Caribbean nations have taken a historic step in advancing marine conservation and regional ocean governance with the official launch of the Actioning Blue: Caribbean 30×30 Vision for the Ocean at the 3rd United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3).
The high-level event, which took place aboard the Art Explorer vessel, was co-hosted by the Government of Grenada, the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), and the Ocean Coordination Mechanism Secretariat/ProCaribe+ Project Unit.
It brought together ministers and senior officials from across the Caribbean and Latin America to reaffirm their commitment to protecting marine ecosystems.
The Actioning Blue declaration outlines a unified Caribbean roadmap for achieving the global “30×30” target, protecting 30% of marine and coastal areas by 2030, aligned with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 on Life Below Water.
Building on the momentum of the 2008 Caribbean Challenge Initiative, which secured protection for 49,000 km² of marine areas, Actioning Blue strengthens regional political will and action to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, and ocean degradation.
“This is a moment worth celebrating,” said Hon. Senator Dr. Joyelle Clarke, Minister of Sustainable Development for St. Kitts and Nevis. “Caribbean countries are proving that we are not defined by vulnerability, we are defined by our capacity to lead.”
The declaration complements the OECS 30×30 Transformation Project, currently underway through the OECS Council of Ministers of Sustainability, and is backed by the SPACES coalition.
The project aims to reinforce inter-governmental cooperation, institutional capacity, and community-based marine conservation through science, innovation, and inclusive governance.
UNOC3, co-hosted by France and Costa Rica under the theme “Scaling up Ocean Action Based on Science and Innovation for the Implementation of Goal 14,” provided the global stage for the Caribbean to demonstrate leadership and solidarity in ocean protection.
“Our strength lies in our unity,” declared H.E. Safiya Sawney, Grenada’s Special Envoy and Ambassador for Climate. “Let it be known: the Caribbean is not just participating in the global ocean agenda, we are shaping it.”
The event also spotlighted the Caribbean Ocean Coordination Mechanism (OCM), a voluntary platform led by 19 Caribbean countries and nine intergovernmental bodies. The OCM enhances collaboration for a sustainable blue economy and effective marine governance across the region.
Karen McDonald Gayle, CEO of the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund, hailed the coordinated regional approach. “The Caribbean Sea is bridging the gaps and breaking the silos. We are managing, governing, and financing marine protection collectively,” she said.
With Actioning Blue and the Ocean Coordination Mechanism now in full view on the global stage, the Caribbean is positioning itself as a leading voice from the Global South in the global push for equitable, science-based ocean action and climate resilience.
By Dare Akogun
