Member States of the OAS believe that balanced and sustainable development requires an approach that integrates its three dimensions – social, economic and environmental – to support development, eradicate poverty, and promote equality, fairness and social inclusion. OAS Member States have reiterated their support for sustainable development in numerous General Assembly Resolutions as well as in national, regional and international commitments.
• Key mandates include AG/RES. 1440 (XXVI-O/96) and the Inter-American Program for Sustainable Development (PIDS) (2016-2021) which was adopted at the Second plenary session of the OAS General Assembly held on June 14, 2016.
• The PIDS establishes 6 strategic actions to ensure that the work of the General Secretariat on sustainable development is aligned with the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change
• The Strategic action are: (1) Disaster Risk Management; (2) Sustainable Management of Ecosystems; Integrated Water Resources Management; (4) Sustainable Cities and Communities; (5) Sustainable Energy Management; and (6) Capacity Building for Efficient, Effective Accountable and Inclusive Institutions for Sustainable Development.
Results/Accomplishments
• Sustainable Development policies and programs advanced through over 50 events including seminars, workshops, and conferences convened in OAS Member States and at OAS Headquarters.

Sustainable Management of Ecosystems
Results
• Five (5) hemispheric networks established to promote coordination among OAS member states in the collection, sharing, and use of biodiversity information relevant to policymaking, decision-making and education.
• SEDI/DSD coordinated 5 hemispheric networks in: species (now housed at the Smithsonian Institution‘s Encyclopedia of Life); specimens (housed at GBIF Global Biodiversity Information Facility); pollinators (housed at the Pollinators Partnership); invasive species (housed at the Global Invasive Species Program); and protected areas (housed at the World Database on Protected Areas).
• Coordinated and managed the Western Hemisphere Migratory Species Initiative (WHMSI) - a cooperative, hemispheric, non-binding mechanism to conserve shared migratory species, with 34 focal points and 22 affiliated NGOs
• Strengthened partnerships with the WHMSI and IABIN Focal Points to protect biodiversity and to advance Migratory Species conservation in the region.
• Inter-American Task Force on Oceans established .
• Capacity of officials in the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines in the evaluation and management of ecosystem goods and services, improved .
Integrated Water Resources Management
Results:
• An action agenda for building synergies and strengthening cooperation in water resources management in Peru, established .
• A draft conceptual framework for an observatory on water security in the Americas developed
• Action Plan developed for systematically managing the links between water, mining and gender in Peru.
• Fourteen (14) energy officials in the Caribbean trained in the effective management of the Water and Energy Nexus
• A system of indicators for measuring the intensity and impact of cooperation on transboundary basins developed.
Partners: UN Panel on water and Peace, Strategic Foresight Group Result 21:
• A Strategic Vision and Action Plan for the sustainable transboundary management of water resources in La Plata basin agreed by Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay .
• Tools and mechanisms for the sustainable transboundary management of water resources in La Plata basin developed for use by Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay .
• “Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) of the La Plata Basin”
• A Regional Vision and Regional Development Policy for sustainable transboundary management of ecosystems in the Gran Chaco Americano adopted by the Tri-National Commission on behalf of the Governments of Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay.
• Institutional capacity strengthened at regional, national and local levels for formulating and applying Strategic Forest Management (SFM) and Sustainable Land Management (SLM) in the Gran Chaco Americano taking into consideration climate change and biodiversity conservation variables.
• Legal, technical and financial instruments designed, validated and adopted for the application of SLM and SFM principles and practices in Bolivia, Argentina and Paraguay.
• A tool for assessing and systematizing project actions and developments and for promoting change at different levels through regional projects, developed for the Gran Chaco ecosystem.
• Strategies for promoting sustainable development and sustainable cattle ranching in the Trifinio developed and adopted by the Governments of Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador
• A methodology and pedagogy for training leaders in the Trifinio region on water and education, developed.
• A comprehensive strategy for strengthening Municipal Environmental Units (UMA) in the Trifinio region developed and adopted by Trifinio member states.
• A Plan for building capacity for effective enforcement of environmental legislation developed and approved by Trifinio member states.
• Master Plans for Río Lempa, Rio Pomola, Rio Quilio, Rio Sesecapa, Rio Tulas regions of the Trifinio developed and approved by Trifinio member states.
• An interactive platform “Application on Tropical Climate (PIACT)” developed and used by Trinfino Member States
Partners: UN Environment, GEF, UNESCO-PHI, the Trifinio Commission, the Intergovernmental Coordinating Committee for the La Plata Basin (CIC), IDB, CAF, IICA and other regional bodies as well as with universities in Member States.
Sustainable Cities and Communities
• Five (5) policy dialogues convened among government officials and civil society stakeholders in the Americas focusing on city planning and sprawl, mixed uses, green corridors, city management and modernization, and efficient city growth.
• Six (6) community-based, demonstration projects implemented in coordination with other SEDI stakeholders to address sustainable development challenges.
• Five hundred (500) municipality officials in Central America and the Caribbean trained in different aspects of sustainable city management, including urban management, waste management, mobility, efficient city transport, renewable energy and energy efficiency, demand-side travel planning and disaster risk management.
• Knowledge and best practices shared among stakeholders in government agencies and NGOs in the Americas through 5 sustainable cities courses.
• Transportation and mobility enhancements facilitated in 8 Member States, in such areas as, efficient street design for walkability and private/public transport, mobility options, bike lanes, better integration of transport modes, efficient city transport fleets, air quality improvements and demand side travel planning.
• Tools and measures for enhancing the built-environment and for transforming community development developed and shared with city planning officials in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago.
• $US3 million in additional financial resources mobilized through scaling- up of small grants and direct contributions from host countries to support the delivery of training courses and the growth of sustainable communities.

