Stage: Conditions Precedent to First Disbursement
Estimated Construction Start Date: July, 2026
Project Status
The Climate Resilient and Sustainable Integrated Coastal Zone Management Programme
The Climate Resilient And Sustainable Integrated Coastal Zone Management Programme (CRS-ICZM) is an initiative to improve the resilience of the coastlines of Barbados to climate-related impacts, as well as to augment the Coastal Zone Management Unit’s delivery of coastal zone management services to citizens of and visitors to our shores.
This programme aims to assist Barbados in achieving a balance between economic activities and environmental protection along our coastlines. We’ll do this by:
- Using science-based engineering to create stable coasts: We’ll protect selected vulnerable beaches and shorelines. These will be better protected from storms, erosion, and sea-level rise.
- Improving coastal areas: At the selected locations, improve beaches and upgrade coastal facilities, making the coastal areas more attractive and enjoyable for everyone.
- Improving coastal management: Enhancement of the current tools and expertise to make informed decisions about coastal development.
The project’s expected impacts are the creation of a resilient, safer, and enhanced socio-economic environment for citizens, communities and tourists in the coastal zone, through two components. Component 1: Climate-informed ICZM Infrastructure and Component 2: Strengthening institutional capacity.
Component 1. Integrated Coastal Infrastructure Development
Coastal infrastructure projects are proposed at five locations across the island with the aim of safeguarding our coastal areas from climate change threats such as rising sea levels and erosion. We’ll do this by:
- Strengthening our shorelines: We’ll stabilize eroding beaches and build or improve structures to protect coastal communities.
- Improving beach amenities: We’ll enhance beaches for both locals and tourists, making them more enjoyable and attractive.
- Balancing nature and protection: Our solutions will consider the needs of marine life and the environment while ensuring safety.
- Involving our communities: We’ll work closely with residents and stakeholders to understand their needs and concerns.
Our Approach:
We’ll use a combination of methods to protect our coasts, including:
- Beach nourishment: Adding sand to beaches to replenish what’s lost to erosion.
- Coastal structures: Based on the ideal engineering solution for the wave conditions of the particular location to provide the ideal protection for the shoreline. Design will utilise a combination of revetments, groynes and breakwaters
- Drainage improvements: Reducing flood risk by improving drainage systems where necessary.
- Improved accessibility: Ensuring that everyone, including people with disabilities, can enjoy our beaches.
A summary of the existing issues and proposed engineering solutions at each site can be found on the Coastal Protection Works tab.
Component 2. Strengthening Institutional Capacity for Sustainable ICZM Implementation
This component is to enhance the governance and institutional capacity of the country’s ICZM. Activities financed by this component include the following:
(i) Upgrading the National Coastal Risk Information and Planning Platform (NCRIPP);
- The National Coastal Risk Information and Planning Platform (NCRIPP) is a web-based, natural hazard risk assessment platform. The upgrade is to enhance the climate and disaster risk information analytics.
(ii) Piloting of ecosystem accounting;
- The project aims to develop first-generation (pilot) Ocean Accounts for Barbados in accordance with the United Nations System of Environmental Economic Accounting (SEEA).This is an accounting framework for integrating economic, environmental, and social data into a single, coherent set of accounts for holistic evidence-based decision-making. Having a clear and consistent understanding of the economic contributions of nature can help identify priority areas for investment in natural capital.
(iii) Creating a Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) system;
(iv) Development of a CZMU operations manual; and
(v) Training in coastal engineering, numerical modelling, and other priority technical subjects.
Coastal Protection Infrastructure Locations
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Clinketts, St. Lucy
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Sand Street, St. Peter
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Mullins to St. Peter’s Bay, St. Peter
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Oistins Bay, Christ Church
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The St. Lawrence Gap to Rockley Beach, Christ Church
Click on a site name above to jump to its summary
Clinketts, St. Lucy
This is the most northern of the five proposed project sites. It is a 340m stretch of eroded beach that is fronting a road that is exposed to coastal hazards. The area has been subject to ongoing erosion in recent years resulting in a narrowing of the beach and significant risk of damage to the road. This is a key route for public transit vehicles and pedestrians, especially for children from the area who attend the nearby school. There are private properties on the landward side of the road. Buildings and activities that once existed on the sea-side of the road are no longer possible., Many of the trees are being threatened by erosion and have been protected by local volunteers using available small cobbles to provide some minimal level of protection.
