The Government of Barbados, together with the support of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), is developing a planning process to set the foundations for its marine management. The process is based on the longtime work carried out in the area of marine ecosystems and environmental governance, and is part of the country’s commitments under the debt swap for nature transaction signed in September 2022, which was backed by a guarantee of 150 million dollars from the IDB and The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

The Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) ranges from ocean conservation planning and zoning as well as trying to balance economic and social development with environmental conservation. In addition, it takes social and environmental change into account through continuous monitoring. The MSP will provide Barbados’s planners and decision makers with accurate and updated data to inform their decisions. The initial phase involves the creation of institutional, financial, legal and political frameworks. The IDB is providing technical and financial cooperation.