Headlines:
Major
intergovernmental agreements and actors
Action
programmes, strategies, and research
State
of the regional environment
GEF
Projects
in the region
Other
actors and initiatives
Major
intergovernmental agreements and actors
Convention
for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of
the Wider Caribbean Region
The
Cartagena Convention, adopted 1983, is a Convention for achieving
sustainable development of marine and coastal resources in the wider
Caribbean region through effective integrated management that allows
for increased economic growth. The Convention covers the various
aspects of marine pollution for which the Contracting Parties must
adopt measures. Thus, the Convention requires the adoption of measures
aimed at preventing, reducing and controlling pollution of the following
areas: pollution from ships, pollution caused by dumping, pollution
from sea-bed activities, airborne pollution, pollution from land-based
sources and activities. In addition, the Parties are requiered to
take appropriate measures to protect and preserve rare or fragile
ecosystems, as well as the habitat of depleted, threatened or endangered
species and to develop technical and other guidelines for the planning
and environmental impact assessments of important development projects
in order to prevent or reduce harmful impacts on the area of application.
The Caribbean Regional Co-ordinating Unit (CAR/RCU) acts as Secretariat
for the Convention. Protocols
to the Convention include:
-
Protocol
Concerning Co-operation in Combating Oil Spills in the Wider Caribbean
Region (Oil
Spills Protocol), adopted 1983.
-
Protocol
Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife to the Convention
for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the
Wider Caribbean Region (SPAW
Protocol), adopted 1990.
-
Protocol
Concerning Pollution from Land-based Sources and Activities to the
Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment
of the Wider Caribbean Region (LBS
Protocol), adopted 1999.
International
Convention for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas
The
Convention (see also pdf
file) was adopted in 1966 and entered into force in 1969. The purpose
of the Convention is the conservation of the resources of tuna and tuna-like
fishes of the Atlantic Ocean. The
International Commission for the Conservation
of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) was established in 1969, under the Convention,
as an inter-governmental fishery organization responsible for the conservation
of tunas and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and its adjacent
seas. ICCAT
is the only fisheries organization that can undertake the range of work
required for the study and management of tunas and tuna-like fishes
in the Atlantic. The Commission's work requires the collection and analysis
of statistical information relative to current conditions and trends
of the fishery resources in the Convention area.
Organisation
of American States, OAS
OAS
Water Resources Programme: In conformity with the mandates of OAS
member states, the Unit for Sustainable Development and Environment
(USDE) is engaged in several projects on transboundary water resource
management in partnership with UNEP, the World Bank, the Global Environment
Facility (GEF), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in major
river basin of South and Central America. The Unit is the secretariat
for the Inter-American Water Resources Network (IWRN) - see
below - and serves on the Board of Governors of the World Water
Council. USDE is also collaborating with the Pan American Health Organization
to organize inter-American conference on the link between water and
health.
UNEP
Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, ROLAC
See for example Forum
of Environmental Ministers for Latin America and the Caribbean (only
in Spanish).
UN
Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, ECLAC
The site of UN ECLAC comprises News; Publications; Main Studies; ECLAC
Series; Research and Studies; Statistics; Projects; Library; Events; Work
Programme; as well as ECLAC Headlines and Latest News.
IOC
Sub-Commission for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions, IOCARIBE
A regional subsidiary body of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic
Commission of UNESCO. IOCARIBE is responsible for the promotion,development
and co-ordination of the IOC'smarine scientific research programmes, the
ocean services, and related activities, including TEMA (training, education
and mutual assistance), in the Carribbean and adjacent regions. In establishing
its programmes, it takes into account the specific interests and needs
of the member States in the region.
Financial
institutions
Inter-American
Development Bank,
IADB
The Inter-American Development Bank, the oldest and largest regional multilateral
development institution, was established in December of 1959 to help accelerate
economic and social development in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Action
programmes, strategies and research
Caribbean
Action Plan
The Caribbean Action Plan (pdf file) emerged as a result of many years
of work by governmental and non-governmental representatives of the Caribbean
community, assisted primarily by UNEP. The programme objectives embraced
by the Caribbean Action Plan, which was adopted in 1981, include the following:
-
Assistance to all countries of the region, recognising the special
situation of the smaller islands;
-
Co-ordination of international assistance activities;
-
Strengthening existing national and subregional institutions;
-
Technical co-operation in the use of the region's human, financial
and natural resources.