The proposed works at the Clinketts site have addressed these challenges, including the integrity of the road/seawall, and issues surrounding the bridge. The expansion of the beach and creation of more recreational space are additional benefits, as are the safer pedestrian access along the beach and up the hill at the north end of the site.
Goals for Clinketts
Two primary goals were identified for the Clinketts site, summarized as follows:
- Widening the beach to provide greater recreational opportunities, better shore protection, and better environmental conditions. This will be accomplished through placement of beach fill and the addition of coastal structures to better protect the beaches and retain the placed sand.
- Improving driver and pedestrian safety in the area. This will be accomplished through the addition of a walkway that extends along the length of the site, providing separation between the pedestrians and vehicles.
Additional goals at the site include:
- Replacement of the bridge that spans the gully near the north end of the site;
- Reducing the flooding issues that have occurred since construction of the sidewalk and wall near the south end of the site;
- Improving turtle nesting habitat and reducing the potential for adult turtles and hatchlings to attempt to cross the road;
- Protecting large trees in the area that are under threat from coastal erosion.
Proposed Design for Clinketts
The design of site improvements can be classified into two groups: localized improvements, and improvements that span a significant length of the site.
- Beach fill: Throughout the site, beach fill will be placed to widen the beach by approximately 5 to 10 m.
- Submerged breakwaters: A total of four breakwaters were originally proposed for the site. However, one of the breakwaters was split along one of the deeper shoreline approaches to the site to provide swimming and small craft access during favorable conditions.
- Road/sidewalk Foundations: Improving the foundation of the seawall that supports the sidewalk and/or road.
Localized improvements along the site include:
- The seawall will be extended along much of the site to reduce flood risk and to limit the extent to which turtles may pass onto the road.
- Headlands fronted by armour stone will be installed in regions where there are wide areas of fill around the trees. Seating will be provided if it is clear from overhanging manchineel trees.
Sand Street, St. Peter
This western project site is on the northern boundary of Speighstown. The area to be improved is about 370 m of shoreline, at which on the north and south ends of the site have slightly wider beaches and in the center of the site Baia’s restaurant protrudes into the sea. The site historically would have sand deposited on the road and sidewalk, however the current block wall along the edge of the sidewalk reduces that from occurring. However, this block wall is not a robust structure and was built upon the compromised foundation of the existing sidewalk which is under threat of erosion.
Goals for Sand Street
The main goals are to provide protection of the road and sidewalk in the area, as well as possible widening of the beach. Beach widening requires the addition of sand and the installation of structures to improve beach stability. Nourishing the beach without providing protection would be a short lived solution as the sand would be moved offshore and onto adjacent beaches during larger swell events (possibly very quickly). Beach widening is a primary goal for the following reasons:
- Providing a wider beach for recreation;
- Developing habitat for turtle nesting at the back of the beach; and
- Providing a buffer to mitigate wave overtopping and overwash of seawater and sand.
Proposed Design for Sand Street
The design of site improvements can be classified into two groups: localized improvements, and improvements that span a significant length of the site.
- Beach fill: Throughout the site, beach fill will be placed to expand the beach by about 5 to 10 m.
- Submerged breakwaters: A total of four breakwaters were originally proposed for the site.
- Road/sidewalk Foundations: Throughout this site, the seawall that supports the sidewalk and road is not constructed to an acceptable standard for a coastal structure; this is apparent from past failures. Most of this armour stone will be buried under sand when the beach is at an un-eroded level.
Localized improvements along the site include:
- A walkway will be constructed that passes on the seaward side of Hugo’s. The sidewalk will be about 3 m away from the front of their building and will be protected by a revetment.
- The existing outlet from the wetland area will be protected by an angled groyne.
- A groyne will be added to the southern limit of the site adjacent to the Speightstown walkway. This groyne will help to retain sand in the beach area and reduce the extent to which it is lost to the south during a north swell event.
Mullins, St. Peter
The St. Peter’s Bay to Mullins site is south of Speightstown and extends from the northern property limit of St. Peter’s Bay to the northern edge of Mullins Beach. The shoreline in this area is about 700 m in length and includes a few very large properties at the north end and much smaller properties in the southern half. This site has been subject to ongoing erosion in recent years resulting in a narrowing of the beach and damage to some of the very exposed buildings. The CZMU has received multiple complaints from residents in the area either requesting assistance or calls for emergency works to protect their properties especially after extreme events.
