In collaboration with Island Innovation, CARIBBEAN, CMC-The Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) will host its second biennial Caribbean Conservation Finance Congress on July 27-28, 2023, under the theme “Advancing Circular Economies.”
A statement on the CBT website said the focus of the two-day virtual discussion would be “on advancing circular economies for the further conservation and sustainable development of the Caribbean region.”
The term circular economy refers to activities that cause the reintegration of different types of material, previously seen as waste, back into the production of the cycle.
The session, which is open to the public, will address issues such as defining the principles of circular economies and their implementation feasibility in the Caribbean, with a focus on sustainable tourism and eco-system-based enterprises; enhancing public-private partnerships to drive circular economy initiatives at the local, national and regional levels and, integrating circular economy practices with climate change adaptation and resilience efforts.
The keynote address will be delivered by Senior Coordination Officer for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Christopher Corbin and is expected to answer questions such as what the circular future looks like and how it would benefit the Caribbean.
Speaking about the importance of the Congress and its theme at this time, CBF CEO Karen McDonald Gayle said, “With entrepreneurship and innovation leading a lot of new projects in the Caribbean, the CBF is keen to find ways to intertwine that with the fieldwork carried out by conservation organizations, and identify opportunities to build a circular economy that will drive our region forward. This Congress is the first step towards realizing that goal.”
The 2023 Congress follows the CBF’s launch of its groundbreaking program, Nature-based Economies, which will be developed around a new Advancing Circular Economy (ACE) Facility.
The ACE Facility will work with public and private sector partners and other Caribbean stakeholders to fund projects that promote and apply practical circular economy principles to minimize, prevent or remove waste entering the marine environment and eliminating marine litter. The objective of the ACE Facility is to contribute to reducing marine debris in the insular Caribbean.
In addition to the circular economy discussions, the CBF will also announce the winners of its inaugural Biodiversity Excellence Awards for Conservation Heroes (BEACH) Awards. The Awards honor individuals and organizations who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and collaboration in their efforts to safeguard the Caribbean’s biodiversity.
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