Contracting Parties and Observers at the Sixth Meeting of the Scientific, Technical and Advisory Committee (STAC) to the Protocol Concerning Pollution from Land-Based Sources (LBS) and Activities in the Wider Caribbean, have reiterated the urgent need to protect our very valuable but fragile and vulnerable coastal and marine ecosystems from the negative impacts of marine pollution.The Virtual Meeting, held from February 1-3, was hosted by the UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat as part of its mandate under the Convention to support governments in protecting the Caribbean Sea.
Countries in the Wider Caribbean are heavily dependent on the ocean for economic livelihoods and social well-being. Key economic sectors which depend on the ocean such as fishing, tourism and shipping employ millions. A conservative estimate of USD 407 billion was made in 2012 of the gross revenues generated by the ocean economy in the Caribbean Sea alone.
Despite the overwhelming social and economic dependence on the ocean in the region, the Vision of a healthy Caribbean Sea is threatened by poorly planned urbanization and unsustainable and harmful production and consumption practices, which put an unhealthy strain on the coastal and marine environment. Research suggests that the Caribbean generates 14,000,000 tonnes of solid waste annually or approximately 39,000 every day. It is said that more than 50% of this waste ends up in open air dumps and rivers.
The Protocol Concerning Pollution from Land-Based Sources was adopted in Oranjestad, Aruba, on the 6th October 1999 and entered into force on the 13th August 2010. This marked a major regional milestone since to date, it represents the only regional binding agreement for countries in the Wider Caribbean to address marine pollution from all land-based sources.
The Protocol encompasses regional effluent limitations for domestic wastewater (sewage) and requires the development and implementation of national action plans and best management practices to address agricultural non-point sources of pollution. Currently the Protocol is facilitating increased action to address pollution from plastics through a Regional Marine Litter Strategy and Action Plan.
Using these regional strategies and frameworks, the Secretariat has been working with countries in the Wider Caribbean to develop national action plans with a focus on reducing plastic waste and marine pollution from ships, from dumping and from other land-based sources and activities. More than 60 national or local regulations on single-use plastic have been identified in 27 countries. Industry stakeholders have been sensitized on the value of Sustainable Tourism and Sustainable Agriculture as the region works towards achieving Clean Seas.
Considering the issue of solid waste and plastic pollution in particular, new projects presented during the meeting such as the Prevention of Marine Litter in the Caribbean Sea (PROMAR), will support countries to address the pervasive nature of plastic litter and solid waste management by improving national policies, legislation, regulations and institutional capacities in five Caribbean Small Island Developing States. In addition, the GEF LAC Cities project, to be implemented in six Latin American and Caribbean cities will address marine plastics and plastic pollution by accelerating the transition by government and business stakeholders to more circular economy approaches.
This Sixth STAC Meeting evaluated projects and activities implemented by the Secretariat and the LBS Regional Centres (RACs). It also reviewed the status of implementation of Recommendations from the Fifth LBS STAC Meeting and reviewed the status of ratification and/or implementation of the LBS Protocol by countries. Importantly, it provided a forum for discussing emerging issues of concern such as the growing impacts of microplastics as well as the need to strengthen monitoring and information management systems.
The development by the Secretariat of a Regional Data and Information Platform which includes data on Climate Change, Pollution and Biodiversity was seen, as a significant achievement to help build further awareness of the urgent need to address marine pollution in a more integrated manner. The technical recommendations from the LBS STAC Meeting will be presented for approval by the upcoming Conference of Parties (COP5) to the LBS Protocol (LBS COP5) , scheduled to take place in Aruba in April 2023.
The Cartagena Convention is the first and only regionally binding treaty of its kind. Through the Secretariat it seeks to promote the protection and development of the marine environment of the region and provides the legal framework for the Caribbean Environment Programme. The LBS Protocol assists the United Nations Member States in the Wider Caribbean Region to meet the goals and obligations of several global agreements relating to marine pollution, including Sustainable Development Goal 6 on water and sanitation and Sustainable Development Goal 14 on Oceans.
