young people, aged 15 to 24 years, to undertake climate-related projects.

A selection committee will evaluate the project plans submitted by the groups to ensure that the funds are used effectively and within the confines of the city.

The application process opened on May 30 and will close on July 1, with the winning projects announced on July 12.

Speaking at the launch at the Corporation’s Chambers in Montego Bay on Thursday (May 30), Mayor of Montego Bay, Councillor Richard Vernon, highlighted the importance of the initiative in light of the escalating climate crisis.

“It is obvious that what persons experienced 50 years ago is 10 times more aggressive today, so we have to take that into consideration,” Mayor Vernon said.

He noted that the recent storm surge along Montego Bay’s coastline is a stark reminder of the urgent need for environmental resilience.

“Those who were able to witness it first-hand would agree that it was very intimidating. If we did not put the necessary resilient structures in place, such as the groynes [a shore protection structure] the storm surge would not have stopped at Pier One but it would be all the way to the fire station and perhaps to the town centre in Sam Sharpe Square,” he contended.

Mayor Vernon said the programme not only aims to mitigate the effects of climate change but also seeks to rejuvenate youth engagement in the community.

“For some time now, we have realised a lull in youth groups… . We need to get back, we need to shed ourselves of the COVID mentally, get outside, get active and engage because we need all hands on deck for climate action,” he said.