UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat & Caribbean Environment Programme

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The Caribbean Environment Programme (CEP) is one of the UNEP-administered Regional Seas Programmes. The CEP was initially managed by and for the countries of the Wider Caribbean Region through the Caribbean Action Plan (1981) outlining regional environmental challenges. This Action Plan led to the 1983 adoption of the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (Cartagena Convention), which provided a new legal framework for action. The Convention has been supplemented by three protocols addressing specific environmental issues namely, oil spills, specially protected areas and wildlife and land-based sources and activities of marine pollution. The CEP provides the programmatic framework for the Cartagena Convention. The Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment in the Wider Caribbean Region is a comprehensive, umbrella agreement for the protection and development of the marine environment. This regional environmental convention provides the legal framework for cooperative regional and national actions in the WCR. The Convention is supported by the Oil Spills Protocol, the SPAW Protocol and the LBS Protocol. Contracting Parties designated UNEP-CAR/RCU as the Secretariat of the Cartagena Convention and may also use Regional Activity Centres (RACs) for the coordination and implementation of activities in support of the Cartagena Convention and its Protocols, and Regional Activity Networks (RANs) for the provision of expertise. The Cartagena Convention was adopted in Cartagena, Colombia on 24 March 1983 and entered into force on 11 October 1986, for the legal implementation of the Action Plan for the Caribbean Environment Programme.

03/11/2026

Voces del Convenio de Cartagena | México

“La cooperación en el marco del Convenio de Cartagena ha dado a México una plataforma regional que permite convertir retos compartidos en soluciones compartidas.”

La Dra. Margarita Caso Chávez, Directora General de Conservación y Gestión de Mares y Costas de la Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales y Punto Focal Nacional del Convenio de Cartagena en México, nos cuenta cómo esa cooperación se traduce en acción: un Plan Nacional de Contingencia para responder a derrames de petróleo, ciudades que avanzan hacia una economía circular del plástico y apoyo para gestionar mejor las aguas residuales.

Y hacia adelante, México prioriza proteger y restaurar manglares y arrecifes de coral, manejar el sargazo de forma integral y reforzar la cooperación frente a los derrames de hidrocarburos.

Más información: unep.org/cep

02/11/2026

Good decisions start with good data. Monitoring and environmental assessments help us understand what’s happening in our ecosystems, identify emerging threats, and take informed action to protect our marine and coastal environments.

Hear from Patrick Debels on why science and data are essential for a healthier Wider Caribbean. Why do you think environmental monitoring matters? Share, like and comment to help highlight the importance of science-based decision-making. The future of the Wider Caribbean depends on informed action, strong partnerships, and healthy waters.

Invemar

02/11/2026

The UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat was pleased to see the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Protocol prominently reflected at the 26th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals (SMM2026).

Among the contributions featured at SMM2026 was a poster presented by Monitor Caribbean, highlighting the important role of civil society organizations in advancing marine mammal conservation across the Wider Caribbean Region.
Monitor Caribbean seeks to promote and implement wildlife conservation projects throughout the Wider Caribbean, including directly supporting the work of the Cartagena Convention and its SPAW Protocol. Through these partnerships, the organization is helping to improve knowledge of marine mammal populations, strengthen regional cooperation, and foster coordinated conservation action for the protection of marine mammals and their habitats.

The Secretariat extends its appreciation to Monitor Caribbean, the SPAW Consortium and all partners working collaboratively to advance the implementation of the SPAW Protocol and strengthen marine biodiversity conservation across the Wider Caribbean Region.

🌊🐬📚

31/10/2026

Happy Ratification Anniversary to the USA & Caribbean Territories! 🇺🇸

Collaborative regional action is crucial for disaster preparedness, marine safety, and protecting shared coastal resources across the Wider Caribbean.

The Cartagena Convention celebrates the United States' long-standing commitment to regional cooperation and marine environmental protection.

30/10/2026

Wildlife doesn’t stop at borders, and neither do the activities that threaten it. 🐢🦜

Through the SPAW Protocol, the Cartagena Convention Secretariat is working with the Caribbean Wildlife Enforcement Network (CAR-WEN) to help national authorities share information, build capacity and protect species across the Wider Caribbean.

