Cooperative Agreement NA24OARX431C0001

THE PROPOSED PROJECT IS A JOINT EFFORT BETWEEN THE GLOBAL RESILIENCE INSTITUTE (GRI) AT NORTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY AND THE UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS (UVI). IT RESPONDS TO THE CLIMATE PROGRAM OFFICE ADAPTATION SCIENCES COMPETITION FOR INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH, ENGAGEMENT, AND CAPACITY BUILDING TO ADVANCE ADAPTATION AND RESILIENCE IN ISLANDS OF THE CARIBBEAN AND THE PACIFIC. THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS (USVI) IS AN AMERICAN TERRITORY THAT HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED BY THE UNITED NATIONS AS A SMALL ISLAND DEVELOPING STATE (SIDS). LIKE MANY OTHER SIDS IN THE CARIBBEAN REGION, IT IS PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO CATASTROPHIC NATURAL EVENTS TO INCLUDE HURRICANES, DELUGES, AND DROUGHT. USVI ALSO STRUGGLES WITH PERSISTENT INCOME INEQUITIES, AND AGING INFRASTRUCTURE. WHEN DISASTERS STRIKE, THE OVERALL FRAGILITY OF THE USVI TRANSLATES INTO A GROWING RISK OF CASCADING FAILURES OF BUILT AND NATURAL SYSTEMS WITH SEVERE HUMAN AND SOCIETAL CONSEQUENCES. THIS MAKES MITIGATING THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH NATURAL DISASTERS IN THE CARIBBEAN REGION, AND THE USVI IN PARTICULAR, AN URGENT IMPERATIVE. CLIMATE ADAPTATION MEASURES ARE PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT GIVEN THE GROWING FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY OF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS, COMPOUNDED BY SEA-LEVEL RISE. THE DIRECT INVOLVEMENT OF THE COMMUNITY TO INCLUDE THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY DISADVANTAGED IS ESSENTIAL IF THESE MEASURES ARE TO BE EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE. ACCOMPLISHING THIS REQUIRES EXPERTISE AND EXPERIENCE IN DESIGNING AND EXECUTING A CO-DEVELOPMENT PROCESS THAT: (1) IDENTIFIES BARRIERS THAT INHIBIT COMMUNITIESS USE OF SCIENCE-BASED TOOLS, METHODS, AND MODELS THAT CAN SUPPORT CLIMATE ADAPTATION EFFORTS, AND (2) INVITES AND EMPOWERS A DIVERSE GROUP OF COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EFFORTS FOR OVERCOMING THOSE BARRIERS. THE PROPOSED PROJECT HAS 4 PHASES: 1. BACKGROUND DATA ANALYSIS AND STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS WITH ISLAND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THEIR CURRENT CLIMATE ADAPTATION LANDSCAPE AND TO ASSESS THEIR CLIMATE ADAPTATION PRIORITIES THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT OF A RESILIENCE BASELINE ASSESSMENT. 2. A 2-DAY COLLABORATIVE PLANNING SESSION TO ENGAGE IN CO-LEARNING WITH THE COMMUNITY ON: (A) DEVELOPING CLIMATE ADAPTATION PATHWAYS TO RESPOND TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY IDENTIFIES AS THEIR NEEDS TO OVERCOME BARRIERS TO ADAPTATION; AND (B) TO ESTABLISH A METHOD FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND OUTSIDE AGENCIES/ORGANIZATIONS TO SUCCESSFULLY ENGAGE AND COLLABORATE WITH EACH OTHER ON IMPLEMENTING CLIMATE ADAPTATION ACTIONS. 3. A HYBRID IMPLEMENTATION CLINIC TO PROVIDE THE COMMUNITY WITH A SENSE OF AGENCY AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACCESS EXTERNAL PARTNERS WHO CAN POTENTIALLY HELP TO TRANSLATE COMMUNITY ASPIRATIONS INTO OUTCOMES. 4. REPORTING AND SHARING KEY FINDINGS BEYOND USVI THAT CATALYZES AND GUIDES CLIMATE ADAPTATION EFFORTS IN OTHER ISLAND NATIONS ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN REGION. THIS PROJECT AIDS NOAA AD SCI IN REACHING THEIR LONG-TERM CLIMATE RESEARCH GOALS BY IDENTIFYING AND PRIORITIZING SCIENTIFIC INFORMATION TO SUPPORT PREPAREDNESS AND ADAPTATION TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECT LEVERAGES GRIS EXISTING INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE CARIBBEAN AND PACIFIC REGION, POSITIONING PROJECT RESULTS TO BE SHARED AND POTENTIALLY REPLICATED.