The Cartagena Convention
The Cartagena Convention
The Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR).
The Cartagena Convention is a legally binding regional instrument within the framework of the United Nations for the protection and sustainable development of the coastal and marine environment of the Wider Caribbean Region.
The Convention is supported by three technical agreements or Protocols on Oil Spills, Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) and Land-Based Sources of Marine Pollution (LBS). Click to learn more
The LBS Protocol
Protocol concerning pollution from land-based sources and activities to the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region
It includes regional effluent limitations for domestic wastewater (sewage) and requires the development of plans to address agricultural non-point sources of pollution. Specific schedules for implementation are also included. There are four Annexes within the Protocol, which outline the required work of contracting parties (signatory countries of the Protocol). The LBS Protocol allows contracting parties to develop and adopt future annexes specific to their needs to address other priority sources of land-based pollution. Click here to learn more
What are Land-based sources and activities?
These are sources and activities causing pollution of the Convention area from coastal disposal or from discharges that emanate from rivers, estuaries, coastal establishments, outfall structures, or other sources on the territory of a Contracting Party, including atmospheric deposition originating from sources located on its territory.
Examples of Land Based Sources of Pollution
Regional Activity Centre
A Regional Activity Centre (RAC) provides technical expertise and assistance in the development and implementation of programme and project activities that support Contracting Parties to meet their obligations under the Cartagena Convention and its Protocols.
RAC IMA
The Institute of Marine Affairs serves as the designated Regional Activity Centre for the LBS Protocol for the English Speaking Caribbean since 2018. As a RAC, the IMA works to provide the overall supervision, technical guidance and administrative oversight for the implementation of specific and selected activities to fulfil the Convention and the LBS Protocol in particular. Through this work, continual improvement of Contracting Parties via building various capacities and strengthening capabilities to prevent, reduce and control marine pollution from land-based sources is anticipated.
Ongoing Projects – SSFA
Currently, the RAC IMA is engaged in executing a GEF CReW+, ACP MEAs III and the SIDA GRANT (UNEP HQ) – Small Scale Funding Agreement (SSFA) through collaboration with international agencies and regional executing partners. The project aims to improve capacities for the management of coasts and oceans in line with the related Regional Seas Conventions. In addition, it targets the implementation of innovative, technical small-scale solutions in the Wider Caribbean Region (WCR). The SSFA also reinforces cooperation between IMA and the Cartagena Convention Secretariat to prevent, reduce and control marine pollution and to assist countries in the implementation of the LBS Protocol.
Key Outputs
Completed SSFA Activities
The Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) hosted a Regional Workshop on the Index of Coastal Eutrophication (ICEP) and Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) from July 25-26, 2022. This workshop was aligned to RAC-IMAs ongoing mandate and was held as part of the continued effort to generate awareness and open communication for valuable information exchange on the harmful effects of ICEP and HABs on the marine environment in the Wider Caribbean Region.
The workshop was held as part of an ongoing project: GEF CReW+, ACP MEAs III and the SIDA GRANT (UNEP HQ) – Small Scale Funding Agreement. The project began in May 2022 and is funded by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) through the Swedish International Development cooperation Agency (SIDA) under the Cartagena Convention Secretariat.
The workshop was a hybrid event with both in person and virtual participation and with simultaneous translation for English and Spanish. Facilitators included representatives from the Cartagena Convention Secretariat, the Centre of Research and Environmental Management of Transport (RAC CIMAB, Cuba), the RAC for Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife Protocol (SPAW RAC, Guadeloupe), OSPAR Commission (Europe), Marine and Coastal Research Institute Jose Benito Vives de Andreis (INVEMAR, Colombia) and the Integrated Water Land and Ecosystems Management Company (IWECo). The workshop was attended by national and technical focal points throughout the region.