Six nations signed a series of commitments last week to work together to protect what is known as the Coral Triangle–an 1.6 billion acre area that is considered to be the most diverse marine environment in the world.
The agreement marked the launch of the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI) at a Leaders’ Summit in Manado, North Sulawesi.
The Presidents and Prime Ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New
Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor Leste formally
adopted a comprehensive and specific plans for ocean conservation that aims to safeguard some of the world’s richest marine resources and ensure the income, livelihoods and food security for millions who depend on these resources.
Covering only 2% of the world’s ocean, the Coral Triangle contains 76%
of all known coral species. It is also brimming with an extraordinary
variety of fish due to this high coral diversity. Over 120 million
people directly depend on these waters for their food and
income.
The value of fisheries, tourism and shoreline protection from
coral reefs, mangroves and associated habitats is estimated at US$2.3
billion annually. This area also supports the largest tuna fisheries in
the world, which generate billions of dollars in global income every
year. Healthy reef systems help buffer coastal communities from severe
storms and tsunamis.
This CTI recognizes the urgent need to address the poverty afflicting the people of the Coral Triangle countries, in particular the coastal communities, and to meet relevant internationally agreed development goals, including the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
The 10-year Regional CTI Plan of Action sets time-bound steps to
address growing threats to the region’s coral reefs, fisheries,
mangroves, threatened species and other marine and coastal living
resources.
Protection of reefs and mangroves in the Coral Triangle will be vital to help people adapt to increasing storm severity, an effect of climate change. These marine resources are threatened by overfishing, illegal fishing, unsustainable coastal development, pollution and climate change. All these threats are leading to depleted fish stocks, large-scale loss of mangroves and degradation of coral reef systems.
Conservation International’s Chairman and CEO, Peter Seligmann, said, “In 30 years of conservation work, I have never seen anything like this; six leaders signing a commitment to protect their marine resources for the well-being of their citizens and future generations. We extend our deepest congratulations and commit to supporting these nations as they embark on this unprecedented global initiative to secure human livelihoods and adapt to climate change through the conservation of their individual and shared marine heritage.”
The Summit was followed by a “Partners Dialogue” with the six Coral Triangle governments, at which a large number of donor governments, international funding agencies, nongovernmental organizations, community-based organizations, private foundations, private sector companies, and others expressed their intentions to support the implementation phase of this Initiative.
“WWF urges world leaders meeting at the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen later this year to support Coral Triangle countries in their efforts to protect their most vulnerable communities from the impacts of climate change and the loss of food and livelihoods,” said WWF Director General James P. Leape. “Reaching a strong agreement on greenhouse gas reductions is critical as is robust support for regional adaptation. The transformational CTI Plan of Action provides a framework for engaging the private sector in adaptation through public private partnership."
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