Building efficient, effective, accountable and inclusive institutions for sustainable development
Results/Accomplishments
• Initiative on “Caring for our Common Home with focus on Guaranteeing More Rights for More People in the Americas” launched and under implementation.
• Inter-American Judicial Capacity Building Program on the Environmental Rule of Law developed and under implementation
• Document containing an assessment of trends, challenges and opportunities in the Environmental Rule of Law in the Americas published.
• Six hundred (600) stakeholders from the executive, legislative and judicial branches of member states trained in the Environmental Rule of Law.
• Two hundred and fifty (250) stakeholders in OAS Member States trained in the enforcement of access rights and principles and in approaches to public participation.
• Implementation of the Inter-American Strategy on Public Participation in Sustainable Development Decision-making (ISP), advanced, through the identification and sharing of 184 mechanisms relating to access to information, process and justice .
• Global Judicial Institute for the Environment to facilitate exchange of information and experiences and facilitate access to resources, launched with OAS as a key partner .
• A compendium of case studies and best practices in the Americas developed and used in building capacity on prevention and management of social conflict associated with development.
• Initiative for cluster-based implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) and other agreements, developed and under implementation.
• Eighty (80) officials trained in effective implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) including in addressing livelihoods implications for the poor, advanced.
• Results-based Management indicators designed and implemented to ensure effective implementation of the CAFTA-DR Environment Cooperation Agreement (ECA).
• A US-Peru Trade Partnership Agreement (TPA) Secretariat on Environmental Enforcement Matters established and functioning.
• Thirty (30) Government officials in OAS Member States trained on trade and environment issues (in collaboration with Department of Human Development, Education and Employment, and the Department of Economic Development.)
• Case Studies on climate change-attributable impacts in the Americas conducted and their results shared with policy makers and decision makers.
• Comparative overview of the Rights-based approach to climate change to climate change in the Americas published
Strategic Partners: United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), World Commission on Environmental Law (WCEL), Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP), OECD, civil society organizations, academia, accountability mechanisms, the Secretariat for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and other MEAs strengthened.

Sustainable Management of the Water Resources of the La Plata Basin
The overall project objective is to strengthen transboundary cooperation among the governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay to ensure the proper management of shared water resources of the La Plata Basin within the context of climate variability and change, while capitalizing on development opportunities.

