GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC—The subregional dialogue on national biodiversity strategies began here on Monday, with delegates being told that the Region’s economic, social, and environmental characteristics make the Caribbean particularly dependent on healthy ecosystems.
Addressing the three-day meeting, which will also discuss the global biodiversity framework, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary General Dr. Carla Barnett said that more than half of global economic output is estimated to depend on the healthy functioning of global biodiversity systems.
“CARICOM member states are richly blessed with natural and environmental resources. However, we remain particularly vulnerable to biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution.”
Barnett said that although CARICOM countries are not major emitters, “we bear the inordinate burden of the impact of the emissions of others,” adding that, historically, deforestation, land degradation, and air and water pollution put the Region’s rich biodiversity, including its endemic flora and fauna, at risk.
She said that as small islands and low-lying coastal developing states (SIDS), Caribbean people are constantly reminded of the Region’s sustainable development challenges.
“Because the solutions to many of our challenges do not lie only in our hands, we remain engaged with our international partners, discussing, negotiating, and advocating for global changes critical to the survival of all on this planet.
” We do this in the context of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations, as part of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), and in international biodiversity discussions. We are determined to lead by example, wherever we can, in efforts to tackle global challenges. “
The CARICOM Secretary-General said there are significant ongoing regional initiatives in this regard, noting that the Region has articulated its first Caribbean Community Environment and Natural Resources Policy Framework.
It will be formally launched at the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which is scheduled for May 27-30 in Antigua and Barbuda.
Barnett said that this policy framework, which CARICOM Environment Ministers have approved, is designed to serve as the umbrella policy for the sustainable management and use of the Community’s environmental and natural resources.
She said the framework acknowledges the vital role of land, air, water, and oceans in sustaining the Community’s economic, social, and environmental development.
” The framework also provides the basis for a Caribbean Community Biodiversity Strategy, aligned to the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, is finalized for Ministerial approval. The strategy will guide our member states and development partners towards harmonized action for managing, conserving, and using the Region’s biodiversity resources fairly and sustainably.”
Barnett said that the Region has also been implementing Vision 25 by 2025, the comprehensive strategy to reduce the nearly six billion US dollar food import bill in CARICOM as the Region focuses on building food and nutrition security.
“The Region is taking action to strengthen food production, improve intra-regional trade, and create wealth and economic opportunity within the agriculture sector in every CARICOM member state. Biodiversity is critically integrated into food security through agricultural production, mitigating the negative effects of pollution, increasing crop production, and supporting nutrient cycling.”
Barnett told the delegates that CARICOM played a very constructive role in completing the negotiation of the new High Seas Treaty on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) successfully.
“The CARICOM grouping negotiated en bloc and led the negotiations on Marine Genetic Resources and Cross-Cutting Issues. We continue to coordinate as a Region as we move to expand the signature, ratification, and implementation of the Treaty. As we do so, we applaud the government of Belize, which became the first CARICOM country to ratify the BBNJ Agreement, setting the pace for the wider Caribbean it has accomplished so far; it remains acutely aware that implementation requires adequate human resources, training and capacity building, research, technology transfer and development, and most importantly, acceptable and accessible financing.
She said partnerships and cooperation remain critical to implementing the Region’s policies and programs.
” In this regard, CARICOM reiterates its appreciation to the European Union (EU), the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) Secretariat, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for their support for CARICOM’s regional environmental initiatives. We look forward to a continued and expanded partnership. “
She highlighted the African, Caribbean, and Pacific (ACP) Multilateral Environmental Agreements Project, funded by the EU and UNEP, as this initiative project.
“The project team collaborated closely with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the government of Guyana to ensure that we could successfully prepare for and host this week’s dialogue together.”
She said commitments such as the ACP Multilateral Environmental Agreements Project empower critical stakeholders to address environmental challenges and reap the benefits of improved environmental management at the national and regional levels.
“Given the impact made and the prospects for greater results, this work must continue,” Barnett said, adding that during this week, governments, international organizations, indigenous peoples, local communities, non-governmental organizations, and other stakeholder groups in the Region are all at this table to address the critical challenges.
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