• To collate the most up-to-date, accurate and salient data and information from international, regional, national and local levels
• To develop and provide tools and services to facilitate improved conservation and sustainable use of natural resources
• To foster collaboration and facilitate networking and sharing amongst constituents and much more
  
  

CPAG’s primary niche revolves around data, where CPAG:

• Recognises that the resolution of global knowledge products is just too coarse for small islands like us in the Caribbean and thus CPAG can mobilise and make available more suitably scaled data (once available)
• Can function as a data hub, bringing together relevant data from various sources into a central location to allow for better analyses and ultimately decision making
• Can develop and disseminate value-added information products - that is transforming data into more meaningful outputs that can better serve the needs of practitioners, stakeholders, decision makers etc.
• Can improve data mobilisation via well documented APIs
• Can provide data storage and backup services for practitioners in the biodiversity conservation space

CPAG adopts the position that the effective management and conservation of biodiversity and natural resources in a way that allows for sustainable development requires knowledge of:

• What is there to conserve in a given country's (biodiversity / natural resources /cultural and natural heritage: species, ecosystems, habitats, key biodiversity areas, indigenous people and lands, cultures etc.)
• What are the ecological (ecosystem services), economic and social benefits derived from the identified resources (i.e. why are they important)
• How much of a country's biodiversity/natural resources/cultural and natural heritage are protected (whether by IUCN defined PAs, OECMS or other protection measures) and what laws and legislations support said protection
• What are the threats and pressures to a country's biodiversity/natural resources/cultural and natural heritage
• How well the protected and conserved areas are being managed and governed and are supporting connectivity
• How are people benefitting (or not benefitting) from these conservation efforts (socially and/or economically)
• What capacity/technological/data gaps exist that hinder the conservation and/or management of a country's biodiversity/natural resources/cultural and natural heritage
• What goals and objectives a country is working towards (whether it be at the international level [through various Multilateral Environmental Agreements] or at the national  level [NBSAPs and national reports] and site level [management plans]) and the progress made towards those goals and objectives

November 2014
The Caribbean Protected Areas Gateway was launched!

2014 - 2017
Phase 1 of the Project, funded by the 10th European Development Fund

2017 - 2023
Pase 2 of the Project, funded by the 11th European Development Fund