The Communication, Education, Training and Awareness (CETA) Programme is the result of the merger of the previous CEPNET sub-programme and the ETA sub-programme. The two programmes were merged as a response to financial and human resources and approved by the 12th Intergovernmental Meeting on the Action Plan for the Caribbean Environment Programme and Ninth Meeeting of the Contracting Parties to the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region, Montego Bay, Jamaica 29 November to 2 December 2006.

Communication, Education, Training and Awareness is of great concern to the governments of the Wider Caribbean Region.  Effective environmental management depends on a high level of public awareness and involvement, and on the availability of appropriate skills to respond to problems and issues in a timely and efficient manner.

The objectives of the CETA Programme are the following:

• To transform and improve educational systems to promote positive attitudinal and behavioural changes relating to environmental management by improving the understanding of the value, relevance and of marine and coastal resources;
• To develop and implement national and regional technical and managerial training programmes (focusing on "training of trainers" to maximize the multiplying effect for persons responsible for the use and management of marine and coastal resources;
• To support the public awareness efforts of the media, private sector, community-based and non-governmental organizations to demonstrate the economic value of marine and coastal resources to specific sectors and overall national development.