As more climate change seems locked in – some estimates suggest a 1.5-degree Celsius (2.5 degree Fahrenheit) rise above pre-Industrial averages is guaranteed – more governments are allocating resources to adaptation. Caribbean communities that contribute very little to climate change are some of the most vulnerable, and representatives from many met in October 2016 in Grenada to share experiences and build technical capacity.

Hosted by the NAP Global Network, an initiative started in December 2014, representatives from 11 Caribbean countries discussed their nascent experiences with National Adaptation Plans, a process developed by nations as part of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Though plans are expected to be unique to each country’s requirements, the shared framework encourages bilateral donors and developing countries to meet and learn from each other’s experiences, considering what works and what doesn’t.

It “offers a concrete and specific opportunity for vulnerable countries to think about what they can do across a variety of sectors and to proactively plan and to take advantage of those opportunities,” said Roger-Mark De Souza, director of the Wilson Center’s Global Sustainability and Resilience Program, in a short series of interviews about the meeting in October.

Successful adaptation to rising seas, more variable rainfalls, and stronger storms will require more dialogue, said attendees in St. George.

“We need to understand what our objectives are, our vision, and to develop our plans to ensure that we are able to take full advantage of the international support that is offered to us,” said Senator Simon Stiell, the minister of state of Grenada.