In the first week of December, Suriname hosted the CBD Subregional Dialogue on Monitoring and Reporting for Caribbean Countries, a timely exchange designed to support selected Parties in preparing for their seventh national reports (7NR) due in early 2026. Over three days, national representatives, technical partners, and regional organizations shared practical experiences and engaged in robust discussions to sharpen priorities for building biodiversity monitoring systems that are realistic, nationally grounded, and capable of sustaining long-term implementation of National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).

The dialogue provided a valuable platform for countries to share practical experiences and identify common needs. A recurring theme was the tight timeline ahead of the 7NR. Many Parties underscored that producing a high-quality report will require accessible technical support, strengthened institutional arrangements, and clear monitoring plans with indicators aligned to both ecological and socio-economic realities.

Despite diverse contexts across Caribbean nations, participants repeatedly voiced similar challenges: limited human capacity, fragmented data systems, and coordination gaps across ministries. Countries articulated priority needs in areas such as institutional arrangements, data systems, indicator development, and hands-on technical support, which are critical for generating actionable reporting and supporting NBSAP implementation.

A major focus of the dialogue was presenting and exploring tools, methodologies, and support avenues to strengthen national monitoring frameworks and reporting capacity. Several NBSAP Accelerator Partnership members and partners delivered substantive technical presentations that equipped participants with practical entry points for advancing their systems:

• GEO BON: Shared tools and methods for developing national ecosystem maps, integrating Earth observation data, and using BON-in-a-Box to support indicator development and biodiversity monitoring.
• UNEP-WCMC: Introduced the Target Tracker platform and approaches for integrating global datasets into national reporting, complemented by guidance on global headline, binary, and complementary indicators for the 7NR.
• GEF-8 Programme: Presented upcoming technical and financial support available to assist NBSAP updates and 7NR preparation.
• CARICOM Technical and Scientific Cooperation Center (TSCC): Highlighted ongoing subregional support for monitoring frameworks, common indicators, and regional coordination mechanisms.

Participants also engaged in facilitated group sessions addressing core issues such as monitoring plans, data flows, indicators, and institutional coordination. These sessions helped countries identify concrete gaps and opportunities, and synthesize discussions for plenary reporting.

Country representatives from NBSAP Accelerator Partnership member countries contributed rich insights into their national contexts and strategic approaches:

• Belize shared how a whole-of-society approach of engaging youth, Indigenous Peoples, academics, and civil society members has strengthened its NBSAP revision. Belize also highlighted its costed strategy with 12 priority actions, offering a stronger foundation for implementation and resource mobilisation.
• CARICOM, the newest member of the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership and a designated CBD Technical and Scientific Cooperation Centre, emphasised the value of regional coordination, including shared tools, peer learning, and common indicators.
• Antigua and Barbuda stressed the importance of inclusive consultations to build understanding and buy-in across stakeholders. This critical ingredient has supported its successful implementation, even when small teams are stretched thin.

Representing the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership, Eva Gurría, Partnerships & External Relations Lead, actively participated in the dialogue to deepen coordination with NBSAP Accelerator Partnership members and Caribbean Parties.

In her presentations and facilitation role, Eva articulated how the MatchMaking Mechanism and Facilitator Programme support countries by connecting identified needs with tailored technical assistance, partnerships, and financing.

Reflecting on the dialogue, Eva noted:

“As the Caribbean moves toward the 7NR and prepares for CBD COP17 and an intense triple-COP year in 2026, one insight stayed with me: even with capacity constraints, countries are finding practical ways to align people, institutions, and data around shared biodiversity goals. These efforts may not always be visible, but they are essential building blocks for delivery. Strengthening monitoring is not only about reporting — it’s about creating the conditions for implementation to succeed.”

Throughout the dialogue, several clear insights emerged. Participants highlighted that whole-of-society approaches are critical to strengthening the foundation for long-term implementation, while capacity constraints remain significant, particularly in relation to monitoring and reporting. Discussions underscored the value of regional coordination through CARICOM in enhancing coherence, efficiency, and peer support, and reaffirmed the importance of monitoring systems grounded in national realities and informed by practical technical inputs. Across countries, there was also a strong and consistent demand for hands-on support, particularly in indicator development, data systems, and institutional arrangements.

Building on these insights, a set of follow-up actions is now underway. These include inviting participant countries to join the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership to broaden coordinated support; working with the CARICOM TSCC to identify regional monitoring needs for the Matchmaking Mechanism; encouraging NBSAP Accelerator Partnership members to submit monitoring-related matchmaking requests; coordinating with technical partners to explore concrete support packages for preparation of the seventh national report; and using lessons from the dialogue to further refine NBSAP Accelerator Partnership support throughout 2026.

The Caribbean subregional dialogue demonstrated that monitoring is not simply a reporting obligation but a fundamental pillar of successful NBSAP implementation. Despite capacity challenges, Caribbean countries are actively aligning people, institutions, and data to meet global biodiversity commitments.

The NBSAP Accelerator Partnership is well-positioned to support this transition by connecting countries to technical partners, facilitating peer learning, and unlocking tailored support that turns national priorities into delivery outcomes. As Parties prepare for the 7NR and the broader 2026 global biodiversity agenda, this collaborative approach provides momentum toward stronger, more resilient systems for biodiversity action.

The CBD dialogue was one of many across the globe in the past year, including in Francophone Africa and Central Asia and Eastern Europe, underscoring the commitment of countries to strengthening collaborative efforts to accelerate biodiversity action.

Learn more about the NBSAP Accelerator Partnership’s MatchMaking Mechanism and its role in accelerating country-led action for Nature.