GEF CReW+

Dhërmi Beach

An integrated approach to water and wastewater management in the Wider Caribbean Region using innovative solutions and sustainable financing mechanisms

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CReW+ is a partnership project funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) that is being co-implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in 18 countries of the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR). The project is being executed by the Secretariat of the Cartagena Convention (CAR/RCU), the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, and the Organisation of the American States (OAS) on behalf of UNEP and the IDB respectively.

The main objective of the GEF CReW+ Project is to implement innovative, technical small-scale solutions in the WCR, using an Integrated Water and Wastewater Management (IWWM) approach and building on the sustainable financing mechanisms that were piloted through the Caribbean Regional Fund for Wastewater Management under the first CReW Project.

  • At the institutional level, GEF CReW+ promotes the development of standards, strategies and policies related to IWWM (Component 1). 
  • Aiming at the provision of long-term services, the project identifies sustainable financing mechanisms, such as Payments for Ecosystem Services, creation of incentives, and revolving funds (Component 2).
  • Technical solutions created by GEF CReW+ encompass the design, construction or rehabilitation of natural wastewater treatment plants and sanitation facilities, based on the results of country-specific assessments (Component 3).
  • In addition, knowledge management is a crucial part of the GEF CReW+ project, which includes the development of a communication strategy for the 18 participating countries and comprehensive inventories of material on wastewater infrastructure, reuse, protection of watersheds, hydrographic data and financing instruments at both the regional and national levels (Component 4).

GEF CReW+ directly supports the fulfillment of Article 7 of the Cartagena Convention, stating that “The Contracting Parties shall take all appropriate measures to prevent, reduce and control pollution of the Convention area caused by coastal disposal or by discharges emanating from rivers, estuaries, coastal establishments, outfall structures, or any other sources on their territories“.

Within the framework of the Protocol Concerning Pollution from Land-Based Sources and Activities (LBS Protocol), and in particular its Annex III on Domestic Wastewater, the GEF CReW+ Project supports Contracting Parties in their obligations to

  • Reform national policies and legislation for domestic wastewater management
  • Improve national regulations for sewage discharge to the marine environment
  • Promote greater reuse of treated domestic wastewater
  • Improve overall wastewater management including the use of cleaner technologies
  • Monitor and evaluate current wastewater management practices including impacts on the marine environment

The project is further expected to contribute to the achievement of SDGs 3, 6, 13, 14, 15 and 17.

Outcomes and Outputs
Participating Countries
CReW+ Academy

Further Resources

Contact Information

For further information on CReW+, please contact

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CEP was established in 1981 as part of the Regional Seas Programme in recognition of the importance and value of the Wider Caribbean Region’s fragile and vulnerable coastal and marine ecosystems including endemic plants and animals.

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