Caribbean
Environment Programme
Established in 1983 under UNEP by the diverse states and territories of
the Wider Caribbean to collectively address the protection and development
in the coastal area. The CEP contains four sub-programmes:
Small
Island Developing States Network
The SIDSnet was initiated as a follow up to the Barbados
Programme of Action from 1994. It was recognised that all islands
share common issues and SIDSnet was initiated with UNDP Sustainable Development
Networking Programme (SDNP) and the
Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).
At present, 41 small island developing States and territories are included
in the monitoring of the progress in the implementation of the Barbados
Programme of Action. These states and territories often work together
through the AOSIS, which also includes some small low-lying coastal States.
The General Assembly convened a Special
Session on SIDS in 1999.
UNEP
Regional Seas Programme
The Regional
Seas Programme was initiated in 1974 as a global programme implemented
through regional components. The Regional Seas Programme is UNEP's main
framework in the field of the coastal and marine environment. It includes
14 regions and three partner seas, involves more than 140 coastal states,
and focuses on sustainable development of coastal and marine areas. Each
regional action plan
is formulated according to the needs and priorities of the region as perceived
by the Governments concerned. Regional
conventions are in place for several areas. See a map
of all regional seas, and go to more information on the Black Sea, Wider
Caribbean, Mediterranean,
East Asian Seas, South Asian Seas, Eastern Africa, Kuwait Region, North
West Pacific, Red Sea And Gulf of Aden, South East Pacific, North East
Pacific, South
Pacific, Upper
South West Atlantic, and West
and Central Africa. The UNEP Regional Seas web site also contains information
on What's at stake,
Major threats,
and Actions.
Regional
Marine Pollution Emergency, Information and Training Center for the Wider
Caribbean Region,
REMPEITC-Carib
An IMO office assisting the countries in the region in preventing, preparing
for and responding to major pollution incidents.
Regional
Vision for Central America and the Caribbean
Also
available as a pdf
document. Regional visions form the basis for effective action, even
as elements of a global plan. As a part of the Water Vision project, Regional
Consultations were held and resulted in Regional Visions. The objective
was to involve the stakeholders of each region in the development of their
own regional vision, as he building blocks of the World Water Vision.
Guided by the World Commission on Water in the 21st Century and managed
by the World Water Vision Unit hosted by of the UNESCO Division of Water
Science, the World
Water Vision "aims to develop a massive public awareness of the
risks of major water problems as a result of inaction, as well as encourage
innovative thinking on how these problems can be tackled. It should encourage
and empower people to participate in devising and implementing solutions
to these water problems. And it should generate the political commitment
to turn this increased public awareness into effective action".
Research
Caribbean
Community Ocean Sciences Network
CARICOM Ministers responsible for Science and Technology took a decision
in 1990 to establish a network of the major institutions in the region
currently undertaking work in the marine sciences and satellite remote
sensing. The Ministers agreed that the network — CCOSNET — should
be coordinated by the Institute of Marine
Affairs at Trinidad and Tobago.
Caribbean
Marine Research Center
The CMRC,
located in the Bahamas, was created in 1984 to address the critical issues
associated with escalating environmental degradation as well as other
problems related to living marine resources and marine geological processes
of the Caribbean, Florida and other tropical and subtropical regions of
the world. In 1987, CMRC was designated as one of six National Undersea
Research Centers under the auspices of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA).
State
of the regional environment
Marine
issues in the Caribbean
Summaries of the state of the environment in the Caribbean region
with regard to Coastal Zone Management; Maintenance of Biological
Diversity; Land Based Sources of Marine Pollution; Coral Reef Conservation;
and Sustainable Tourism Initiatives.
GEO
2000 State of the Environment: Latin America and the Caribbean
Global
Enviroment Outlook 2000. GEO is:
-
a global environmental assessment process, the GEO Process,
that is cross-sectoral and participatory. It incorporates regional
views and perceptions, and builds consensus on priority issues
and actions through dialogue among policy-makers and scientists
at regional and global levels.
- GEO
outputs, in printed and electronic formats, including the GEO
Report series. This series makes periodic reviews of the state
of the world's environment, and provides guidance for decision-making
processes such as the formulation of environmental policies,
action planning and resource allocation. Other outputs include
technical reports, a
web site and a publication for young people.
