10. The protection of the human rights of the inhabitants of the islands of the Wider Caribbean Region and, consequently, the prevention and mitigation of environmental damage in this area, is an issue of special interest for Colombia, insofar as part of its population inhabits the islands that form part of the Archipelago of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina and, therefore, depends on the marine environment for its economic, social and cultural survival and development. 11. Owing to the ecological and oceanographic interconnectivity of the Wider Caribbean Region – a situation that is very well documented 3 - it is vitally important that marine environmental problems are dealt with taking into consideration their effects on relevant areas and on the ecosystem as a whole, with the cooperation of other States that could be affected. 12. The Wider Caribbean Region 4 and, specifically, the Caribbean Sea, is considered the heart of Atlantic biodiversity5 and the source of resources that sustain the way of life of the coastal populations and contribute to the region’s economic growth. 13. The marine environment of this region determines the living conditions and way of life of the inhabitants of its coasts and, in particular, its islands, who depend essentially on fishing and on tourist activities in the area – and these activities, in turn, depend on the living resources provided by the Caribbean Sea. In other words, the marine environment constitutes the natural habitant of these persons, a necessary condition for their development and their life projects, their ancestral resources, and the legacy for future generations. All of which would be severely threatened by damage to the marine environment (Section I). 14. The Wider Caribbean Region and, specifically, the Caribbean Sea, consists of three main ecosystems – the coral reefs, the mangroves, and the seagrass beds – which are home to an exceptional flora and fauna, essential for the sources of the livelihood of the coastal communities, such as fishing and tourism. Owing to its inherent characteristics, the Wider Caribbean Region is particularly sensitive to the environmental harm that could result from acts and/or omissions of States with coasts around the area limited to the north by Florida and the Bahamas, to the west and to the south by Central America, and to the east by the Antilles. 3 UNEP, “Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife of the Wider Caribbean Region: a regional biodiversity protocol, July 2000. 4 As explained below and according to Article 2(1) of the Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region, adopted in Cartagena de Indias on March 24, 1983, the Wider Caribbean Region consists of: “The ‘Convention area’ means the marine environment of the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and the areas of the Atlantic Ocean adjacent thereto, south of 30 deg north latitude and within 200 nautical miles of the Atlantic coasts of the States referred to in article 25 of the Convention.” 5 Annex I: Huggins A.E., S. Keel et al., Biodiversity Conservation Assessment of the Insular Caribbean Using the Caribbean Decision Support System, Technical Report, The Nature Conservancy, 2007. Available at: www.conserveonline.org/workspaces/Caribbean,conservation. 21