With the recent activation of the “Ocean Coordination Mechanism” - a regional platform in support of integrated ocean governance, the Wider Caribbean region is demonstrating global leadership. 

The CLME+ region (the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems) constitutes one of the most geopolitically complex sets of LMEs in the world. Covering 4.4 million km² of marine space, it is comprised of 26 states and 18 overseas territories, many of which are Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Nearly 100 million people (2015 data) live within 100 km of the region's coasts.

The marine environment provides a wealth of opportunities to support the region’s sustainable development, and through increased recognition of the current and potential value of the sustainable blue economy, investment and interest in the marine space continue to grow. However, the region faces major challenges, from land-based sources of pollution, to overfishing, to unsustainable use of marine resources, ecosystem degradation, sea level rise, ocean acidification and warming oceans. 

To help address these issues, as well as the added challenge posed by a traditionally highly fragmented approach to ocean governance, to date, the CLME+ region has been able to count on the support from 3 consecutive GEF IW LME Projects, namely CLME (2009-2014), CLME+ (2015-2021) and now PROCARIBE+ (2023-2028). 

PROCARIBE+, “Protecting and Restoring the Ocean’s Natural Capital, building Resilience and supporting region-wide Investments for sustainable Blue socio-Economic development in the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf LMEs” builds on the results of its predecessor projects:

Under CLME, the region recognized the need for enhanced coordination amongst its many countries and the various organizations with an ocean related mandate, and (through the GEF-supported TDA-SAP approach) agreed to operationalize a region-wide ocean coordination mechanism (the “OCM”).  

CLME+ then advanced the negotiations leading to the adoption in 2023 of the “Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) Enabling the Creation of a Coordination Mechanism to Support Integrated Ocean Governance in the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf LMEs.”  

Being open to membership by 32 States and Territories and 11 Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs), to date, a total of 17 States and 9 IGOs have already signed this MOU, with the agreed-upon thresholds for its establishment having been surpassed in December 2024.  

With this recent activation of the OCM, the region is now positioning itself as a leader in thinking and acting on integrated ocean governance globally. Additional OCM memberships are expected in 2025. 

In duly considering the Ocean-Biodiversity-Climate-Sustainable Development nexus and embracing the concept of the 'SDG wedding cake'—which highlights the biosphere as the basis for achieving the societal and economic SDGs—the OCM will enable enhanced region-wide collaboration, promoting well-coordinated efforts to restore and preserve its valuable marine ecosystems. By fostering synergies and improving efficiency, it aims to address critical environmental challenges while unlocking the economic, environmental, and social benefits of a healthy ocean.

Key initiatives of the OCM include the development of a holistic Ocean Action Programme, the launch of a periodic reporting mechanism on the 'State of the Marine Environment and Associated Economies,' and supporting the strengthening of climate-resilient ocean-based economies—the latter being of key importance for the region’s many SIDS.

Dr Didacus Jules, Director General of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean states:

“The OCM will undoubtedly strengthen regional cooperation, promote sustainable fisheries, and contribute to the resilience of our coastal and marine environments, ultimately driving the prosperity and well-being of livelihoods and economies. As the first intergovernmental agency to sign the MOU, the OECS is honoured to serve as the Convener of the inaugural Executive Group Meeting and looks forward to providing initial leadership on this important initiative.” 

The work of the OCM is supported by the US $15 million GEF/UNDP/UNOPS PROCARIBE+ project (2023-2028). The project works under four components:

(1) Enhanced regional coordination and collaboration,

(2) Enhanced national capacity and enabling conditions,

(3) Key actions by all sectors of society and,

(4) Regional Knowledge Management and Marine Data Infrastructure + global LME community.  

Current “States and Territories” Signatories of the OCM MOU are: Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, the Bahamas, Belize, Costa Rica, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Honduras, Netherlands on behalf of: Bonaire - Saba - Sint Eustatius, Panama, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Suriname, United States of America.

Current “Intergovernmental Organization” Signatories of the OCM MOU are: Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), Central American Fisheries and Aquaculture Organization (OSPESCA), Central American COmission for Environment and Development (CCAD), Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (IOC-UNESCO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) represented by its Caribbean Regional Coordinating Unit (CAR/RCU). 

About PROCARIBE+

The 5-year GEF/UNDP PROCARIBE+ Project (2023-2028), executed by UNOPS under its Water, Environment and Climate (WEC) global portfolio, aims to protect, restore and harness the natural coastal and marine capital of the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems (CLME+/Wider Caribbean region). The project aims to stimulate investments in a climate-resilient, sustainable Blue Economy by promoting collaboration and coordination in the region and establishing broad-based partnerships. PROCARIBE+ will work towards enabling sustainable and resilient ocean-based (blue) economies by scaling up actions on Marine Spatial Planning, marine conservation (such as MPAs, OECMs), Blue Carbon, sustainable fisheries, community grants, and through enhanced regional ocean governance. This effort will include capacity building, improved marine data, information and knowledge management, strategic planning, and environmental and socio-economic reporting.

For more information on the PROCARIBE+ Project, please contact the Regional Coordinator, Patrick Debels (patrickd@unops.org and info@procaribeplus.org) or visit the project website.

Words by Patrick Debels (patrickd@unops.org). Cover Photo: Islas del Rosario, Cartagena, Colombia by Alexander Girvan.