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.
Caribbean
Community, CARICOM
The objective of CARICOM is "to provide dynamic leadership
and service, in partnership with Community institutions and Groups,
toward the attainment of a viable, internationally competitive and
sustainable Community, with improved quality of life for all."
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
A n 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
State
of the Marine Environment in Trinidad and Tobago
Prepared and published in 1999 by the Institute of Marine Affairs
Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in co-operation with UNEP Caribbean
Regional Co-ordinating Unit.
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.
UNEP
- GEF - International waters:
Development
of Comprehensive Management Programmes to Reduce Pesticide Releases
from the Agricultural Sector to the Marine Environment of the Caribbean
Sea
Agriculture is the mainstay of the economies of the wider Caribbean
region with pesticides becoming increasingly used. The pesticides
most commonly used are persistent organic pollutants and other substances
such as organophosphates, carbamates, organochlorates, and pyrethroids.
Significant quantities of these are transported through water courses
into coastal waters. Project preparatory activities are therefore
being undertaken to develop a project that aims at protecting the
Caribbean sea by reducing the use of, and reliance on pesticides
in agricultural activities.
UNDP
- GEF - Biodiversity:
Biodiversity
Conservation and Management in the Coastal Zone of the Dominican
Republic
The project assists government in protecting two important coastal
regions through addressing regional landshed issues and developing
buffering strategy. Training will take place, public awareness will
be raised, and data will be gathered into geographic information
system for assessment of priority protection areas, monitoring of
environmental change, and assessment of socio-economic impact on
environmental policy.
Project
concepts in the pipeline
Inter-American
Development Bank (IADB) - GEF - Biodiversity:
Coastal
Zone Management in Portland Bight
The project objective is to protect the coastal biodiversity of
the Portland Bight area by building on key aspects of the Portland
bight Protected Area Management Plan.
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.
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