Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are expanding efforts to mobilize biodiversity finance and scale up nature-based solutions (NbS) to address climate change, biodiversity loss and sustainable development challenges.
Regional institutions, notably the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF), are playing a central role in building long-term financing mechanisms for ecosystem restoration, marine conservation and climate resilience.
A major development is the launch of the Caribbean Marine Protected Areas Finance Facility (MPAFF) by the CBF in June 2026. The initiative aims to mobilize US$250 million to support marine protected areas and establish sustainable financing for ocean conservation across the Caribbean. By providing longer-term funding, the facility seeks to strengthen protection of ecosystems that support tourism, fisheries, coastal protection and local livelihoods.
The facility complements the region's wider 30x30 ocean agenda, including the Actioning Blue: Caribbean 30x30 Vision for the Ocean, which seeks to protect 30 per cent of marine and coastal areas by 2030 while strengthening regional cooperation on ocean governance and biodiversity conservation.
The Caribbean BluEFin Project is further supporting this agenda by helping develop investment-ready blue economy projects that deliver biodiversity, climate and socio-economic benefits through grants, technical assistance and project development support.
Nature-based Solutions are becoming a key component of Caribbean resilience strategies. Investments in mangrove restoration, coral reef rehabilitation, watershed protection and ecosystem-based adaptation are increasingly recognized for their ability to reduce climate risks while supporting biodiversity and local livelihoods. The OECS has also advanced NbS through programmes focused on ecosystem restoration, landscape management and community resilience.
Evidence of impact is growing. In December 2025, the CBF Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) Facility received the UN SIDS Partnership Award for its contribution to climate resilience. Since 2016, the facility has committed more than US$45 million to 34 projects across 14 Caribbean countries, improving or protecting over 60,000 hectares of ecosystems and benefiting more than 36,000 people. Many projects have focused on coral reefs, mangroves and other coastal ecosystems that help communities adapt to climate change while sustaining livelihoods.
Regional cooperation is also deepening. In April 2026, the OECS and IUCN launched a partnership to support implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework across the insular Caribbean, with a focus on biodiversity data, protected area governance, regional cooperation and integration of biodiversity into climate policy.
At the global level, the operationalization of the Cali Fund under the Convention on Biological Diversity could provide an additional source of financing for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration and nature-based solutions in Caribbean SIDS.
Together, these initiatives point to a more coordinated biodiversity finance landscape in the Caribbean, linking regional funding mechanisms, policy cooperation and investments in nature-based solutions to strengthen resilience and support sustainable development.
SOURCES AND FURTHER READING
CARIBBEAN MARINE PROTECTED AREAS FINANCE FACILITY (MPAFF)
Caribbean Biodiversity Fund Launches US$250 Million Marine Protected Areas Finance Facility at the 11th Our Ocean Conference (17 June 2026 announcement; article published 3 August 2026)
ACTIONING BLUE: CARIBBEAN 30X30 VISION FOR THE OCEAN
OECS Member States and Caribbean Biodiversity Fund at UNOC3
OECS Member States and Caribbean Biodiversity Fund at UNOC3
CARIBBEAN BLUEFIN PROJECT
Blue Economy Hub and Caribbean BluEFin Project
Caribbean BluEFin Call for Proposals 2026
ECOSYSTEM-BASED ADAPTATION (EBA) FACILITY
CBF Ecosystem-based Adaptation Facility receives UN SIDS Partnership Award
Award press release and programme results
NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS AND SIDS
UNEP: Supporting Climate Resilience with Nature-based Solutions in SIDS
OECS BIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION INITIATIVES
IUCN and OECS partnership to advance the Global Biodiversity Framework
OECS Biodiversity and Ecosystems Programme
CALI FUND
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Cali Fund portal
Cali Fund official website
UNDP and UNEP launch of the Cali Fund
