Marine and Coastal Research Institute “José Benito Vives de Andréis” (INVEMAR)

INVEMAR is the technical arm of the Ministry of Environment in Colombia, linked to the National Environmental System in 1993, whose mission is to conduct basic and applied research on marine and coastal resources of national interest in areas such as biodiversity, environmental quality, geosciences, scientific services and use of marine and coastal resources, to provide key information for decision making, proposing scientific solutions for the 50% of the Colombian territory that is sea.

Oceans

* This topic is related to COP16 goals 1,2,3,7,8, 13,21,22 and 23.

INVEMAR provides crucial scientific information for decision-making on marine and coastal ecosystems. The projects it leads include:⁣

• Biodiversity: Marine Protected Areas, Environmental DNA, offshore exploration, species biology, taxonomic inventories, and biological collections in the Museum of Marine Natural History of Colombia, Makuriwa.⁣
• Marine Environmental Quality: Analysis of plastics, microplastics, ocean acidification, and environmental quality monitoring with over 300 accredited variables.⁣
• Marine and Coastal Geosciences: Studies in oceanography, climatology, coastal vulnerability, geochemistry, and geomorphology.⁣
• Valuation and Sustainable Use of Resources: Evaluation of the biological, economic, and social status and potential of marine and coastal natural resources.⁣
• Marine and Coastal Management: Analysis of information for marine and coastal planning, regulations, and global change studies.⁣

Success story

Impact Project

Blue Carbon⁣
Colombia has 263,000 hectares of mangroves and 67,000 hectares of seagrasses, ecosystems requiring effective management due to environmental pressures. INVEMAR works on estimating carbon contents in these ecosystems, highlighting the Vida Manglar project, the first blue carbon initiative in Colombia certified by VERRA (The Verified Carbon Standard, formerly the Voluntary Carbon Standard). This initiative has achieved a reduction of 68,932 tCO2e, with carbon credits issued and sold on the voluntary market.⁣

Strategic Partnership

UNESCO
UNESCO’s International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE), Partnership for Observation of the Global Ocean, OBIS node for Colombia, Global Mangrove Alliance, IUCN, and the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research.⁣

Awards and Recognitions

• Mono Hernández Environmental Merit Award (2002) by ASOCARS (Association of Regional Autonomous and Sustainable Development Corporations).⁣
• Zayed Prize Diploma for “Millennium Ecosystem Assessment” (2006).⁣
• Environmental Merit Medal by Codechocó (2015).⁣
• Honorary Mention by the Regional System of Protected Areas of the Colombian Caribbean (2017).⁣
• Simon Bolivar Democracy Order by the House of Representatives (2017).⁣
• Special Recognition for inter-institutional work and contribution to achieving mission objectives for the benefit of the insular territory, awarded on the 20th anniversary of the National University of Colombia, Caribbean campus (2017).⁣
• BIBO Honor Award 2019 in the “Species Protectors” category (2019).⁣
• 8th place in Latin America Green in the Oceans category (2020).⁣
• Green Heart Environmental Recognition by Corpamag (2021).

⁣INVEMAR has established itself as a benchmark in marine and coastal science research and training. Since 2015, it has been designated by UNESCO as a Regional Training Center for the Ocean Teacher Global Academy strategy, offering in-person, blended, or virtual courses and contributing to capacity building for IOC Member States. Additionally, it operates the first mobile environmental DNA laboratory, designed by IMEBIO (The Mexican Institute of Bioengineering) and standardized by SPYGEN, meeting the highest standards of quality and microbiological safety for environmental DNA analysis.

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