Between 2020 and 2021, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Heriot-Watt University and Planeta Oceano partnered to develop the project “Mainstreaming biodiversity into local coastal development: Key findings for the Paracas Bay Area, Peru”. 

The Paracas Bay Area (PBA) is an area of ecological and cultural importance for Peru with an expanding urban setting with several economic activities overlapping but with remarkable potential for sustainable development. The project studied the PBA’s legal, institutional and social dimensions and the availability of scientific data to monitor biodiversity. As a result, a series of criteria and recommendations were formulated to promote biodiversity mainstreaming for decision-making in the PBA, aiming to guarantee biodiversity conservation and maintain local communities’ lifestyles and sustainable development. 

The project was possible thanks to the funding provided by the UKRI Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF).