The OCM and Partners presented an overview of the “what, why and how” of Sustainable Ocean Planning and Management (SOPM/SOPs), and how this integrated national approach towards ocean sustainability can and must link to transboundary/regional-level ocean governance efforts.
The second session of this series of webinars started with opening remarks by Mr. Vidar Helgesen, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO. Mr Helgesen highlighted that: “the ocean faces a vast array of challenges. But for the nations in the Caribbean, and for the region as a whole, the ocean also presents unique opportunities that will go largely untapped if we don't apply a knowledge-driven planning approach to ocean management.This webinar is one of those actions, and I hope you'll have an instructive and productive session”.
Moderated by Mr. Patrick Debels, Director of the Secretariat of the Wider Caribbean Ocean Coordination Mechanism (OCM), the discussion then continued with additional remarks from Mr. Dale Webber, Ambassador Special Envoy for Climate Change and Environment, Oceans in the Blue Economy from Jamaica. Mr Webber explained that: “based on where Jamaica is, being archaeologic, a large body of water, in fact, our EEZ is 24 times larger than our land mass. Our marine spaces are around 16-17% protected. Our land spaces are about 25%, and the 30 by 30 gold is still there”. He concluded his speech by stating that: “we think we would then be leaders to be able to help our other Caribbean brothers and sisters get their SOPs in action so that we can get our regional footprint to make a difference”.
This webinar featured first-hand insights from Wider Caribbean nations on the road to SOP development and implementation.
Daniela Castellanos, head of the Blue Agenda Directorate at Mexico's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, shared the country's experience in oceanic matters and highlighted the efforts they have made as a nation. She began by emphasizing that "we are a bioceanic nation, and that means our identity, our economy, and our communities are deeply linked to the ocean. More than 15 million people live in coastal areas, and the fishing and aquaculture sectors employ over 250,000 people”. Daniela explained that on December 16, 2025, the country officially published the National Policy for the Sustainable Management of Mexico's Seas and Coasts, which serves as the country's Sustainable Ocean Plan.
Dr. Fanny Douvere, Sustainable Ocean Planning & Management Lead at IOC, UNESCO, outlined that “in regions like the wider Caribbean, there is incredible potential. The ocean functions as an ecosystem beyond administrative boundaries and faces heavy influence from climate events like consecutive bleaching”
She ended her intervention confirming that "a sustainable ocean plan does not start from scratch. It brings together existing management approaches. Sustainable ocean planning brings everything together holistically. The IOC-UNESCO focuses on technical guidance to ensure these plans are science-driven”.
The Global Deputy Director Ocean Program, World Resources Institute (WRI), Cynthia Barzuna, framed a Sustainable Ocean Plan as a comprehensive framework and a unifying umbrella for economic governance that brings coherence to public policy. “The Wider Caribbean does not need to invent new structures, but rather connect the ones it already has. If done correctly, this region could become a global example of how to articulate national planning with regional governance”.
Principal Executive of Technical Advisory for Biodiversity and Climate at CAF - Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, Erick Richard Castro Gonzalez, stressed that CAF is a development bank with more than 50 years of experience that, in 2021, decided to transform into the "green and blue bank" of Latin America and the Caribbean. He explained that currently, the bank is part of Ocean Action 2030 and supports five countries with technical cooperation resources, four of which have an influence in the Caribbean: Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia.
Christopher Corbin, Coordinator of the UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat outlined the importance of regional efforts saying that: “the Ocean Coordination Mechanism, the follow-up PROCARIBE+ project and the Secretariat now have a strong mandate to build a more comprehensive knowledge base. This effort goes beyond raw scientific data to look at economic drivers and impacts, creating integrated reports that influence decisions regarding: Sustainable Ocean Plans (SOPs), Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), Ecosystem-based management and Nature-based solutions”.
The panel ended with closing remarks, from Mr. Alexander Girvan, from the OCM Secretariat, extending thanks to all the participants for their invaluable insights.
The outputs and commitments emerging from the webinar series will be consolidated and presented at a Wider Caribbean-led side event at the Our Ocean Conference, demonstrating the region's collective ambition and coordinated action on ocean sustainability.
You don't want to miss out on this important discussion—watch the video here to see all the speaker's contributions.
