Leaders unite to safeguard the Caribbean Sea

Oct 23, 2025 News

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…new regional roadmap adopted at COP18

(Kaieteur News) – High-level government officials and technical experts from across the Wider Caribbean Region concluded the 18th Meeting of the Contracting Parties (COP18) to the Cartagena Convention on Thursday, October 16, 2025, in Kingston, Jamaica, by adopting a decisive new strategic roadmap and workplan aimed at protecting the Caribbean Sea—the economic lifeblood of the region from the compounding threats of marine pollution and marine biodiversity loss.

The pivotal four-day conference, hosted by the Government of Jamaica and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Cartagena Convention Secretariat with the significant support of the EU ACP MEA III Programme at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, was hailed as a major milestone, organisers said in a press release.

It marked the first time that all three major Intergovernmental Meetings of the Cartagena Convention and Oil Spills Protocol, the Land-Based Sources of Marine Pollution (LBS) Protocol, and the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol convened concurrently, the release added.  Over 80 delegates, representing Contracting and Non-Contracting Parties, and observers drawn from international and regional organizations and civil society, and youth attended the hybrid summit, underscoring the broad regional and global commitment to the health of the Caribbean Sea.

The overarching outcome of COP18 was the approval of a robust Workplan and Budget for the 2026-2027 Biennium, providing the financial and strategic framework necessary to operationalize key environmental commitments. This blueprint directly supports the region’s collective vision for a resilient and sustainable Blue Economy, which relies fundamentally on healthy marine and coastal ecosystems to drive the tourism, fisheries, and shipping sectors.

“The decisions taken in Kingston are not merely environmental mandates; they are investments in our regional economic resilience,” said Mr. Christopher Corbin, Coordinator of the UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat. “We confronted some of the region’s most pressing issues impacting the Caribbean Sea, pollution, degradation of coastal and marine habits, loss of marine biodiversity, and sargassum —head-on, agreeing on a collaborative, sustainable financed strategy that translates regional commitments into tangible national actions.  COP18 was a critical call to accelerate implementation and ensure the Caribbean Sea remains productive and prosperous for future generations.”

According to Corbin, the conclusion of COP18 on October 16th, World Food Day, and ahead of the October 17th International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, provided a powerful thematic link to the outcomes. By protecting the Caribbean Sea, the Contracting Parties are safeguarding the foundations of food security and sustainable livelihoods for millions of coastal residents, dependent on fisheries and tourism.

“This week has not only been about negotiations and documentation, but it has been about reaffirming our common purpose. Together we have once again demonstrated that the Cartagena Convention is not just a legal instrument- it is a living commitment to the health, prosperity, and security of our coastal and marine ecosystems and of the people whose lives and jobs depend upon them. I am heartened by the clear mandate that you have given us, the decisions endorsed, and the guidance offered on how best the Secretariat can support your continued national and regional implementation of the obligations of the Convention and its protocols,” stated Corbin to the Contracting Parties.

Mr. Alberto Pacheco Capella, Head of the UNEP Regional Seas Programme, commended the delegates for their hard work and dedication, noting the significance of the Convention within the broader global framework. “The success of COP18 underscores the region’s collective resolve to protect its shared natural heritage, setting a course for a more resilient, clean, and prosperous Caribbean Sea. The decisions and milestones achieved here in Kingston will resonate far beyond the Wider Caribbean. They demonstrate the power of regional collaboration in confronting some of the most severe marine challenges. I extend my sincere thanks to all participants and the Secretariat for their tireless efforts and invite delegates to continue this vital global discussion at the UNEA session in December in Kenya, where oceans and the state of the environment will remain a priority.”  said Pacheco Capella.

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• Caribbean Sea, COP18, marine pollution, safeguard

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