IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature

The Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP) is facilitated by the Caribbean Regional Coordinating Unit (CAR/RCU) located in Kingston, Jamaica. Created in 1986, CAR/RCU serves as Secretariat to CEP. The objectives of the Secretariat are to:

• provide assistance to all countries of the region;
• strengthen national and subregional institutions;
• coordinate international assistance; and
• stimulate technical co-operation among countries

As a sub-programme of UNEP's Regional Seas Programme, CAR/RCU is under the administration of the UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi, however it is also directly responsible to the member Governments of the Wider Caribbean Region. It's primary sub-programmes are:

• Assessment and Management of Environmental Pollution (AMEP);
• Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW);
• Information Systems for the Management of Marine and Coastal Resources (CEPNET); and
• Education, Training and Awareness (ETA).

The Protocol concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW Protocol) has been internationally recognized as the most comprehensive treaty of its kind. Adopted in Kingston, Jamaica by the member governments of the Caribbean Environment Programme on 18 January 1990, the SPAW Protocol preceded other international environmental agreements in utilizing an ecosystem approach to conservation. The Protocol acts as a vehicle to assist with regional implementation of the broader and more demanding global Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

The objective of the Protocol is to protect rare and fragile ecosystems and habitats, thereby protecting the endangered and threatened species residing therein. The Caribbean Regional Co-ordinating Unit pursues this objective by assisting with the establishment and proper management of protected areas, by promoting sustainable management (and use) of species to prevent their endangerment and by providing assistance to the governments of the region in conserving their coastal ecosystems.

The Caribbean is a world centre of biodiversity, with a large and diverse flora and fauna. Numbers of endemic species (species not found anywhere else) are particularly high, especially for plants and birds. Richest of all are the large islands of Cuba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Haiti which are treasure houses of wild plants. The main countries with Caribbean shore lines are also high in biodiversity, particularly Belize, Guyana and Suriname which all have extensive rain forests.

In the Caribbean, as elsewhere, protected areas have been the main approach to conserve biodiversity, the vital array of genes, species and ecosystems that make up the natural world. Many protected areas in the Caribbean have been recently created, with major activity in the last 20 years, following the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. So far, there are about 640 protected areas in the Caribbean (as of May, 2000) with a rapid growth in recent years. A significant number of these (more than 100) are marine and are of increasing importance in conserving vital fisheries resources. However, the protected network is uneven and far from complete with key gaps, for example, in Guyana, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, and some of the lesser Antillian islands. Biological assessments are now giving a detailed picture of the protected areas and systems necessary to conserve the full range of biodiversity, but, in general, national and regional strategies to establish protected areas have not been successful.

The following key issues have been identified in the publication:

"Parks for Biodiversity - Policy Guidance Based on Experience in ACP (Africa, Caribbean and the Pacific) countries".

The following issues are relevant:

To be successful, protected areas in the Caribbean have to contribute to development. Protected areas in the Caribbean make a significant contribution to development in two ways. First, by protecting upper catchments, guaranteeing fresh water supplies to towns and cities, and, second, by protecting vital fisheries resources.

Protected areas are also vitally important for tourism, a significant industry in the Caribbean.  To succeed, protected areas in the region have to fulfil multiple functions and to support a range of sustainable uses. In the Caribbean, protected areas must fulfill a range of functions, not just conservation of Biodiversity. It is thus necessary to include a full range of protected area categories, including, in certain circumstances, those that allow for sustainable resource use. Most of the Caribbean islands nations are small and land is a precious resource. It is appropriate in some areas to permit harvesting of natural resources, as long as it is on a controlled and sustainable basis.

Tourism is a key use, but it can be a "double edged sword" that can threaten the natural environment. Tourism is the fastest growing industry in the Caribbean and is vital for the future of the region. It depends heavily on natural assets, such as clean beaches, unpolluted water, undamaged coral reefs and well-preserved mountain forests. For this reason, tourism and protected areas are vital partners. However, tourism can be a significant threat to biological diversity, particularly if poorly planned and if inappropriate infrastructure destroy the natural values of protected areas. Careful planning and management is essential.

Caribbean nations are using new ways to manage protected areas. Most Caribbean governments are turning to other bodies to manage their protected areas for them. These include non-government organisations and the private sector. For example, in the Bahamas and Virgin Islands, National Trusts play vital a vital role. In general, government budgets are not sufficient to pay the full cost of managing protected areas, so other forms of sustainable income have to be found.