Delegates from 13 Caribbean nations gathered in Kingston recently for a high-level blue carbon workshop aimed at unlocking finance to protect and restore marine and coastal ecosystems critical to the region’s blue economy.

The three-day event was hosted by the Caribbean Community Centre for Climate Change (5Cs) and funded by the UK Government through its Sustainable Blue Economies programme.

“With coastlines under growing threat, the workshop focused on helping Caribbean nations tap into international funding mechanisms such as carbon credits and other forms of innovative finance,” said the British High Commission in Jamaica in a press release.

This, it said, will support the conservation of mangroves, seagrass meadows, and other vital marine habitats.

These ecosystems known as blue carbon habitats, store massive amounts of carbon, making them key to both climate action and biodiversity preservation.

“As large ocean states, your stewardship of some of the richest and most diverse coastal habitats in the world is critical to combatting both the climate and biodiversity crises,” said Deputy British High Commissioner to Jamaica, Jonathan Cook, in his opening remarks.

“From the legendary seagrass meadows of The Bahamas to the mangroves right here in Jamaica, these natural wonders need protecting and, where appropriate, restoring. It is only right that you should be able to access the finance required to do that,” Cook added.

Meanwhile, Assistant Executive Director at 5Cs, Dr Mark Bynoe, stated that the “workshop helped to build a deeper understanding of the Caribbean’s blue carbon habitats and the importance of its conservation and restoration.” He noted that the experts demonstrated how science, policy and finance capacity can be combined to promote sustainable economic growth in the region.

Delegates learned from global experts representing Conservation International, the International Blue Carbon Institute, the University of the West Indies, Pew Charitable Trusts, and The Nature Conservancy, among others. Discussions covered a wide range of issues, from recent science and policy advances to real-world case studies across the Caribbean.

Participants also shared insights from their own countries’ experiences in marine project financing and visited a UK Blue Carbon Fund-supported mangrove restoration site in South Clarendon, where they observed live carbon sampling in the field.

The event builds momentum toward a regional policy and legislative framework for participation in the global carbon market, as recently called for by Caricom leaders.

Blue carbon habitats include mangroves, seagrass meadows, and salt marshes-ecosystems with high carbon storage potential. The Sustainable Blue Economies programme is part of the UK’s Blue Planet Fund, which supports small island developing states in marine protection and poverty reduction.