MONDAY, 1 October 2018

Session

Registration and Opening of the Meeting

Chair

Natalie Degger

Content

Welcome messages and introductory remarks

Venue

TBD

Time

08:30

09:00

Registration

09:00

10:00

Welcome message and opening remarks

• Cesar Toro IOC of UNESCO   Sub-Commission for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions (IOCARIBE)
• Natalie Degger, Deputy Project Manager, GEF LME:LEARN
• Short introduction and expectations of the participants

Coffee break and group photo (10:00 – 10:30)

Session

Regional Network Updates

Chair

Natalie Degger

Content

This session will inform participants on the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. It will also provide participants with updates on the GEF LME:LEARN project (toolkits, services) and share experiences from the Africa and Asia-Pacific Regional Networks.

10:30

11:30

• The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) –Cesar Toro
• Updates from GEF LME:LEARN and other Regional Networks - Natalie Degger

Session

Activities in the Region

Chair

Natalie Degger

Content

Regional Network Members who have undertaken twinning and ICO exchanges will report back to the network on their experiences and lessons learned

11:30

12:30

Twinning

• Gulf of Mexico Trilateral Exchange (USA, Mexico, Cuba)
• Gulf of Mexico Marine Protected Areas Network Meeting
• Others TBC

ICO Exchanges

• CERMES, CLME+, and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission — Ocean Governance and Fisheries Unit (OGF)
• CLME+ and PEMSEA
• Others TBC

Lunch break (12:30 – 14:00)

Session

Science to Management in the LAC Region

Chair

Cesar Toro

Content

This session focuses on the value in using science to make management decisions, best practices in engaging the scientific community, and steps towards facilitating the science to management interface

14:00

14:30

How science works along with policy and governance

-Patrick McConney, CERMES (TBC)

14:30

15:30

Examples of best practice from around the region

• Gulf of Mexico
• CLME+
• Others to be confirmed

Coffee break (15:30 – 16:00)

16:00

16:30

Moderated Panel Discussion

• How could successful science-management models be replicated in the region?
• What are the emerging areas for targeted research and its application?

Are their mechanisms for improving knowledge exchange among scientists, projects and decision-makers in the region?

16:30

17:00

Large Marine Ecosystem Policy Briefs

17:00

Closing

18:00

Marketplace Cocktail: Needs and Offerings

TUESDAY, 2 October 2018

Session

Private Sector Engagement at the Regional Level

Chair

Natalie Degger, GEF LME:LEARN

Content

In order to bring transformational change to the global ocean environment, marine projects, institutions and the private sector must identify new ways of working together.

Examples of successful partnerships with large corporate actors include the Globallast partnership with shippers and the International Maritime Organization, as well as Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs) and Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ) working with the private sector to promote innovative, market-based approaches fostering good fishing practices and fishery management.

To foster these partnerships there needs to be a better understanding of the challenges faced by both the private sector and marine projects in engaging with one another; how to better communicate the investment potential of marine projects, and the opportunities for investment by the private sector at the regional level.

The best way to advance and align business, environmental and social objectives is by learning first about the drivers of the businesses in the LAC Region. Most businesses approach the environment through the lens of risk, in other words how does the availability of natural resources impact their business?

During this session participants have the opportunity to hear from a few businesses operating in the LAC Region. More specifically this session will focus on:

• New issues, risks and opportunities are emerging that may have material impact on ocean industry operations;
• The criteria these companies use to make investment decisions;
• Examples of investments that have succeeded or failed in the past, and why?

Time

09:00

10:30

World Ocean Council

-Christine Valentin, COO and Board Member

WOC: Ocean Business Leadership and Collaboration on Sustainable Development

The private sector perspective from:

• Fisheries
• Shipping
• Oil and Gas
• Other sectors

Framing questions:

1. What are the global and regional priorities and opportunities regarding sustainable development from the ocean business community?
2. What are the needs and opportunities to collaborate across the sectors/at a regional scale?
3. How can other stakeholders best work with and through intermediary organizations to engage the private sector?
4. How can we develop a LAC ocean business leadership community for ocean sustainable development?

Coffee break (10:30 – 11:00)

11:00

13:00

Round table

Moderator: Christine Valentin

Participants:

•              Private sector representatives

•              Regional intermediary organizations

•              Regional project representatives

Framing questions:

1. What is the value proposition for both the marine projects and the private sector partners?
2. How to work with and through business organizations?
3. What should marine projects/institutes be aware of?
4. How can intermediaries facilitate the engagement of companies with the projects?

Lunch break (13:00 – 14:30)

Session

LAC Regional Network: Looking Forward

Chair

Natalie Degger, GEF IW:LEARN

Content

This session will be dedicated to action planning for sustaining our Network to enhance coastal and marine management in the Region

14:30

15:30

Action planning for next steps

Group Activity

Coffee break (15:30 – 16:00)

16:00

17:00

Reporting back

• Feedback from groups and reactions

17:00

17:30

Wrap up

• Personal next steps
• Closure of the meeting