





Since 2016, the Caribbean Challenge Initiative (CCI) and the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) have been holding joint annual meetings, called CCI-CBF Week. This year’s meetings represents the culmination of Phase II of the CCI, which was launched at the CCI Summit in 2013.
Join us, as we:
- Celebrate CCI’s achievements since the launch of CCI in 2008.
- Recognize the accomplishments and challenges in the region in the areas of effective management, sustainable financing, climate adaptation, and implementation of a nature-based economy, and identify necessary actions to ensure healthy ecosystems.
- Identify partners and opportunities for developing the way forward for biodiversity conservation, protected area management and nature-based economic development in the Caribbean.
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CCI-CBF Week 2020
Register here to access the event summary and links to all sessions
Nature-Based Solutions for our Caribbean Future. Join us!
Meet the Speakers
CCI-CBF Week 2020

Sir Richard Branson
Founder, Virgin Group

H.E. Peter Thomson
UNSG’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, United Nations

Hon. Romauld Ferreira
Minister, Ministry of Environment & Housing, The Bahamas

Elizabeth Maruma Mrema
Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity

H.E. Ute König
Ambassador, German Embassy Port-of-Spain

In the Cabinet resuffle of 1 September 2017, Stiel was elevated to the Minister of Education from his original posting as Parliamentary Secretary in that Ministry.
Hon. Simon Stiell
Minister, Ministry of Climate Resilience, The Environment, Forestry, Fisheries & Disaster Management, Grenada

Since 2004 she has worked in the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources. First as Director of Environmental Standards and Research (2004-2008) and then as Deputy Minister for International Affairs and Cooperation (2008 to present).
From her beginnings in the institution, within the framework of the different roles that she has occupied, different achievements can be highlighted, among which are: coordination, planning and organization of the drafting, adoption, approval, formalization, publication and dissemination of environmental regulation instruments; alignment process of International Agencies towards the environmental policies; participation in negotiations of international agreements; fulfillment of the national commitments under international agreements, and free trade agreements; follow-up to programs and projects financed with international support.
Hon. Patricia Abreu
Vice Minister, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of the Dominican Republic

H.E. Dr. Didacus Jules
Director General, Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States

She has extensive experience in developing relationships with governments, cooperation agencies, and donors; in design and implementation of public-private partnerships; resolution, conflict management and development of multisectoral dialogue platforms and in the implementation of innovative financial mechanisms for conservation and sustainable development.
She was Executive Director of the Tropical Scientific Center (CCT), Program Manager of the Forever Costa Rica Association and Environmental Consultant at CEDARENA (Center for Environmental Law and Natural Resources).For more than 18 years she has worked on issues of management, conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
Session: 2030 Biodiversity Framework and the Caribbean perspective for the next decade.
Hon. Pamela Castillo Barahona
Vice Minister, Ministry of Environment and Energy of Costa Rica

Over the course of his career, Jens’s work has taken him from leading the strategy and analysis of international climate and forest policies in Kenya with the United Nations Environmental Programme; to managing projects on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) in Indonesia and Laos; to climate adaptation in India, sustainable forestry in China and Vietnam, and energy, environment, and climate financing in Egypt. He also chairs the board of the Directors of the eco.business Fund and is a board member for the Georg-Ludwig-Hartig Foundation.
Dr. Mackensen received his doctorate in forestry from the University of Göttingen after research in Indonesia, Canada, Switzerland, Costa Rica, and Australia.
Dr. Jens Mackensen
Board Chair, Caribbean Biodiversity Fund

In Jan 2019, she was appointed Envoy to the Caribbean Challenge Initiative to bring awareness and build up resilience of the marine and coastal resources in the Caribbean.
She is the Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in Saint Lucia and is a citizen of Saint Lucia. On May 24, 2019 the Federal Republic of Germany bestowed on Karolin the Order of Merit to acknowledge her work as Honorary Consul and her volunteer leadership in Saint Lucia and the Caribbean to promote sustainable operations, building resilience and mitigating effects of climate change.
Karolin Troubetzkoy
President, Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association

Dr Aguilar brings with her more than 25 years of experience in conservation and sustainable development, having worked extensively on developing and applying environmental law and policy in collaboration with governments and civil society. In particular, she is deeply passionate about the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.
Through her work in field projects, Dr Aguilar has helped communities access clean water, advocated for environmental justice, assisted indigenous peoples in obtaining rights to their natural resources, and championed gender equality in environmental governance.
Dr. Grethel Aguilar
Acting Director General, International Union for Conservation of Nature
Agenda
This event is the perfect blend of learning and connecting with other leaders in the field. Morning sessions include featured panel discussions and afternoon sessions include interactive networking or a “field trip.”
Featured Sessions
Tuesday 07/14/2020
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are the CCI Goals?
The CCI has two main Goals:
- CCI 20-by-20 Goal: to conserve and effectively manage at least 20% of the marine and coastal environment by 2020.
- Sustainable Finance Goal: to put in place fully functioning finance mechanisms that provide long-term, reliable funding to ensure marine and coastal areas are sustainably managed into the future.
2. What is CCI?
About the Caribbean Challenge Initiative
The Caribbean Challenge Initiative was established as an innovative platform uniting governments, the private sector and partners (e.g. funding agencies, NGOs) to take collaborative action to conserve and sustainably manage the Caribbean’s marine and coastal environment. Originally launched in 2008 at the 8th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the CCI aimed to support and incentivize Caribbean governments to meet their sustainable development commitments, to catalyze new funding and accelerated action, and to help ensure more prosperous and sustainable economies across the Caribbean in the future.
At the CCI Summit of Political and Business Leaders held on May 2013 in the British Virgin Islands, a second phase of CCI was launched. At the Summit, a new type of partnership came together to safeguard the Caribbean’s marine and coastal environment. Three important “constituency groups”—governments, the private sector, and partners— all joined forces and voluntarily committed to supporting the two major goals under the CCI. New marine conservation commitments were made, primarily in the form of a Leaders Declaration signed by nine governments and a Corporate Compact signed by 15 companies at the Summit. Over US $75M of funding for activities to support CCI Goals were also announced on the occasion. In short, the launch of Phase II of the CCI generated significant momentum towards the shared vision of a healthy marine and coastal environment.
3. Who is CBF?
About the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund
Established in 2012, the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF) is the realization of a bold vision to create reliable, long-term funding for conservation and sustainable development in the Caribbean region. The CBF and a group of National Conservation Trust Fund form the Caribbean Sustainable Finance Architecture, which, among other objectives, supports and incentivizes targeted Caribbean nations to meet the goals of the Caribbean Challenge Initiative (CCI), national conservation priorities, and targets under other international and regional commitments.
The CBF is an umbrella fund with a flexible structure to implement innovative solutions for resource mobilization at the regional level through a range of financial instruments. Currently, the CBF manages approximately US$125 million through its Conservation Finance and the Climate Change: Ecosystem-based Adaptation Programs.
4. Will there be translation for CCI-CBF Week 2020?
Panels will be held in English and translated both from English to Spanish and from English to French. There will be no translation into English. Breakout sessions will not be translated.
5. How do I join CCI-CBF Week 2020?
Simply click “Register Now”, enter your details, and check your email for your official ticket with instructions on joining the event.
6. How can I contact the hosts with questions?
Please use the contact form below or email us directly on: ccicbfweek@caribbeanbiodiversityfund.org