22/03/2026
Water is the lifeblood of the Caribbean
From the highest mountain ridges, watersheds and rivers to wetlands, coastal waters, and coral reefs, the region’s freshwater and marine system flow together as one interconnected whole. What happens on land ultimately shapes the health of the sea. . Protecting water “from ridge to reef” is therefore essential to safeguarding public health, securing livelihoods, and sustaining the natural resources that Caribbean societies rely on every day.
On World Water Day 2026, we recognize the urgent need for sustainable, inclusive, and cooperative water management—especially in a region where communities, economies, and ecosystems are so tightly linked by water.
Across the Wider Caribbean Region, countries are advancing these goals through collaboration under the Cartagena Convention, the only legally binding regional agreement dedicated to protecting and developing the marine environment of the Wider Caribbean.
Tackling Pollution at the Source
Under the Protocol Concerning Pollution from Land-Based Sources and Activities (LBS Protocol), governments are working collectively to address one of the Caribbean’s most persistent environmental threats: pollution originating on land.
This includes:
Untreated wastewater
Agricultural runoff
Nutrient pollution
Plastics and solid waste
Urban and industrial discharges
These pollutants travel through rivers, groundwater, and coastal waters before reaching the Caribbean Sea—degrading water quality, stressing marine ecosystems, and harming key economic sectors such as tourism and fisheries. The LBS Protocol provides a framework for countries to reduce these pressures and strengthen water resource management across the entire ridge-to-reef continuum.
Delivering Results on the Ground
Collaboration under the Cartagena Convention is generating tangible results that benefit both communities and ecosystems.
IWEco: Restoring Watersheds and Strengthening Ecosystems