Goals for Mullins
The project goals for this site have evolved in response to feedback received from the public and stakeholders as the project proceeded through various phases of consultation. The goals will be realized through the objectives summarized as follows:
- Widening the beach to provide greater recreational opportunities, improved shore protection, and improved environmental conditions. This will be accomplished through placement of beach fill and the addition of coastal structures to better protect the beaches and retain the placed sand.
- Improving public access to the beach at each end of the site and at intermediate points along the site.
Proposed Design for Mullins
The major elements of the works proposed at this site include:
- Groynes: A total of six groynes will be modified or constructed. This design is expected to facilitate enhanced sediment transport and a wider beach
- Submerged breakwaters: Five submerged breakwaters are proposed for the site. The submerged breakwater will retain more sand in the bay. Also, the breakwater provides a more even beach within the bay. The structures can be expected to be visible at low tide.
- Beach Fill: The beach fill will be placed over the final expected beach width. This overfilling will compensate for any unknown responses and to mitigate for any potential losses on adjacent beaches. Under Beach Walkway: With much of this site fronting private property, there is the potential that beach improvement works could result in beach segments that are not accessible along the shoreline after storms or major erosion events. The walkway would also provide shore protection for many of the properties in the area and connect the south end of the project from the highway to the beach (under beach walkway). This walkway would improve beach access during adverse conditions.
Oistins, Christ Church
The shoreline area for the proposed Oistins works extends from the Berinda Cox Fish Market at the west end to Miami Beach (Enterprise Beach) at the east end (approximately 500 m). The site is unique in that it has significant space along the backshore, with many stakeholder interests that provide an opportunity to do more than just protect the beach. The wave conditions and sediment dynamics are also distinctly different from the west coast sites and as such the site provides an opportunity to undertake more significant improvements.
The Oistins site is further different from the other sites because of the rainfall flooding issues. Regular flooding occurs in the area and is caused by large flows coming down the ridge to the north and flooding the relatively flat nearshore area. These flooding issues are exacerbated by the sand blockages that are typically in place in the coastal drains in the area.
Goals for Oistins
Site improvements focused on three primary topics:
- Beach improvements through the creation of beach, enhancement and stabilization;
- Improve shoreline linkages through creating a pedestrian linkage from the OBG area to Miami beach, and
- Improving global drainage issues into the area. It will not target the specific localized drainage issues in the Oistins bay garden area.
Proposed Design for Oistins
The main elements of the proposed works are described below:
Coastal Improvements
- Western Headland: The headland adjacent to the pier provides a focal point for visitors and proximity to the fishing pier (but not access). It also will support a widened beach and will provide a location where drains can exit into the sea towards the west with reduced sand blockage.
- Widened Beach: The beach will be widened by 5 to 10 m as a result of the western headland and the placement of beach fill.
- Coastal Walkway: The walkway will provide pedestrian access from the Berinda Cox Fish Market to Miami Beach on a hard concrete surface. The walkway will be 3.5 m wide (consistent with RHB). It will have areas where access across the walkway will be possible with boats, trailers and equipment. The walkway will have a small bridge that traverses the drain at the east end of the beach as well as the fuel pipes.
- Beach Creation: A new beach will be created along the cliffs between Miami Beach and Oistins through the addition of a large impervious groyne. The beach is also supported through the addition of a submerged breakwater.
Drainage Improvements
The drainage improvements focus on four different topics:
- The drains that exit from the Berinda Cox Fish Market will be modified to prevent or reduce the influx of sediment and the inevitable blockages that occur.
- Water that is passing down Oistins Hill will be diverted and moved to the east in a new channel.
- Highway 7 will be raised to allow more water to effectively pass under the road. Three different drains will pass under the raised section of Highway 7.
- A drainage system will intercept some of the flow that approaches through the Foundation School property. Water will be channelized and/or piped to a central location from which a series of pipes will pass down to the sea.
We are also proposing that further public amenities be included in the area of Miami Beach, which will make this area even more attractive for stakeholders of all ages.
St. Lawrence Gap to Rockley Beach (SLGRB), Christ Church
The St. Lawrence Gap to Rockley Beach (SLGRB) Waterfront Improvements is longest of the five proposed coastal infrastructure project sites. It aims to improve shoreline resilience, beaches and public access along 1.9 km of the south coast of Barbados. The target area is immediately east of the popular Richard Haynes Boardwalk (RHB), and links beaches (Rockley Beach, Worthing Beach and Sandy Beach) currently separated by headlands to St. Lawrence Gap. These beaches have varying stakeholder types and level of vulnerability. As such the overall objective of the project is to reduce the risk of coastal erosion and enhance public access and amenity along the beaches.
