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Santa Marta, Colombia — May 2026 — The Association of Caribbean States (ACS) and Conservation International signed a Memorandum of Understanding to advance climate resilience, ecosystem restoration and environmental financing in the Greater Caribbean, strengthening the region’s capacity to address the growing impacts of climate change.

The partnership between the ACS and CI will strengthen cooperation and resource mobilisation for the region, with the mission of protecting and restoring key ecosystems of the Greater Caribbean—such as mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass meadows—recognised for their essential role in climate change adaptation, biodiversity, food security and the well-being of millions of people.

The countries of the Greater Caribbean are home to nearly one fifth of the planet’s mangroves, a strategic natural asset that positions the region as a key player in global nature-based solutions to address climate change, protect biodiversity and strengthen the resilience of coastal communities.

The agreement enables practical and scalable cooperation to:

• Mobilise financing and strengthen technical cooperation to advance regional projects aimed at protecting and restoring ecosystems of the Caribbean Sea.
• Promote nature-based solutions for disaster risk reduction, including the recognition and strengthening of ancestral knowledge and practices of Indigenous and local communities.
• Strengthen the blue and green economy and the sustainable management of fisheries, integrating conservation with livelihoods and resilience.
• Promote cooperation modalities such as the exchange of specialists, training, including scholarships and courses, seminars, and the joint development of proposals for financing and high-level events.

“This Memorandum of Understanding represents a shared vision for the future of the Greater Caribbean: protecting its mangroves, reefs and seagrass meadows, strengthening the climate resilience of its communities, and demonstrating that nature is the foundation of sustainable development in our region,” said Kelvin Alie, Deputy Chief Conservation Officer of Conservation International.

“Investing in the protection of the mangroves and coral reefs of our Caribbean Sea means helping to protect one of the most strategic ecosystems for the planet’s climate future,” stated H.E. Noemí Espinoza Madrid, Secretary-General of the ACS.

The strategic partnership will promote more inclusive resilience with greater social justice, fostering opportunities and participation for women, youth and vulnerable populations. At the same time, it will strengthen the protection of the Caribbean Sea and the work of the ACS Caribbean Sea Commission, contributing to more coordinated regional cooperation in response to the climate and environmental challenges of the Greater Caribbean.

About Conservation International

Conservation International is a non-profit organisation founded in 1987, with offices in more than 30 countries. It integrates conservation with socioeconomic development and strengthens capacities to care for nature responsibly and sustainably for the benefit of humanity.

About the Association of Caribbean States

The Association of Caribbean States (ACS) is an intergovernmental organisation established in 1994 through an international convention, with the aim of promoting consultation, cooperation and concerted action among the countries of the Greater Caribbean. It is currently composed of 25 Member States and 10 Associate Members, and is guided by the principles of multilateralism that respects sovereignty and a unity that values the diversity of the Greater Caribbean region.

Press contacts

Conservation International
Ricardo Ahumada
[email protected] 

Association of Caribbean States
Joshua Green Miller
[email protected]