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The Sustainable Pacific Project

Key advances and expectations for 2024

By IW:LEARN

December 18^th, 2023

Weather fronts in the Pacific and Central America are often caused by coastal upwelling. Some fronts on the Pacific coasts of Central America come from regular bursts of winds from the Caribbean towards the Pacific Ocean. Local landscape channels these winds, making their direction predictable. These winds cause upwelling zones and fronts far offshore.

These unique characteristics of the Pacific Coast of Central America Large Marine Ecosystem (PACA LME), make Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador, countries sharing the PACA LME, some of the world's best surfing and tourist spots. This marine ecoregion is also teeming with a variety of fish in both the open ocean and near the sea floor.

Yet, PACA LME is facing threats of biodiversity loss, mainly due to human activities such as pollution, degradation of the coastal and marine ecosystems, overfishing, direct impacts on flora and fauna, and climate change. These issues are further worsened by the increasing demand for seafood, growth in world commerce, rising tourist demand, and inadequate management and regulation of resource exploitation. Given this complex situation, it is essential to adopt a comprehensive approach, one that the Sustainable Pacific Project will promote in the region to manage and protect crucial elements of the blue economy, such as humpback whales, large pelagic fish, shorebirds, mangroves, and coral reefs.

In 2023, the Sustainable Pacific Project was launched as an unprecedented collaboration among Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, and Ecuador. Working with the PACA LME countries and its stakeholders, this project is dedicated to finding solutions for the cross-border marine governance of the LME to overcome significant challenges and to work towards a safer and sustainable future. Guided by the blue economy vision, this collaborative approach aims to protect the marine environment while ensuring the prosperity of the communities that depend on it.

The project is structured around three key components. The first component establishes regional governance and joint management of the PACA LME, developing tools for mutual understanding and collaborative agreements, encapsulated in a Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis and a Strategic Action Program. This solid foundation allows for addressing issues from a regional perspective while respecting the particularities of each country.

The second component focuses on practical learning through pilot projects, with special attention given to the conservation and management of key species such as sailfish and marlin, marine spatial planning, and cetacean conservation. The third component, centered on sharing and consolidating learned lessons, ensures that the experiences and knowledge gained benefit communities and ecosystems beyond the project's borders.

Photo credit: Masayuki Agawa / Ocean Image Bank

In 2023, the project made significant strides with meetings in Mexico, Panama, and Ecuador for the planning of pilot projects. The project's inception workshop, held in September in San José, Costa Rica, was a vital meeting point for diverse actors, including NGOs, public institutions, and academic bodies, fostering an environment of collaboration and innovation.

Meeting with the Mayor of San Vicente, Ecuador, for the project presentation. Photo: WWF Mesoamerica.

Field activity during the project's kickoff workshop in San José, Costa Rica for whale watching. Photo: WWF Mesoamerica.

The project plans to start the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) process in 2024. This process is an important step in identifying and prioritizing threats to PACA LME and their root causes. Furthermore, in 2024, the Sustainable Pacific Project website will be launched. This website will serve as a crucial platform for sharing information and updates about the project's progress.

José Vicente Troya, UNDP Resident Representative in Costa Rica, emphasizes the significance of this cooperation:

"Over the next four years, we will work together to understand the challenges of the PACA and establish commitments for a resilient and sustainable blue economy."

For 2024, significant progress is anticipated with the launch of regional pilot projects and training in Marine Spatial Planning and Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis. These initiatives, focused on strengthening local and regional capacities, mark a new chapter for the project.

A crucial and cross-cutting aspect of this project is the inclusion of a gender perspective. Analyzing the role of women in fishing and their participation in the value chain seeks not only to close gender gaps but also to empower them as key agents in the conservation and management of marine resources.

Brigitte García, Mayor of San Vicente, Ecuador, shares her enthusiasm:

"It is a pleasure for San Vicente to collaborate with the Sustainable Pacific Project. We hope this benefits our entire community, longing for free, spacious, and well-organized beaches."

The Sustainable Pacific Project is more than a set of actions and strategies; it represents the power of cross-border collaboration in the pursuit of a more sustainable and equitable future. With the foundations already laid in 2023, for 2024 and beyond, we look forward to seeing the fruits of this joint effort, symbolizing a promise of united seas and strengthened communities.

About the project

Funded by the GEF, implemented by UNDP, and executed by WWF, the Sustainable Pacific project is a regional initiative that seeks to strengthen the management of the Pacific Central American Coastal Large Marine Ecosystem (PACA) and unite the efforts and commitments of participating countries — Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, and key actors to achieve a resilient and sustainable blue economy.