The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) held a consultation for Caribbean nations in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on Monday, 26 April and Tuesday, 27 April as part of a regional initiative entitled “Biodiversity and Ecosystems: Why these are Important for Sustained Growth and Equity in Latin America and the Caribbean” (the Initiative) to prepare a report on the role of biodiversity in wealth generation and support of wellbeing in the region. The first consultation was held in Mexico City from 13-14 August 2009, the second in Lima, Peru from 24-25 September, the third in Caracas, Venezuela from 4-5 November, the fourth in Quito, Ecuador from 24-25 November, the fifth in Bogota, Colombia from 30 November – 1 December, and the sixth in Guatemala City, Guatemala from 3-4 December. The final consultation is scheduled for Brasilia, Brazil at a date to be determined. Each seeks the inputs of national experts and stakeholders.

The Caribbean consultation included participants from Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Suriname as well as Trinidad and Tobago, representing government entities, conservation groups, protected areas and UNDP offices. On Monday, participants heard morning plenary presentations on the Initiative and the regional report, and in the afternoon they broke out into working groups to discuss emblematic policies in Caribbean nations, identify key sectors for promoting investment in biodiversity and ecosystem services and any existing barriers to such investments. Deliberations resumed on Tuesday with participants convening in working groups to first discuss insights from case studies from Paraguay and Indonesia, and then to recommend inputs to the regional report on principal arguments to use, ways to convince decision-makers and dissemination strategies. In the final plenary participants recommended key messages and ways to enrich the Initiative. More information...