Wise Use of Caribbean Wetlands for Climate Change Mitigation and Conservation of their Ecosystem Services

The IKI-funded project “Wise Use of Caribbean Wetlands for Climate Change Mitigation and Conservation of their Ecosystem Services” supports eight Caribbean countries in effective management and wise use of wetlands to increase their resilience to climate change and avoid changes in their ecological character. The project aims to create an enabling environment for the sustainable management of these Caribbean wetlands and endeavours to assess status, ecosystem services and climate change vulnerability of 21 Wetlands of International Importance; identify priority sites for climate change adaptation as well as biodiversity conservation; establish monitoring programs in eight Wetlands of International Importance; and increase awareness and capacity among key stakeholders for a better management of these ecosystems. Simultaneously, the project intends to promote policy influencing activities in the eight countries to enhance their political and legal frameworks by effectively integrating the principles of 'wise use' of wetlands and acknowledging their vulnerability to climate change.

The project consists of four outputs as follows: I. Assessments on current status, ecosystem services and the vulnerability of Caribbean Ramsar Sites (21) to climate change. II. Identification of priority sites for climate change mitigation and adaptation as well as biodiversity conservation. III. Monitoring program in 8 Ramsar Sites in place and operation IV. Increased awareness of all major stakeholders on the values of coastal wetlands

Given that the project activities take place in Caribbean countries (mostly islands), the project aims to strengthen Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) processes that incorporate the wise use of wetlands approach, as well as