The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica W.I. Friday, June 12, 2026—The University of the West Indies’ (The UWI) Professor Donovan Campbell, a top climate and sustainability expert, played a key role in the United Nations' Third World Ocean Assessment (WOA III), a major global review of the ocean.
Launched on World Oceans Day (June 8, 2026), WOA III is the only global assessment that looks at the marine environment as a whole. The assessment brought together over 580 scientists and experts from 86 countries. It provides governments, policymakers, and international organisations with a solid, evidence-based guide for making decisions on important marine and coastal issues. Professor Campbell was one of 25 experts leading the project, offering strategic direction and scientific guidance throughout.
"It was a tremendous honour to help steer a process of such global importance," Professor Campbell said. "What sets WOA III apart is that it treats the ocean as a single connected system, weighing its environmental health alongside the economies and societies that depend on it. That is the only way to see clearly what is at stake and what must be done."
The report highlights growing global ocean problems, including rising ocean temperatures, damage to marine ecosystems, changes in fisheries, sea-level rise, and increased pressure on coastal communities. It also stresses the need for science-based policies, ecosystem protection, sustainable resource management, and stronger international collaboration.
For Jamaica and the wider Caribbean, the findings are particularly significant. The region’s economies and livelihoods—spanning tourism, fisheries, maritime transport, coastal development, and emerging blue economy sectors—depend heavily on healthy marine ecosystems. At the same time, Caribbean states are among the most vulnerable to climate-related impacts on the ocean, including coral reef loss, coastal erosion, more intense tropical cyclones, and sea-level rise.
"The Caribbean has a profound stake in the future of the ocean," Professor Campbell noted. "For Jamaica and other Small Island Developing States, ocean sustainability is an economic, social, and developmental imperative. The assessment reinforces the need for evidence-based policy, stronger ocean governance, sustainable ocean planning, and sustained investment in resilience, conservation, and sustainable ocean industries."
As countries continue their efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, WOA III is expected to serve as a reference tool for policymakers, researchers, development agencies, and international organisations over the coming decade.
Professor Donovan Campbell is a Professor of Geography at The UWI Mona Campus and the current Director of the Western Jamaica Campus. He is a climate and sustainability specialist whose work focuses on climate action and social equity, partnering with Caribbean communities and governments to advance climate‑resilient solutions for a sustainable future. His involvement in the WOA III assessment highlights UWI’s continued leadership in global scientific and policy initiatives, particularly in climate change, ocean sustainability, and sustainable development.
About The University of the West Indies
The University of the West Indies (The UWI) has played a crucial role in Caribbean development for over 75 years, consistently contributing to the improvement of the well-being of people across the region.
Established in 1948 as a university college of London in Jamaica, with just 33 medical students, UWI has grown into an internationally respected, global university with nearly 50,000 students. Today, it boasts five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda, and its Global Campus, along with international centres in partnership with universities across North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.
The UWI offers over 1000 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the leading university in the Caribbean, it is home to the largest pool of intellect and expertise in the region, dedicated to addressing the critical issues facing both the Caribbean and the wider world.
Validated by its inclusion in the Times Higher Education (THE) annual rankings since 2018, The UWI has affirmed its position as one of the top universities globally. It stands out as the only English-speaking institution in the Caribbean featured in four of THE's prestigious ranking lists. The World University Rankings evaluate over 2,000 research-focused universities worldwide, while the Golden Age University Rankings highlight institutions established between 50 and 80 years ago. The Latin America Rankings focus specifically on universities within Latin America and the Caribbean. Additionally, the Impact Rankings assess universities based on their contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This recognition has also springboarded the establishment of The UWI’s International School for Development Justice (ISD), a global online graduate business school aimed at preparing future leaders for sustainable development.
The UWI is an SDG-engaged university consistently recognised among the best in the world. Discover more at www.uwi.edu.
