Who We Are

The CCA exists to enhance the quality of life for present and future generations of the Caribbean by facilitating the development and implementation of policies, programmes and practices, which contribute to the sustainable management of the region's natural and cultural resources.

We do this through a membership that covers the wider Caribbean amongst non-governmental organisations, within government structures and by individuals interested in voicing civil society's concern for the state of the environment in the Caribbean region.

Over the years, CCA has initiated, co-sponsored, endorsed and funded a variety of regional conservation programmes, ranging from an endangered species research and conservation effort directed at the preservation of the Caribbean green turtle, the development of a vibrant outreach programme in Environmental Education and the formulation of a regional environmental education and communications strategy, to the compilation of environmental profiles for five countries within the Eastern Caribbean.

CCA is currently managing, or serving as the Implementing Agency for the following programmes:

The Caribbean Regional Environmental Programme

The Caribbean Regional Environmental Programme (CREP) is designed to strengthen regional cooperation and build greater awareness of environmental issues in the Caribbean forum of ACP states. At specific sites, CREP will demonstrate that the region’s natural resources and biodiversity can be better protected and managed to bring greater social, economic and environmental aesthetic and other benefits to this and succeeding generations.

The four-year CREP programme began in December 2000 and consists of a one-year preparatory phase followed by a three-year implementation phase. The proposed Demonstration Projects to be activated during the implementation phase combine sustainable livelihood interventions through sustainable use of natural resources – awareness building initiatives and capacity building where there is strong likelihood that support can be sustained – as well as direct conservation or environmental remediation type interventions.

The CREP Implementation Strategy seeks to initiate a sustainable process at each Demonstration Site, to serve as a model for how equity between the needs of environmental management and economic development can be gained. Implementation of CREP will rely heavily on strengthening collaboration between specific NGO and Government Ministries – the CREP focal Point Stakeholders – who will share management decisions and participate in principle as equals in carrying out implementation responsibilities.

Blue Flag for the Caribbean – Foundation for Environmental Education

Along with the Caribbean Tourism Organization and the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism, CCA has formed a regional consortium for the implementation of a Caribbean Blue Flag Campaign (CBFC). This is a voluntary certification scheme for beaches and marinas to effectively enhance safety management and environmental quality of beaches and marinas. The campaign receives approval and support from the Foundation for Environmental Education in the United Nations and the United Nations Environmental Programme. This is expected to significantly encourage the sustainable utilization of beach eco-systems in the region.

SPAW Protocol

The Specially-Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol provides the first wide-reaching solution to the socio-economic and ecological dilemmas associated with the disappearance and degradation of the Wider Caribbean’s Region’s coastal and marine resources. These resources are the base for the region’s two main economic activities, tourism and fisheries and provide for the region’s social, economic and cultural well-being. The SPAW Protocol, of which CCA is a member, works to protect critical marine and coastal ecosystems, while promoting regional co-operation and sustainable development.

Non-Whaling Programme

Caribbean states are flooded with information that tries to justify regional and international whaling activities while on the other hand there is an immense absence of information geared to promoting the benefits of non-whaling activities. To formulate public awareness activities with respect to promoting the benefits of non-whaling activities in the Caribbean, CCA is currently finalizing an agreement with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

CCA proposes to develop a programme for raising awareness and promoting non-whaling activities as a means of sustainable livelihoods in the Caribbean. More importantly CCA intends to upgrade its current documentation center to better serve the needs of its subscribers and to serve as a visitor center focusing on ecosystems, habitat and biodiversity protection, conservation and awareness in the Caribbean.

UWI/CCA Internship Programme

Given CCA’s mandate with respect to its four broad priority niche areas, it works with the University of the West Indies, - Cavehill Campus, to develop students by exposing them to the work of the Organization, so they may deepen their practical understanding of the issues related to conservation.

Coastal and Marine Management Programme (CaMMP)

CaMMP has been established to develop and implement projects and activities to facilitate the responsible management of coastal and marine resources in the wider Caribbean. One result of this Programme has been the production of a workpack on Coral Reef Education. Another project launched throughCaMMP is the Coastal Resources Co-Management Project (CORECOMP), which seeks to promote sustainable development of fisheries and other coastal resources to ensure food security and livelihoods of the people of the region who depend upon these resources. The objective of the project is to develop information, strategies, and policies for fisheries and coastal resources governance reform in Central American and Caribbean region through co-management.

Trade and the Environment

There is strong conviction among developmental agencies, including the CCA, that the creation and dissemination of knowledge enhances the debate among all sectors of society in the region and will help governments to harmonize trade and environment policies in the framework of sustainable human development objectives. In spite of the profound differences that now exist on this subject, that goal seems attainable based on the fact that, as stated in principle eight of the Rio Declaration, the origin of environmental problems lies in unsustainable patterns of production and consumption and that international trade is a factor which can contribute to the propagation and exacerbation of environmental problems.

Additionally, it must be recognized that trade measures for environmental purposes should be established and applied in accordance with certain premises.  In fact, according to the Rio Declaration, “trade policy measures for environmental purposes should not constitute a mean of arbitrary discrimination or disguised restriction on international trade”.  Consequently, their implementation assumes that the necessary safeguard measures will be adopted to prevent them from being used for other purposes.

In light of the above, CCA proposes to convene a workshop aimed at NGO’s throughout the region to heighten their awareness of the issues on trade and the environment affecting the Caribbean environment and economies and therefore strengthen their capacity to lobby the inclusion or consideration of environmental issues into the policies adopted by Caribbean governments with respect to trade and vice versa.