Activities: The project is assisting the participating governments to better coordinate their actions and investments in the La Plata Basin to achieve sustainable utilization of water resources, and initiate the process of adapting to climate variability and climate hange. More specifically, by the end of the project,the countries will have:(i) established the technical and legal conditions to support the design and
implementation of a Strategic Action Plan (SAP) for the management of the basin; (ii) provided direct access to a Decision Support System (DSS) centralized within the Intergovernmental Coor dinating
Committee (CIC) for the La Plata Basin for the integrated management of the water resources in the Basin; (iii) strengthened the CIC as the permanent organization to promote, coor dinate and follow up.on multinational water resources management actions and harmonized development in the region,as established in the Treaty of the La Plata Basin and its associated statutes; (iv) established a Fund for the promotion of public participation that will facilitate the active commitment of social organizations in the management of critical issues within the basin; and (v) strengthened existing binational commissions for
helping to resolve water and land use conflicts within the basin.

Beneficiaries: Governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay

Partnerships and Financing: The project began in 2010 and is expected to be completed in 2015.
The total project cost is $61.7 million of which $51 million is being contributed by the 5 participating countries; and $10 million by the Global Environment Facility (GEF).

Closed Looped Cycle Production in the Americas (CLCPA) program.
The focus of the program is increasing awareness in participating countries, of the relevance and viability of innovative closed looped cycle design and manufacturing methods as means for sustainable production practices in SMEs to increase their productivity,competitiveness and sustainability. Closed


imply the development of industrial processes in which materials utilized become valuable nutrients upon reaching the end of their useful life, breaking away from a take, make and waste economy.

Activities:
1) Support the strengthening, development and implementation of policies that integrate circular economy principles in the productive sector in Colombia;
(2) support the design of a national seal (Panama Green Seal) to be awarded to all Panamanian
companies that meet sustainable production criteria through CLC design and production methodologies and circular economy principles.
(3) Assess the potential for closing the material use cycle of alternative sustainable packaging to replace styrofoam containers within the Printing & Packaging and the Food and Beverage manufacturing sectors in Trinidad and Tobago through CLC design and production.

Website: http://www.ecpamericas.org/initiatives/?id=62

Beneficiaries: Ministry of Commerce,Industry and Tourism (MINCIT) of Colombia,Industrial Association of Panama (SIP), Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MICI), and the National Authority for the Environment (ANAM) of Panama, Ministry of Planning and Sustainable Development ofTrinidad and Tobago

Partnerships and Financing: Partners: US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), National Cleaner Production Center of Colombia(CNPML), McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC),Cradle-to-Cradle Expo Lab (C2C ExpoLab), and pertinent Ministries from participating governments, Colombia,Panama and Trinidad and Tobago.

Renewable Energy and Climate Change: Methodology and Technology Challenges in the Americas

This effort was launched in 2013 by the OAS Department of Sustainable Development in partnership with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of United States.The main objective is to support the use of international standards and measurements and identify measurement challenges associated with energy and climate in the Western Hemisphere. OAS/SEDI'S actions helped to raise government awareness regarding the value of metrological applications for renewable energy and climate science.

Activities: Activities included: identifying specific training needs in gas measurements, energy efficiency, and standards and labels are being identified;identifying technology and metrology areas where training and sharing of best practices would be most beneficial for countries of the Americas; delivery of workshops to improve local and regional measurement and standards infrastructure for renewable energy and climate science;exploring ways of promoting regional and international partnerships to share approaches and best practices for expanded utilization of renewable energy, measurement of air quality,GHGs and other pollutants,and efficient energy use and distribution systems; and developing an initial Action Plan for the Americas. Workshop on the Region.

Website: http://www.ecpamericas.org/initiatives/?id=87

Beneficiaries: All Inter-American Metrology Systems (SIM) in member states

Partnerships and financing: Partners: The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) of the United States, Laboratorio Tecnologico del Uruguay (LATU) in Uruguay, Institute Nacional De Metrologfa De Colombia in Colombia, Jamaica, Centro Nacional de Metrologia (CENAM) in Mexico, Centro Nacional de Metrologia (CENAME).