📣 SPAW Parties: the review of the draft CAR-WEN MOU closes today. Share your feedback by close of business at car-wen.org.

🔗 Read the full story: https://www.unep.org/cep/news/story/strengthening-cooperation-address-wildlife-crime-wider-caribbean

29/10/2026

Here's your move. 🌊

Every time you leave a beach, take 5 pieces of trash with you. Wear gloves, skip anything sharp or hazardous and never go alone.

Snap a photo, post it with and tag a friend. Inspired by “A Shared Tide: A Young Person's Guide to the Cartagena Convention.”

https://www.unep.org/cep/resources/publication/shared-tide-young-persons-guide-cartagena-convention

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27/10/2026

Meet the team — Jhenelle Barrett-Cohen 📋

Jhenelle keeps our Marine Pollution programmes moving — coordinating the activities and communication that directly reduce pollution and protect our seas.

26/10/2026

📍 The UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat proudly participated as a Bronze Sponsor in the 26th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals (SMM2026), held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from 19-23 October 2026.

Organized by the Society for Marine Mammalogy, SMM2026 brought together the global marine mammal science and conservation community under the theme "One Ocean, One Future: Advancing Marine Mammal Science for Ecosystem Health", fostering collaboration, innovative research, and evidence-based action to support marine mammal conservation and healthy ocean ecosystems.

Representing the Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) Programme, our team engaged with scientists, conservation practitioners, policymakers, and partners from around the world to showcase SPAW's work in conserving marine mammals, protecting critical habitats, and advancing biodiversity conservation across the Wider Caribbean Region.

A highlight of our participation was the SPAW Conservation Challenge, an interactive activity that invited conference participants to test their knowledge of Caribbean marine biodiversity while learning more about the SPAW Protocol, its achievements, and regional partnerships. Those who successfully completed the challenge had the opportunity to win exclusive UNEP CEP branded items. 🎉🌊

From meaningful discussions at our booth to new connections with current and future partners, SMM2026 provided an excellent platform to strengthen collaboration and advance our shared commitment to marine conservation.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by and took part in the challenge. Together, we are building a healthier and more resilient Wider Caribbean Region. 🌊🐋🤝🏽

26/10/2026

Healthy ecosystems start with understanding what is happening beneath the surface. Monitoring and environmental assessments help us track changes, detect emerging challenges, measure progress, and make informed decisions that protect our waters, communities, and economies. Hear from Lizbeth Vivas Aguas on why environmental data matters. Were you surprised by any of the insights shared? Tell us in the comments. Share this video to help highlight the critical role science plays in protecting the Wider Caribbean.

Los ecosistemas saludables comienzan por comprender lo que ocurre bajo la superficie. El monitoreo y las evaluaciones ambientales nos ayudan a dar seguimiento a los cambios, detectar retos emergentes, medir el progreso y tomar decisiones informadas que protejan nuestras aguas, comunidades y economías. Escucha a Lizbeth Vivas Aguas explicar por qué son importantes los datos ambientales. ¿Te sorprendió alguna de las ideas compartidas? Cuéntanoslo en los comentarios. Comparte este video para ayudar a destacar el papel fundamental que desempeña la ciencia en la protección del Gran Caribe.

Invemar

24/10/2026

🌊 Meet Malisa Peters, former UN Volunteer Communication and Social Media Specialist with the Cartagena Convention Secretariat (UNEP Caribbean Environment Programme).

Through the Prevention of Marine Litter in the Caribbean Sea (PROMAR) project, Promoting Circular Economy Solutions, Malisa helped raise awareness of how reducing, reusing and recycling can end plastic waste and prevent marine litter in the Wider Caribbean. From communications strategies and graphics to reports and web pages, she helped tell the story of a cleaner, healthier Caribbean Sea.

“UNV was the platform that I needed to be a part of.” – Malisa

This , we celebrate Malisa and all the UN Volunteers working to improve the region they call home. Read her story: https://unvolunteers.exposure.co/what-does-the-united-nations-look-like-up-close-in-the-caribbean

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https://www.unep.org/cep

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