A Healthy Marine Environment for Better Lives

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WELCOME TO PROCARIBE+

Protecting and Restoring the Ocean’s natural Capital, building Resilience and supporting region-wide Investments for sustainable Blue socio-Economic development

UNDP/GEF/UNOPS PROCARIBE+ Project

The “CLME+ region”

The biodiversity-rich Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems provide a multitude of goods and ecosystem services to the nations and peoples that share this region, and far beyond.

In doing so, they hold enormous potential to support sustainable and climate-resilient “blue” socio-economic development. Yet, the region faces numerous challenges and threats that, if left unaddressed, will progressively degrade its marine and coastal natural assets and ability to underpin our common development aims.

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Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems.
Successor to the CLME and CLME+ Projects.

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PROCARIBE+ therefore seeks to:

Protect, restore and harness the natural coastal and marine capital of the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems to catalyze investments in a climate-resilient, sustainable Blue Economy, through strengthened regional coordination and collaboration, and wide-ranging partnerships

PROCARIBE Project+

One of a series of projects that support the implementation of the 10-year regional Strategic Action Programme (“CLME+ SAP”, 2015-2025).

0 years

Duration

May 2023 - April 2028

$ 0 million

Funds

from the Global Environment Facility (GEF)

funded by

implemented by

executed by

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Geographic Scope

The region

0 States

0 Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

0 Overseas Territories

Making it one of the most geopolitically complex regions in the world

The primary geographic focus of PROCARIBE+ is on the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems, jointly also referred to as the “CLME+ region”. This region comprises 26 States and 18 Overseas Territories, of which 16 are Small Island Developing States (SIDS), making it one of the most geopolitically complex regions in the world.

In this region, PROCARIBE+ will not work in a vacuum. Instead, it will be able to mainstream many of its activities into the work programmes of existing regional initiatives and organizations, such as the UNEP Regional Seas Programme/Cartagena Convention, the IOCARIBE Sub-Commission of the IOC of UNESCO, and the Regional Fisheries Bodies, to just name a few.

CLME map

Project Philosophy and Approach

The “SDG Wedding Cake” is an alternative representation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations, that highlights the interdependencies between the “biosphere” and the “social” and “economic” Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

SDG Wedding Cake
Source: Stockholm Resilience Centre

SDG Wedding Cake

This concept reflects the spirit of PROCARIBE+: a well-protected and restored ocean as the core of a healthy biosphere that underpins sustainable and climate-resilient socio-economic development.

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Thematic Scope

Acknowledging the need for investments in both strengthened ocean governance and on-the-ground action for marine ecosystem protection and sustainable Blue Economies, the PROCARIBE+ Project activities have been structured around 4 thematic components:

Regional Coordination & Collaboration

Regional Coordination & Collaboration

Implementing action programmes and plans through a regional Ocean Coordination Mechanism

National Enabling Conditions

National Enabling Conditions

Enabling national capacity and commitments for ecosystem approaches and Blue Economy development

Action by all Sectors of Society

Action by all Sectors of Society

Catalyzing actions for small grants, blue carbon credits, marine spatial planning, and improved fishing practices and traceability

Knowledge Management & Exchange

Knowledge Management & Exchange

Developing a regional marine data, information and knowledge management sharing mechanism

Cross-Cutting Issues

Cross-Cutting Issues

Integrando cuestiones de género, juventud, salvaguardias y clima en todas las actividades del proyecto

Interactive Timeline

The operationalization through PROCARIBE+ Component 1 of the regional coordination mechanism for enhanced, integrated ocean governance (the “Ocean Coordination Mechanism” - OCM) constitutes a flagship project output. Progress towards OCM operationalization can be tracked here:

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Selected Project Targets

1 regional

ocean coordination mechanism

7 countries

with improved marine spatial planning

5 NDCs

with better integration of marine environment

4,368,052 hectares

of new MPAs or with enhanced management effectiveness

34 small grants

invested

Strategic Alignment

PROCARIBE+ aligns with key global accords and initiatives supporting ocean sustainability.

The PROCARIBE+ Project is formally registered as part of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

Global Agenda Diagram

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Featured Content

Restoring the marine environment across the wider Caribbean

Jul 03, 2025

Restoring the marine environment across the wider Caribbean

Across the Caribbean, national governments, regional organizations and local communities are coming together through a movement, supported by UNOPS, to heal marine ecosystems and build a sustainable future.

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PROCARIBE+ Small grants supporting communities in the preservation of iconic waterways in Saint Lucia

Jun 27, 2025

PROCARIBE+ Small grants supporting communities in the preservation of iconic waterways in Saint Lucia

Recognizing the existing challenges in managing the Soufriere River in St. Lucia, the community is now committed to taking real action to change the cause of this important source of life for their people. This ‘ridge to reef’ project is a perfect example of a ‘whole-of-ecosystem’ or integrated management approach that is needed to address the most pressing environmental problems of the regions.

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Partners present at the global launch of the Ocean Coordination Mechanism

Jun 20, 2025

Partners present at the global launch of the Ocean Coordination Mechanism

Looking back at last week's global launch of the Ocean Coordination Mechanism for the wider Caribbean at UNOC3.

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Mexico signs Memorandum of Understanding of the Oceanic Coordination Mechanism at UNOC-3

Jun 20, 2025

Mexico signs Memorandum of Understanding of the Oceanic Coordination Mechanism at UNOC-3

The MCO offers an ideal platform for regional attention to the massive sargassum upwelling phenomenon that particularly affects the coasts of the Mexican Caribbean and other nations in the region

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The Ocean Coordination Mechanism (OCM) celebrated its global launch at UNOC3

Jun 20, 2025

The Ocean Coordination Mechanism (OCM) celebrated its global launch at UNOC3

The Ocean Coordination Mechanism (OCM) celebrated its global launch at UNOC3, on June 9th, 2025, at a side event hosted by the government of Grenada, during the event United In Action: Actioning Blue 30x30 Vision and Launching the Wider Caribbean Ocean Coordination Mechanism.

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PROCARIBE+ beneficiary countries

Countries and territories that are eligible for direct financial support from the GEF and that are full PROCARIBE+ participants.

Antigua and Barbuda

Dominican Republic

St Kitts and Nevis

Trinidad and Tobago

Countries and territories that can participate in and stand to benefit from the regional-level project activities

British Virgin Islands

France, Guadeloupe, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin

St Vincent and the Grenadines

Turks and Caicos Islands

United States of America

United States Virgin Islands

Lead Agencies

Co-Executing Partners