By Kerryne James and Joyelle Trizia Clarke

The ocean is our lifeblood. In the Caribbean, it shapes our cultures, feeds our people, supports our economies, and connects our nations. As political leaders from small island developing States (SIDS), we know the ocean’s bounty and its vulnerability better than most.

We are faced with the reality that the health of our ocean is declining rapidly under the stress of climate change, invasive species, overfishing, and pollution. Coral reefs are bleaching, fish stocks are dwindling, and coastal ecosystems are eroding. For the Caribbean, where tourism, fisheries, and maritime trade are economic lifelines, this is not just an ecological crisis – it is an economic emergency. The Caribbean’s marine ecosystems provide over USD 57 billion annually in goods and services, including fisheries, tourism, and shoreline protection. Coastal and marine tourism alone contributes billions annually, with some islands deriving over 50% of their gross domestic product (GDP) directly from tourism. The health and wealth of our people are inextricably tied to that of the ocean.

That is why the Caribbean has come together under ‘Actioning Blue: A Caribbean 30×30 Vision’ – a collaborative roadmap and vision to collectively protect at least 30% of our shared marine and coastal areas by 2030. This bold regional strategy aligns with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and SDG 14 (life below water), reflecting the ambitious nature of our regional Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) 30×30 Transformation Project, which we’re delivering with the help of the SPACES coalition.

As a Caribbean Community, recognizing that there are fewer than five years left to deliver on 30×30, we commit to enhancing intergovernmental cooperation, strengthening institutional capacity, driving policy reform, and promoting science and research platforms that recognize the role of local communities in marine conservation. In short, we are not abandoning our mission of protecting 30% of our shared ocean by 2030.

We recognize that, amid the challenges we face lies immense opportunity. Studies show that effectively managed marine protected areas (MPAs) can increase biodiversity and enhance fisheries productivity. In fact, fully protected MPAs can increase fish biomass by up to 600% relative to adjacent fished areas, enhancing long-term food security and economic opportunity. Furthermore, they can improve resilience to climate change: the World Resources Institute (WRI) and partners estimated in 2004 that coral reefs in the Caribbean provide shoreline protection services valued between USD 700 million and USD 2.2 billion per year.

In short, ocean protection provides a return on investment not only in ecological terms, but in economic growth, as well as local job creation with some 300,000 people directly and indirectly employed by the fisheries sector alone. In fact, research by the World Bank and others has demonstrated that every dollar spent on marine conservation can yield several more in long-term economic benefits.

That’s why expanding and improving MPAs is not just good for nature; it’s smart economics for the Caribbean and the global community.

However, our region’s success in achieving the mandate of ‘Actioning Blue’ requires something more – a resurgence of international cooperation and targeted multilateral action, and a recommitment to intentional international cooperation. It depends on enhanced partnerships and increased, hassle-free access to climate financing. Our economies are small and vulnerable to external shocks. While we continue to demonstrate strong political will and regional leadership – protecting over 47,000 square kilometers of nearshore marine areas to date – we still have critical gaps to address in the areas of technical capacity, governance, and funding.

This is where multilateralism becomes indispensable.

We call on international development partners, climate funds, and biodiversity initiatives to stand with the Caribbean and help us close the financing gap. Mechanisms like the Global Environment Facility (GEF), Green Climate Fund (GCF), Adaptation Fund, and the new GBF Fund must prioritize and streamline access for SIDS. Blended finance, blue bonds, and debt-for-nature swaps also offer innovative paths forward, but require enabling support.

Moreover, we urge deeper cooperation among SIDS, coastal nations, and global partners. Platforms such as the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) for Nature and People, the Global Ocean Alliance (GOA), and the Global Island Partnership (GLISPA) are critical to amplifying our shared goals. South-South cooperation, particularly with fellow island nations in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, can foster knowledge exchange and scalable models of success.

We must also harness the power of data, science, and Indigenous knowledge. The establishment of regional centers of excellence in marine research and governance will be key to strengthening our decision making and implementation. Likewise, empowering local communities, particularly women and youth, to participate in ocean stewardship is fundamental to achieving lasting results.

Ultimately, protecting 30% of our oceans is more than a number. It is about securing the foundations of life for our children and grandchildren. It is about preserving our heritage, advancing our economies, and standing in solidarity as a global community against ecological collapse.

The Caribbean is ready. We have charted our course but to sail toward a sustainable blue future, we need the winds of global partnership at our backs.

Let this be the decade where the world comes together to protect the ocean that connects us all. Let us rise to the challenge together – for the sake of people, the planet, and prosperity.

* * *

Hon. Kerryne James is Grenada’s Minister for Climate Resilience, the Environment and Renewable Energy.

Hon. Dr. Joyelle Trizia Clarke is Saint Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Climate Action and Constituency Empowerment.