Sustainable Cities and Communities in the Americas

The goal of this initiative is to contribute to the advancement of the sustainable cities agenda,energy sustainability and low carbon economic growth in the context of the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA).The imperative of building sustainable cities and communities in the hemisphere was first acknowledged during the First Summit on Sustainable Development in the Americas held in Santa Cruz de Ia Sierra in December 1996. Since that time the Department of Sustainable Development of
the Organization of American States (OAS-DSD) has been working with member states in four areas under the sustainable cities theme: economic development, housing, pollution prevention and environmental.

Activities: Implementation ofthis initiative which was launched in 201S in this phase support is provided to 10 community-based projects that are being implemented through public-private partnerships in seven countries in following priority areas: Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency,Resilience to Natural Hazards, Sustainable Transport Solutions, Waste management,Recycling and Improved Water Resource Management. Community-generated projects under implementation include: the generation of biofuel from used cooking oil; the implementation of photo-voltaic systems and energy efficiency measures;and waste management best practices in coastal communities. This initiative also seeks to strengthen the capacity of government and civil society to contribute to urban planning and development processes through one-week certified Sustainable Cities Courses. Over 400 participants in 9 countries benefitted from the Courses which have been held in coordination with municipal governments,academia and specialized agencies training.

Website: http://www.ecpamericas.org/initiatives/?id=65

Beneficiaries: Officials in central and local governments in participating countries with responsibility for urban planning, waste management, transportation planning and management, and sustainable energy; academia; civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations.

Partnerships and Financing: This initiative is financed by the Government of the United States of America

Sustainable Forest Management in the Transboundary Gran Chaco Americano

The "Gran Chaco Americana" biome covers approximately 1,000,000 Km2 in the central part of
South America and encompasses parts of Argentina, Paraguay and Bolivia.However,this globally significant ecosystem is being threatened and the area faces important socioeconomic and environmental challenge,including: i) deforestation for timber,charcoal production and agricultural conversion, ii) degradation of grasslands from inadequate grazing management practices;iii) fires; iv) over dependence on forest exploitation and livestock production, and v) unsustainable management of water resources.

Activities: The project is complementing the efforts of the three countries under the Sub-Regional Action Program for Sustainable Development of the Gran Chaco by:i) mainstreaming SFM and SLM principles into policy and legal frameworks,ii) capacity building at regional, provincial/departmental and local levels, iii) developing tools and instruments to mainstream Sustainable Forest Management SFM and Sustainable Land Management (SLM) concerns into regional land use planning and decision-making processes, iv) on­ the-ground investments and increased stakeholder participation to implement sustainable management practices to reduce land degradation and combat desertification contributing to poverty alleviation.
The project expects to overcome the most important barriers by building upon the collective commitment of the three Governments to work together around the existing framework of the SRAP;it is also fully consistent with the National Action Programs to combat desertification of the three countries so as to create the conditions for the sustainable development of the local population living in the area.

Website: www.oas.org/dsd

Beneficiaries: Citizens of Argentina,Bolivia and Paraguay who earn their livelihoods from the Transboundary Gran Chaco Americana Ecosystem

Partnerships and Financing: : The total cost of the Project is US$ 25,279,943 of which US$ 3,249,800 is contributed by the Global Environment Facility.The balance of the funding constitutes cash and in-kind financing from the participating countries (Argentina, Bolivia and Paraguay.
Partnership project include the UNDP

CRISK: Caribbean Risk Assessment (potentially-polluting wrecks in the Caribbean region)

