Jamaica to Host Conference on Environmental Pressures on the Caribbean Sea
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica will host a four-day biennial summit that will address mounting environmental pressures on the Caribbean Sea and set the strategic direction for regional marine conservation efforts.
The October 13-16 event will bring together government officials and technical experts from across the wider Caribbean region for the 18th meeting of the Contracting Parties (COP18) to the Cartagena Convention.
The conference is being hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and will incorporate sessions for the Conference of Parties to the Land-Based Sources of Marine Pollution (LBS) Protocol and the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol. These meetings aim to strengthen regional collaboration in combating marine pollution, biodiversity loss, and the degradation of coastal ecosystems.
Coordinator of UNEP’s Cartagena Convention Secretariat, Christopher Corbin, spoke of the urgency of the summit, citing a range of escalating threats to the region’s marine environment.
“The marine environment is facing unprecedented pressures from land-based pollution, the ever-increasing challenge of plastic waste, massive influxes of sargassum, the intensifying impact of warming seas and coral reef bleaching, sea level and coastal erosion, ocean acidification, habitat and species loss,” Corbin said.
“COP18 will serve as a crucial platform for the Convention Contracting Parties to reaffirm their commitment and forge a coordinated path forward to further safeguard these vital ecosystems.”
The key objectives of COP18 include reviewing the implementation of the 2023– 2024 work plan, approving a strategic programme and budget for 2026–2027, and adopting resolutions on emerging environmental issues.
Delegates will consider proposals to advance the regional action plan for marine litter, enhance pollution control from land-based sources, expand the network of protected areas and wildlife, and improve ocean governance frameworks to support a resilient and sustainable blue economy
“This COP is a critical call to action. We have the science and frameworks, but now we must accelerate implementation. Our focus will be on translating regional commitments into more tangible national actions that protect our shared marine resources for future generations.”
The expected outcomes from COP18 include a robust and adequately financed work plan for 2025–2026, potential adoption of new guidelines and action plans— particularly for sargassum management and plastic pollution—and renewed political commitment to the Convention and its three Protocols on Oil Spills, SPAW, and Land-Based Sources of Pollution.
“These outcomes will have far-reaching implications for the sustainable development of the region directly impacting key sectors such as tourism, fisheries, and shipping, and contributing to the global agenda for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water,” Corbin added.
