INTEGRATED CLIMATE–WATERSHED–OCEAN RESILIENCE

INITIATIVE FOR CENTRAL AMERICA

Strategic Collaboration Between For the Oceans Foundation and CRRH–SICA

In March 2024, For the Oceans Foundation and the Regional Committee for Hydraulic Resources (CRRH–SICA) formalized a historic cooperation agreement aimed at transforming how Central America understands and manages the interdependence between climate, freshwater systems, and the ocean. Since then, this partnership has steadily evolved into one of the most pioneering regional efforts to integrate climate science, watershed dynamics, river systems, coastal processes, and ocean governance into a unified strategy for protection and resilience.

The initiative has been strengthened through our active participation in the Central American Climate and Hydrological Forums, including Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Belize, where For the Oceans has contributed technical insights, ocean-focused perspectives, and a new communication program designed to translate complex climate information into accessible, impactful content for the region. These efforts have helped consolidate a comprehensive vision:
the ocean cannot be protected without understanding what happens in the watersheds, rivers, and atmosphere that feed into it.

A New Regional Vision: Climate, Watersheds, Rivers, and Ocean as One System

As extreme climate variability intensifies, the need for an integrated understanding of land–ocean–atmosphere interactions has become urgent. The work conducted in the regional forums has shown that:
the climate crisis and the water crisis are inseparable, and their combined impacts pose increasing risks to coastal communities, artisanal fisheries, marine biodiversity, river basins, and navigation.

Through this strengthened cooperation, For the Oceans Foundation and CRRH–SICA are building the first systematic regional model that connects the entire water cycle—from the mountains to the open ocean—providing governments, institutions, and communities with actionable intelligence for resilience, early warning, and adaptation.

Concrete Contributions for Coastal Communities, Science, and Maritime Safety

1. Artisanal Fishing Communities

• Accurate climate and hydrological forecasts to      support safer and more efficient fishing.
• Early detection of risks such as      abnormal currents, river discharges, storms, and swells.
• Community-centered early-warning      tools and local adaptation practices.

2. Maritime Navigation and Port Management

• Streamflow and rainfall projections that enhance      safety in coastal and riverine routes.
• Integrated data to anticipate      sedimentation, estuary alterations, and channel variability.
• Improved planning for port      infrastructure and coastal resilience.

3. Science, Monitoring, and Open Public Data

• Correlation between watershed discharges, climate      patterns, and marine productivity.
• Research on the impacts of      extreme events on coastal and marine ecosystems.
• Regional databases accessible to      universities, governments, and local organizations.

4. Key Ecosystems: Mangroves, Estuaries, and Wetlands

• Climate-informed conservation and restoration      strategies.
• Identification of critical zones      where hydrological and oceanic pressures threaten livelihoods.

Progress Through Regional Forums (2024–2025)

Since the signing of the agreement, the initiative has advanced significantly through:

• Central American Climate Forums, where For the Oceans has      contributed ocean–watershed perspectives.
• Hydrological Forums, adding insights on river flow,      basin behavior, and sediment impacts on coastal and marine areas.
• Work sessions with Panama,      Belize, and the Dominican Republic, strengthening the regional      understanding of the land-to-ocean continuum.
• A new regional      dissemination program, created by For the Oceans Foundation, dedicated      to transforming scientific forum outputs into accessible audiovisual and      digital content that will be distributed across platforms.

These cumulative efforts have built the scientific and political foundation for the next phase of integrated action.

Toward Regional Implementation in 2026

Beginning in 2026, the initiative will support a new generation of science-based and community-centered projects:

• Watershed restoration with direct benefits for      fisheries and coastal ecosystems.
• Hydrometeorological monitoring      for fishing safety, maritime navigation, and community preparedness.
• Assessments of sediment and      pollutant discharges affecting estuaries, coastlines, and marine      productivity.
• Predictive risk models for      storms, floods, droughts, and ocean–atmosphere anomalies.
• Strengthening local adaptation      capacities and early-warning systems for coastal populations.

This represents a long-term commitment to transforming how the region perceives and governs its climate–water–ocean reality.

A Long-Term Commitment to Central America and Its Coastal Peoples

For the Oceans Foundation reaffirms its pledge to the coastal peoples of Central America, to applied science, and to evidence-based climate governance. The collaboration with CRRH–SICA continues to generate technical products, analyses, and integrated climate–watershed–ocean information that will improve water security, climate adaptation, and maritime safety in the region.

This initiative stands as a milestone in the evolution of regional resilience—a legacy-building model that strengthens the connection between mountains, rivers, coasts, and the ocean that sustains life and culture across Central America.