The problem of potentially-polluting shipwrecks has become fairly well known with an international study that estimated that there were at least 8,500 large wrecks that may contain 2.8 to 23 million cubic meters of oil. Anecdotes about leaking oil causing ecological damages, such as the thousands of seabirds oiled from the S.S. Jacob Luckenbach off the central California coast, are well known, as are case histories of millions of dollars in cleanup costs from continuous spillage from leaking wrecks. The wrecks are spread throughout the world’s seas, with particular concentrations in a number of regions.
One of those areas is the Caribbean region, where there are an estimated 450 wrecks of large vessels (averaging 5,800 GRT), 300 of which may be of concern and which should be investigated further. The wrecks are spread through the region with many close to sensitive shorelines.
As in the rest of the world, the majority of Caribbean wrecks stem from World War II. Over 90% are over 50 years old. The wrecks may contain as much as 1.2 million cubic meters (318 million gallons) of oil, and possibly other hazardous materials. These older wrecks are particularly problematic for two reasons:
• The wrecks are more likely to be experiencing significant corrosion; and
• The fuel oils and other hazardous materials on board are likely to be particularly toxic (including significant heavy metals) due to the composition of fuels used during that era.
Chronically leaking oil from sunken shipwrecks can cause significant impacts to coastal ecological and socioeconomic resources. The damages from a more catastrophic release of the entire contents of a large wreck could cause hundreds of millions of dollars or more in damages to local economies and ecosystems.
Caribbean nations have a great deal at stake with regard to potential pollution of tourist areas. With a total contribution to the GDP of Caribbean nations of US$53.4 billion in 2015 and an expectation of a rise to US$73.6 billion by 2025, the impacts of coastal oiling events could be significant.
The potential impacts and costs of oil and chemical spills and leaks depend on location, resources at risk, pollutant properties, and geographic considerations. But, it is known that spills in the Caribbean can be particularly costly due to the high value of coastal resources. For example, the 1994 spill of 3,000 cubic meters of heavy oil from the tank barge Morris J. Berman in Puerto Rico cost an estimated US$255 million in response costs and direct damages. The tank barge Vista Bella, which released 2,200 cubic meters of heavy oil of St. Kitts and Nevis in 1991, cost US$8.4 million in cleanup costs and damages. And these were not particularly large spills. Many of the wrecks in the Caribbean are believed to contain significantly more oil, and could potentially cause more damages.
It is important to recognize that not all of the wrecks are likely to leak in the very near future, and a good number of them may not even contain significant or any more oil. The oil may have leaked out slowly over time or even been released at the time of sinking. But, there are very likely to be a number of wrecks that do contain oil and that could leak. With about 300 wrecks, this could still mean a significant number of wrecks that present a significant risk.
The only way to determine the potential risk from this large number wrecks is to conduct a systematic and comprehensive risk assessment. A risk assessment essentially evaluates both qualitatively and quantitatively the two important components of risk – probability and consequences (or impacts)
A wreck risk assessment for the Caribbean would provide a means to qualitatively identify the riskiest wrecks and to quantify risk to allow for the purposes of risk management. This might include identifying wrecks to be prioritized with regard to recommended contaminant removal through a carefully-planned salvage operation. The main purpose of the risk assessment is to identify those wrecks that present a particular risk and to eliminate or reduce the concerns about the other wrecks. The risk assessment process provides officials with substantive data to make well-informed risk management decisions
With about 300 large wrecks of concern and the potential for impacts to a thriving US$74 billion annual tourism economy, a comprehensive risk assessment is highly advisable. Expertise and excellent tools exist to provide officials the means to make informed risk management decisions.
Activities:
To systematically assess the risk posed by the approximately 300 large shipwrecks in the Caribbean Sea with respect to the probability of oil or chemical leakage and the potential impacts of oil and chemical leakages that may constitute a threat to the ecological stability and socioeconomic resources of the region, particularly in the tourist industry. With the results from this project in hand, Member States will be in a better position to take action so as to help prevent damages to the ecological and socioeconomic resources of the region, from potential spills, particularly for the tourism industry but also for maritime transport (goods and cruise ships alike).
Specifically, this project will:
· Wrecks with the greatest risk of leakage assessed;
· Wrecks with highest potential risk that may require further study or action identified;
· Wreck-prioritization process for pro-active contaminant removal operations provided;
· Potential impacts, costs and cost-benefit analyzed and quantified;
· Sensitive ecological and socioeconomic resources at greatest risk for protective strategies and prioritization identified;
· Officials provided with robust data to make informed decisions on wreck risk management; and
· Stakeholder involvement facilitated through the local and regional risk assessment process.

