The Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) with the support of Island Innovation will be hosting its biennial Caribbean Conservation Finance Congress on July 27-28, 2023. This will be the second iteration of this virtual event. The theme of the 2023 Congress  is Advancing Circular Economies and it will focus on finding ways to innovatively reuse, reduce and upcycle items some might consider “waste”.  Minimizing waste, and re-integrating as many materials as possible back into the production process is the crux of circular economy principles.

This two-day event will feature dynamic regional and international speakers, interactive panel discussions, engaging workshops, and networking sessions. Participants will have the opportunity to exchange knowledge, learn from global success stories, share experiences, and collaboratively develop strategies to advance circular economies in the Caribbean.   

Registration is fast and free, sign up via: https://caribbeanconservationfinance.org/#register-now 

The keynote address at the Congress, “Shaping a Circular Future for All”  will be delivered by Mr. Christopher Corbin, Senior Coordination Officer for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Cartagena Convention Secretariat. Speaking about the importance of the Congress and its theme at this time, CBF CEO Karen McDonald Gayle said, “With entrepreneurship and innovation leading a lot of new projects in the Caribbean, the CBF is keen to find ways to intertwine that with the fieldwork carried out by conservation organizations, and identify opportunities to build a circular economy that will drive our region forward. This Congress is the first step towards realizing that goal.”

The key focus areas for the event are: 

• Defining circular economy principles and their feasibility for implementation in the Caribbean
• Collaborating on innovative sustainable financing mechanisms for circular economy projects in biodiversity conservation
• Developing circular economy strategies for sustainable tourism and ecosystem-based enterprises
• Enhancing public-private partnerships to drive circular economy initiatives at the local, national and regional levels and, 
• Integrating circular economy practices with climate change adaptation and resilience efforts

The 2023 Congress follows the CBF’s launch of its groundbreaking program, Nature-based Economies that will be developed around a new Advancing Circular Economy (ACE) Facility. The ACE Facility will work with public and private sector partners as well as other Caribbean stakeholders to fund projects that promote and apply practical circular economy principles to minimize, prevent or remove waste entering the marine environment and/or removing marine litter. The objective of the ACE Facility is to contribute to the reduction of marine litter in the insular Caribbean.

In addition to the circular economy discussions, the CBF will also announce the winners of its inaugural Biodiversity Excellence Awards for Conservation Heroes (BEACH) Awards. The Awards honor individuals and organizations who have demonstrated exceptional leadership, innovation, and collaboration in their efforts to safeguard the Caribbean’s biodiversity.