by Brian Major
Last updated: 10:11 AM ET, Wed July 17, 2019
The governments of France and Germany are partnering with the Nature Conservancy to pledge $45 million in contributions to the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF). The funds will increase resources dedicated to Caribbean biodiversity conservation and support environmental sustainability across the tourism-reliant region.
Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development pledged to contribute an additional $26.8 million (25.5 million euros) to its current support of the CBF and the Caribbean Challenge Initiative during CBF's annual meeting in Antigua in June.
Germany recognized the CBF and CCI "achievements and their alignment with member governments' own support for the protection and sustainable management of Caribbean coastal and marine areas," said Ulrike Metzger, division head of regional development policy, Central America, Caribbean and Mexico for the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The new funding will be used to expand the CBF's programs throughout the region, said officials in a statement. Further contributions will help the CBF "establish a new facility to tackle the region's circular economy, plastic waste management, and wastewater treatment."
Meanwhile, the French Development Agency pledged $13 million to support the CBF's Haitian trust fund, along with other endeavors during the June conference. Finally, the Nature Conservancy endowed funds totaling $3.5 million to the Bahamas and $500,000 to Jamaica, to be overseen by the CBF.
"It is truly inspiring to see the strong outpouring of support for the Caribbean Challenge Initiative and its substantial work in the region," said St. Lucia-based hotelier and CCI Envoy Karolin Troubetzkoy.
"CCI is all about increasing conservation action, both marine and coastal, in the region, while CBF is dedicated to providing a steady stream of funding for these good works," she said. "This renewed and added support will absolutely make a difference in our concerted efforts."
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