Website:
Beneficiaries: National Port and Maritime Authorities of the Caribbean Basin region (Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela)
Partnerships and financing: American Salvage Association (ASA), SEDI-DSD -Disaster Management. (Development stage - Financing to be determined)

Capacity Building in Port Logistics for Disaster Relief and Humanitarian assistance. *(Component of the Natural Disaster Response initiative) (Development stage)

The project will provide training and capacity building for efficient logistic operations to efficiently manage logistics of disaster relief and humanitarian assistance received by other countries and agencies both before and after the disaster strikes. Member States will be in a better position to take action so as to develop legislation, regulations, manuals, protocols and procedures for the management of the logistics for facilitation of disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.
Activities:
Training and courses will be developed to empower local authorities in the development of legislation, regulations, manuals, protocols and procedures for the management of the logistics for facilitation of disaster relief and humanitarian assistance.
Beneficiaries:
National Port and Maritime Authorities of the Caribbean Basin region (Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela)
Partnerships and financing:
Risk Management and Adaptation to Climate Change (RISK-MACC), Department of Sustainable Development, U.S. Coast Guard, Valenciaport Foundation, Coordinacion General de Puertos y Marina Mercante, SCT, Mexico, American Salvage Association (ASA), T&T Salvage
Financing to be determined

CIP – Port incentive initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) from shipping

SEDI, CIP and Rightship (an Australian a Marine and Environmental Risk Management Company associate member of the CIP) have recognized that they share common goals, values and objectives with regards to advancing environmental sustainability. The CIP and Rightship have agreed to work together with an overall view to contributing to the reduction of the marine industry’s environmental footprint and encouraging the industry to continuously improve its environmental performance. For this purpose, RightShip have provided to CIP Member States a common platform for Port Incentive Programs. The A to G Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) Rating – available free of charge on www.shippingefficiency.org is an easy-to-use tool containing information on over 70,000 existing vessels. This rating applies the IMO’s Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) methodology to existing fleet data. Vessels are then ranked using a standard A to G rating, with A being the most efficient and G the least. The rating process is undertaken by comparing a ship’s theoretical CO2 emissions to peer vessels of a similar size and type.

Beneficiaries: Argentina, Mexico, Barbados, Colombia
Partnerships and financing: Rightship

The OAS is implementing four projects: (1) Sustainable Cities: Lessons Learned and Best Practices in Public Transport, Cycling & Walking, Sustainable Urban Development, Waste Management, Climate, Energy, & Transport Policy, Traffic Reduction, Outreach & Awareness, (2) The Inter-American Biodiversity Information Network (IABIN), (3) Species Initiative Western Hemisphere Migratory (WHMSI) and (4) ReefFix, a project on integrated coastal zone management. During 2010, the OAS supported the creation and standardization of national databases on species, specimens, invasive species, ecosystems, protected areas and pollinators and promoted interoperability and value-added tools.

IABIN awarded one hundred twenty-six (126) grants totaling approximately $ 10,000 each. These donations were aimed at the digitization of biodiversity data and conducting meetings in various languages on the use of tools for data generation that once integrated into a geospatial platform can be used as tools for economic decision-making.

The OAS, with 8 countries (the Andean countries and Costa Rica), developed a regional strategy for the conservation and sustainable use of High Andean Wetlands) and a program to develop tools for valuation and compensation for environmental services. Also as part of the initiative WHMSI, OAS together with 34 countries of the hemisphere has developed strategies for Cooperation for the Conservation of Migratory species such as whales, sea turtles, birds and mammals. Under the project ReefFix 8 case studies were completed for: The Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia, which examined to explore the economic benefits and environmental services provided by coral reefs and other marine ecosystems.