The Caribbean Environment Network Project

Goals and Objectives

CEP - CAR/RCU is charged with the responsibility for the implementation of the CEN Project. This new, but integral component of the SPAW Programme, is a joint venture with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in Jamaica, as the main donor agency. The project was designed to focus on tourism, given the importance and scope of the industry in the Wider Caribbean Region and the close linkages with various marine and coastal habitats in the Caribbean.

It is the goal of the USAID/UNEP project to contribute to the rational use and conservation of coastal zones and resources in the Wider Caribbean region, aiming at:

• improving environmental quality and the conservation of natural resources of the coastal and marine environment
• reducing environmental impacts by tourism on coastal and marine resources

Mode of Implementation

As a means of achieving the above goals, the activities of the Project are being carried out in close partnership with relevant organizations from the private, public and academic sectors in the region. The institutional structure and role of the main partner organizations can be summarized as follows:

• USAID as the main donor agency
• UNEP-CAR/RCU as executing and counterpart funding agency
• Technical Consultative Committee:  established with key agencies in the region to advise and coordinate activities and issues related to the project. The TCC is Inter-agency in nature and composed of:
  • Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
  • Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO)
  • British Development Division (BDD/ODA)
  • Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO)
  • Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)
  • French Development Division

Project Description

    Baseline Information

As part of the baseline information needed to guide the implementation of the project’s activities, UNEP commissioned a report recently concluded titled Coastal Tourism in the Wider Caribbean Region: Impacts and Best Management Practices. The report includes an overview of tourism and coastal resources degradation and detrimental practices of the tourism industry in the Wider Caribbean; costs and benefits of coastal resources; best management practices in coastal tourism and initiatives for mitigation of coastal resources degradation. It is envisaged that the report will be published by the end of 1997 as a technical report of CEP.

The project consists of the following main components:

• Training related to environmental aspects of tourism in the marine environment
• Demonstration pilot projects minimizing the impacts of tourism in coastal areas
• Public awareness and information networking

    Training Courses

Water and Solid Waste Management

• Aims:   to provide hands-on training in water and solid waste management as it relates to tourism.
  TOPICS such as:
  • Techniques for water management
  • Reduction, recycling and reuse of solid wastes
  • Development of management programmes
• To be presented two times in different countries, once each in English and Spanish
• Implemented by the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI), St. Lucia

Tourist Facilities Design and Siting

• Aims:   to build awareness on environmental impacts of design and siting of tourist facilities and tools for reduction of impacts on resources.
  TOPICS such as:
  • Architectural designs and materials
  • Environmental impacts
• To be presented two times in different countries, once each in English and Spanish
• Implemented by the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA/CAST), Puerto Rico

Integrated Coastal Area Management

• Aims:   to build awareness on how tourism activities relate to the ICAM process.
  TOPICS such as:
  • Economic valuation of resources
  • Assessment of degradation
  • Risk/benefit analysis of tourism
  • Best practices in the industry
• To be presented three times, one in English, one in Spanish and one bilingual at different venues
• Implemented by the Consortium of Caribbean Universities for Natural Resource Management (CCUNRM), Puerto Rico

    Pilot Demonstration Projects

Integrated Coastal Resources Management in the Dominican Republic with Special Emphasis on Target Tourist Areas

• Main Outputs:
  • Three diagnostic studies for Puerto Plata , Juan Diolio-Guayacanes and South Coast Santo Domingo as key tourist target areas
  • Three seminars/workshops for key stakeholders in the above selected target areas
  • Draft national strategy and plan of action for sustainable tourism by July 1998
• Implemented by the Secretaria de Estado de Agricultura (SEA/SURENA)

Rehabilitation of Sand Dunes in Anguilla

• Main Outputs:
  • Manual for sand dune assessment and rehabilitation by June 1998
  • Awareness programme and materials for coastal resources conservation, including sand dunes -- preparation and dissemination on-going
• Implemented by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, St. Lucia (OECS/NRMU)

Improvement of Quality of Near-Shore Waters on the West Coast of St. Lucia: sewage treatment plant operations in tourism facilities

• Main Outputs:
  • Manual for efficient sewage treatment plant operations within the tourism industry by May 1998
  • Improved sewage treatment in three hotels (participating hotels include Sandals Halcyon; Anse Chastanet and Hilton Jalousie) St. Lucia by July 1998
  • Report of a training workshop for STP operators by April 1998
• Implemented by the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI)

    Public Awareness/Information Exchange and Networking

Caribbean Action for Sustainable Tourism: information network

• Main Outputs:
  • Environmental management toolkit; a volume with guidance on environment enhacement for hotels; being updated in English and to be published in Spanish by March 1998
  • Regional overview of best practices employed by a range of tourism facilities (hotels; dive operators; marinas etc..); on-going
  • Caribbean Code of Conduct for Tourism as a set of consolidated guidelines proposed by UNEP/IE, WTTC, IHEI and their relationship to ISO 14000 standards for environmental management systems by May 1998
  • Preparation of internet site on CAST activities and environmental information for the tourism industry; on-going
  • Regional environmental action plan for the tourism industry addressing steps to implement priorities of Agenda 21 within the Caribbean region by March 1998
  • Production and distribution of monthly newsletter of CAST; on-going
  • Green Resources Directory which will identify a wide variety of environmental techniques, related products and services for improved management by tourism facilities by February 1998
• Implemented by the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA)

    Other Activities

Two new proposed activities were introduced in the project with UNEP/CAR-RCU being directly responsible for executing the following:

• Publication of three training manuals (i.e. Integrated Coastal Management, Tourist design facilities and Waste Management) emanating from the training courses in three languages (English, French and Spanish). These manuals will serve as valuable reference materials for wide dissemination and will complement and promote replicability of the training experience, not only throughout the Caribbean but other regions as well.
• Convening of a Regional Symposium/Workshop on the CEN project. This activity will be composed of:
  • A regional 2-3 day workshop to extend the impact of the Anguilla pilot project with the objectives of introducing and guiding the use of the manual on dune rehabilitation issues to be produced under this pilot project – organized by UNEP-CAR/RCU, Kingston, late July 1997
  • A one day regional Symposium of general participation from throughout the region and the tourism industry, which will be held at the end of the project back-to-back with the above workshop. It will serve as an official conclusion session of the project, with review of results achieved and will include presentations from all contractors involved in the pilot demonstration projects, training courses and networking. It will also count with representation of TCC members and other major partners in the tourism industry - organized by UNEP-CAR/RCU, Kinsgton, late July 1997

For more information contact:

UNEP- CAR/RCU
Monica Borobia
Programme Officer
14-20 Port Royal Street
Kingston, Jamaica
Tel: 1-876-9229267/69
Fax: 1-876-9229292
Email: uneprcuja@cwjamaica.com

© 1999 - UNEP - CEP/RCU