“OECS to establish green-blue economy strategy and action plan with CANARI”, 26^th July 2019

…The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) green-blue economy strategy and action plan, the first of its kind in the Caribbean and globally to combine green and blue economy strategies for sustainable development, will be advanced…between the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) and the OECS Commission…A green economy is one which minimises ecosystem degradation and is low carbon, resource-efficient and socially equitable. Within this, a blue economy focuses specifically on coastal and marine resources. In an OECS green-blue economy, growth in employment and income levels is driven by investment into economic activities, assets, and natural infrastructure which conserve biodiversity and ecosystem services that are critical to OECS countries and territories…Development of the OECS green-blue economy strategy and action plan was mandated by the OECS council of ministers for environmental sustainability to build on the 2018 diagnostic study by CANARI entitled exploring opportunities for transformation to inclusive, sustainable and resilient economies in the Eastern Caribbean, which was supported by a grant from the European Union…Developing a clear programme of policies for greening priority economic sectors and creating enabling regulatory, fiscal and financing policies and programmes which support micro, small and medium enterprises were among the recommendations emerging from the study…