Caribbean Region Is Home to 16 European Overseas Entities Politically Attached to the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands

BEST IMPACT FACTSHEET C A R I B B E A N • 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 9

S T R E N G T H E N I N G L O C A L C O N S E R V A T I O N

The Caribbean region is home to 16 European Overseas entities politically attached to the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands. With a tropical climate, these territories are home to contrasting ecosystems: from rainforests and rivers to dry scrublands and coral reefs and mangroves. The Caribbean islands hotspot supports an important biodiversity - in particular within its

diverse terrestrial ecosystems hosting a high © Free Vector Maps.com proportion of endemicity - making the region one of the world’s greatest centres of biodiversity.

Cayman Islands Sint Eustatius From 2015 to 2019, the BEST programmes supported Turks and Caicos Islands Montserrat field actions to empower and strengthen local British Virgin Islands Guadeloupe Anguilla Martinique stakeholders committed to local development, Saint Martin Aruba biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of Sint Maarten Curacao Saint Barthélemy Bonaire ecosystem services. 23 projects - worth €2.8 million Saba Bermuda in total - were supported by BEST in the region. O V E R A L L F I G U R E S

Geographical Scope of Projects Grant Beneficiaries

Bonaire Guadeloupe 100 SMEs 4.3% 6.3% 6.3% Saint Martin Research Organisations Bermuda 3.1% 8.7% 6.3%

Saint Barthélemy Local Authorities 3.1% 17.4% Martinique 75 Saba 15.6% 6.3%

Sint Eustatius 6.3% British Virgin Islands 50 3.1% NGOs 69.6% Sint Maarten Cayman Islands 6.3% 6.3%

Curaçao 25 3.1% Turks and Caicos 9.4% Anguilla 9.4% Aruba Montserrat 6.3% 3.1% 0 Item 1 P R O J E C T R E S U L T S

C O N S E R V A T I O N O F E C O S Y S T E M B I O D I V E R S I T Y , S U S T A I N A B L E U S E O F E C O S Y S T E M S E R V I C E S , © Stewart McPherson C L I M A T E C H A N G E

91% of the projects were dedicated to the More than 1,300 km² (mostly marine) conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem benefitted from a new or updated assessment and 51 km from enhanced conservation services. 56.5% on marine and coastal areas and ² measures. 43.5% on terrestrial areas. Invasive Alien Species: rats, goats - and other feral animals - lionfish and several types of plants were impacted by new or enhanced prevention and control. S P E C I E S

The inventory of more than 500 species was updated and almost 300 new species were © Daniel Mitchell assessed. 80 endangered species benefited from protection 26% of projects contributed to climate measures, 25% being endemic. change mitigation or adaptation.

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C A P A C I T Y B U I L D I N G , S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y , A N D V I S I B I L I T Y

S C I E N C E I N S T I T U T I O N S P E O P L E A N D A N D P O L I C Y M E D I A

15 jobs supported (73% 7,500 brochures and More than 130 women). leaflets were distributed collaborations were Over 270 volunteers locally. initiated or strengthened at involved. More than 150,000 people local, regional and 600 individuals trained reached across 28 international level. More than 5,500 people countries. 70% of the projects sensitised through more extended their activities than 100 awareness- beyond the lifespan of the raising events. BEST grants.

A B O U T B E S T

BEST 2.0 and BEST RUP are programmes respectively financed by the European Commission (EC) – DG DEVCO and DG ENV through the LIFE Programme of the European Union.

Since 2011, the BEST Initiative has supported the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable use of ecosystem services, including ecosystem-based approaches to climate change adaptation and mitigation, in the 9 EU Outermost Regions (ORs), and 25 Overseas This publication was produced with Countries and Territories (OCTs), through more than 100 the financial support of the projects. European Union. Its contents are the sole responsibility of IUCN and The Regional Activity Centre for the Protocol Concerning Specially do not necessarily reflect the views Protected Areas and Wildlife for the Wider Caribbean Region (RAC- of the European Union. SPAW) was a partner to BEST 2.0 for the Caribbean region.

For more information on the BEST Initiative: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/nature/biodiversity/best https://www.iucn.org/theme/protected-areas/our-work/eu-overseas/good-better-best

In 2020, BEST 2.0+, and LIFE4BEST programmes took over, following the end of BEST 2.0 covering the OCTs and BEST RUP covering the ORs. To learn more, visit: https://www.best2plus.org

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