GEF
Projects in the region
Projects
under implementation
World
Bank - GEF - International Waters:
Wider
Caribbean Initiative for Ship-Generated Waste
Project activities will lay the foundation for countries in the
Wider Caribbean Region to ratify and implement the MARPOL 73/78
Convention, ending discharge of ship-generated wastes into international
and territorial waters. Technical assistance will be provided for
studies leading to a regional strategy for the implemenation of
MARPOL 73/78, assessment of existing waste management systems, formulation
of criteria for waste reception facilities at ports, development
of integrated waste management alternatives, and public awareness
programs. The project will also support periodic regional consultative
meetings to reach consensus on different elements of a regional
MARPOL strategy.
World
Bank - GEF - International Waters:
Ship-Generated
Waste Management
The project will assist OECS governments in reducing pollution of
international and territorial waters caused by the discharge of
ship-generated solid wastes by supporting appropriate actions aimed
at improving collection, treatment and disposal of these wastes.
It includes national components consisting of the establishment
of port-waste reception facilities and incremental expansion of
landfill sites to handle ship-generated wastes, together with a
regional component comprised of support activities and technical
assistance for project management, training and education, establishment
of common legal framework for ship waste management, recycling possibilities
and public awareness programs. Project activities will also protect
critical habitat for the endangered Grenada dove.
UNDP/UNEP
- GEF - International waters:
Demonstrations
of Innovative Approaches to the Rehabilitation of Heavily Contaminated
Bays in the Wider Caribbean - Latin America
As a follow-up to the PRIF and on-going baseline, the proposed GEF
project will leverage national co-financing to help two of the countries
to overcome a number of key barriers to the adoption of best practices
that limit the contamination of their national and adjacent international
waters. The project will implement demonstrations/pilot projects
to test innovative technical, management, legislative and educational
approaches for reducing the input of priority international waters
contaminants, the nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus, to Havana Bay,
Kingston Harbour and the adjacent Wider Caribbean. It will further
strengthen and/or help create new institutions responsible for the
rehabilitation and sustainable management of the two bays. The project
supports the mandate of the Cartagena Convention for the Protection
and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean
Region, particularly Article 7, Pollution from Land-based Sources,
and Article 13, Scientific and Technical Co-operation, as well as
the new Land-Based Sources Protocol currently in preparation. See
also the project
web site!
UNDP
- GEF - Biodiversity:
Conservation
And Sustainable Use of the Barrier Reef Complex, Belize
This project which builds on the achievements of the GEF-funded
pilot phase project seeks to operationalize the recently passed
Coastal Zone Management Act. This Act provides the institutional
framework for the implementation of targeted interventions for biodiversity
protection. Belize's coastal zone is made up of globally significant
diversity of ecosystems and organisms, including the longest barrier
reef (220 km long) in the Western Hemisphere. Five of the marine
protected areas (MPAs) targeted in this project are World Heritage
Sites.
UNDP
- GEF - Biodiversity:
Sustainable
Development and Management of Biologically Diverse Coastal Resources,
Belize
Comprehensive planning of coastal resource management to preserve
globally-significant and economically-vital marine ecosystem. This
innovative project includes training, laying groundwork for zoning
plans, and assistance with developing permanent statutory authority
charged with preserving and managing littoral zone nationwide.
UNDP
- GEF - Biodiversity:
Conservation
of the Biological Diversity of the Orinoco Delta Biosphere Reserve
and Lower Orinoco River Basin, Venezuela
The Orinoco River Delta is a rich storehouse of wetland biodiversity.
Although its natural integrity is largely intact, the Delta is increasingly
threatened by hunting, fishing, and forest harvesting activities,
and is potentially at risk from agricultural expansion, pollution,
and development-induced hydrological perturbation. The project would
mitigate such threats by: 1] installing new conservation operations
in the Orinoco Delta Biosphere Reserve (ODBR) and seeking to encourage
conservation compatible land uses at the site; and 2] strategically
adapting the environmental management framework for the Lower Orinoco
River Basin. Management would be effected by actively involving
indigenous communities and other stakeholders in activity implementation,
including the private sectors, in a manner suited to the local context.
