We do everything we can together with local partners to protect and restore the marine environment in the Dutch Caribbean. How do you actually do that, protect the marine environment?

As the impact of climate change increases, in the form of ocean acidification, rising sea temperatures, and more, our goal is to link the global commitment towards reduced CO2 emissions to building resilient coastal ecosystems and healthy flagship species that can withstand these pressures. WWF-NL’s two main long-term conservation goals for the Dutch Caribbean are:

These goals will be reached by focusing on the following three long-term objectives:

1. Reduce man made threats to coastal ecosystems, including zero wastewater and litter in coastal zones in 2030
2. Improve coral reef health and coastal habitats through active restoration and the implementation of innovative nature-based solutions and protection by 2030.
3. Migration routes (called Blue Corridors) for whales and turtles are established by 2030.

More in-depth information on how we intend to achieve these two conservation goals through the WWF-NL Dutch Caribbean marine program for the years 2022-2027, can be accessed here.

Our objective is to kickstart, facilitate, and support local initiatives, as well as developing new projects in cooperation with local and regional organizations. Where possible, WWF-NL will involve local communities and raise their awareness for the need to support the natural environment and the threats it faces, thus creating a world in which people and nature live in harmony.

We will do this by supporting and executing educational programs in general and at schools, creating events with and for local communities, and ensuring participation of local stakeholders in decision-making processes. This should lead to increased knowledge, increased support from local organizations for achieving conservation goals together, and increased benefit for these communities.

WWF-NL and its worldwide network enable us to give support and direction to local organizations, improving governance, helping (co-)develop Marine Protected Areas, implementing fishery management plans, supporting active nature restoration, and linking these aspects together to provide an overarching vision of what can be achieved.