Goals for SLGRB
The specific objectives of the project are to:
- Reduce the risk of coastal erosion to properties by providing providing shoreline protections that will mitigate future climate change influence.
- Provide improved public access from the Richard Haynes Boardwalk to St. Lawrence Gap. The design consists primarily of a hard sole walkway (2.5m) in the back beach with the amount of armouring dependent primarily on wave exposure. This results in more heavily armoured sections around headlands and reduced levels of armouring as the wave exposure drops;
- Enhance public amenities in the area.
Proposed Design for SLGRB
The overall approach taken to achieve the goals and objectives, which builds on the experience gained with the Richard Haynes Boardwalk (RHB) project, includes the following key features:
- Continuous 2.5 m wide (minimum) waterfront boardwalk generally set behind the beach, with elevations set to balance various factors, including wave overtopping, sand overwash, beach access, aesthetics and privacy;
- Rubble mound revetments, buried in the beach where possible, to protect the new boardwalk and landside development;
- Groynes to maintain beach width in specific areas;
- Drainage system in specific areas, including tie-in to/extension of existing drains; and,
- Low level lighting, and various public amenities.
Rockley Beach
A walkway along the back of the beach is to be created as main access from the public car park and linking the Richard Haynes Boardwalk to this new project. This is a key location due to the public carpark to ensure this project and Richard Haynes boardwalk is easily accessible. This beach will also see the rehabilitation of the existing groyne in front of Tiki Bar. During construction, beach access continues but with redirection as needed.
Cacrabank Headland
The walkway will continue around the Cacrabank Headland protected by a revetment. The elevation of the walkway, size and slope of armour stone revetment have been selected in order to address the increased wave exposure at this site along with anticipated changes in sea level and storm intensity due to climate change.
Worthing Beach (Rendezvous)
Worthing Beach can be categorized as narrow and fluctuating beaches, currently with limited access. Due to stakeholder concerns of privacy, there are current two options designed for this section and a decision is to be made by the government of Barbados on the best way forward through the consideration of other parameters
- Walkway with Groynes (Option 1)
The approach is to offset the entire beach face in a seaward direction through the Installation of a series of groynes (five) to stabilise beach. This would provide space for the walkway at the back of the beach. The walkway with revetment protection (buried the majority of the time) along the seaward edge for the majority of its length. Along this section of the walkway, we anticipate that the revetment will be covered with sand the vast majority of the time and providing protection against the shoreline erosion during extreme event. This would provide a more comprehensive solution for the entire beach than the many sea walls which have been installed by individual properties to provide protection currently. - Series of Groynes Only (Option 2)
This design proposed only the installation of a series of groynes (five) with beach fill to stabilise the beach. This will expand the beach, however no additional coastal protection is provided during extreme events.
Sandy Beach
The proposed works at Sandy Beach are generally landward of the active beach (east and west ends), or consist of an unimproved walkway in the central area. There is very little proposed change to the beach itself, other than the westward relocation of the middle of the three existing groynes. This groyne relocation will improve the conditions of the beach just to the west of the existing central groyne, where some erosion has repeatedly occurred.
Component 2. Strengthening Institutional Capacity for Sustainable ICZM Implementation
This component aims to enhance the governance and institutional capacity of the country’s ICZM. Activities financed by this component include the following:
(i) Upgrading the National Coastal Risk Information and Planning Platform (NCRIPP);
- The National Coastal Risk Information and Planning Platform (NCRIPP) is a web-based, natural hazard risk assessment platform. The upgrade is to enhance the climate and disaster risk information analytics.
(ii) Piloting of ecosystem accounting;
- The project aims to develop first-generation (pilot) Ocean Accounts for Barbados in accordance with the United Nations System of Environmental Economic Accounting (SEEA).This is an accounting framework for integrating economic, environmental, and social data into a single, coherent set of accounts for holistic evidence-based decision-making. Having a clear and consistent understanding of the economic contributions of nature can help identify priority areas for investment in natural capital.
(iii) Creating a Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) system;
(iv) Development of a CZMU operations manual; and
(v) Training in coastal engineering, numerical modelling, and other priority technical subjects.