Interventions would be partitioned into phases and sequenced to
enable learning and adjustment. Management operations within the
ODBR would initially target five biologically representative pilot
sites, positioned to control access into interior wildlands. Operations
would gradually be consolidated across the Reserve's landscape as
institutional capacities are developed. Conservation objectives
would be spearheaded at the wider landscape level by enhancing knowledge
of the geo-environmental processes that sustain biodiversity, instituting
new decision-making instruments for conservation, and strengthening
environmental management functions.
Project
concepts in the pipeline
UNEP
- GEF - International waters:
Development
of Comprehensive Management Programs to Reduce Pesticide Release
from the Agricultural Sector to the Marine Environment of the Caribbean
Sea
The project will protect the marine environment in the Caribbean
Sea by reducing the use of, and reliance on, pesticides in agricultural
activities. The project will assist the countries in developing
and implementing comprehensive management practices.
UNEP
- GEF - International waters:
Formulation
of SAP for the Integrated Management of Water Resources and the
Sustainable Development of the San Juan River and Coastal Zone
The project will formulate a strategic action program for the integrated
water resource management of the San Juan River basin and its coastal
zone. The preparation phase will include but not be limited to mitigation
measures to alleviate adverse impacts.
UNEP
- GEF - International waters:
Comprehensive
Action Programme to Phase out DDT and Reduce the Long-term Effects
of Exposure in Mexico and Central America
The project will reduce/eliminate the use of DDT for malaria control
in Mexico and Central America.
World
Bank - GEF - Biodiversity:
Conservation
and Sustainable Use of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System
The project will develop a region wide approach to conservation
of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System through mapping, GIS, and
pilot sites to be identified.
Other
actors, initiatives and resources
Inter-American
Water Resources Network, IWRN
The IWRN is a network of networks whose purpose is to build and
strengthen water resources partnerships in the Americas. The network
promotes horizontal collaboration among members of the water resources
community in the Americas. It facilitates technical cooperation
and information sharing, develops opportunities for education and
training and forms partnerships to investigate and manage water
resources.
International
Centre for Living Aquatic Resources Management,
ICLARM
An international research organization "devoted
to improving the productivity, management and conservation of aquatic
resources for the benefit of users and consumers in developing countries".
ICLARM is one of the research centres of CGIAR,
Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research. See,
for example, Caribbean
Marine Protected Areas Project: The Role of Marine Protected Areas
in Fisheries Management and Biodiversity Conservation in Coral Reef
Ecosystems.
ICLARM,
in collaboration with the the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations (FAO) and other partners, and with support
from the European Commission, has also developed
FishBase, a global
information system on fishes for research scientists, fisheries
managers, zoologists and many more. FishBase contains full information
on 23,500 species. Furthermore, ICLARM has developed similar systems
on coral reefs and their resources (ReefBase)
and management of fish stocks in Asia (TrawlBase).
International
Coral Reef Initiative, ICRI
An
environmental partnership that brings stakeholders together with
the objective of sustainable use and conservation of coral reefs
for future generations. ICRI is an informal mechanism that allows
representatives of over 80 developing countries with coral reefs
to sit in equal partnership with major donor countries and development
banks, international environmental and development agencies, scientific
associations, the private sector and NGOs to decide on the best
strategies to conserve the world's coral reef resources.
Coral
Health and Monitoring Programme,
NOOA
The mission of the NOOA Coral Health and Monitoring Program is to
provide services to help improve and sustain coral reef health throughout
the world. Long term goals:Establish an international network of
coral reef researchers for the purpose of sharing knowledge and
information on coral health and monitoring.Provide near real-time
data products derived from satellite images and monitoring stations
at coral reef areas. Provide a data repository for historical data
collected from coral reef areas. Add to the general fund of coral
reef knowledge.See also Global
Coral Reef Monitoring Network, GCRMN.
Caribbean
Sea - a Large Marine Ecosystem (LME)
A
Large Marine Ecosystem,
LME,
is a "region of ocean space encompassing coastal areas from
river basins and estuaries to the seaward boundary of continental
shelves and the seaward margins of coastal current systems. It is
a relatively large region characterized by distinct bathymetry,
hydrography, productivity, and trophically dependent populations."
See also Rhode Island University map
of LMEs.
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