Posted on 25 June 2012
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil -- A group of countries
from Southeast Asia and the Pacific came
together at the Rio+20 Summit this week
to showcase their combined efforts to save
the Coral Triangle, one of the most biologically
diverse and ecologically rich marine regions
on earth.
On the world stage at
Rio, Brazil, at a high level side event
hosted by the Government of Indonesia, the
Coral Triangle countries renewed their commitment
to the multi-country partnership ‘Coral
Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries
and Food Security’ (CTI-CFF).
In 2009, the six countries
(Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea,
Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor Leste)
signed onto one of the world’s most comprehensive
regional marine and coastal resource management
plans.
They agreed to an ambitious
and visionary 10-year Regional Plan of Action
(RPOA) to safeguard the Coral Triangle’s
marine and coastal biological resources.
Strategically, the Initiative
has goals and regional priority actions
to address the major threats to the region’s
marine biodiversity and resources, many
of which are common threats faced around
the globe.
The strategies are also
demonstrably effective actions which are
strategically placed to deliver on marine
and oceans related priorities arising from
the Rio+20 Summit.
The CTI-CFF side event
at the Rio+20 Summit was attended by Indonesia’s
Minister for Marine Affairs and Fisheries,
together with the Prime Minister of Solomon
Islands, Malaysia’s Minister for Natural
Resources and Environment, the Philippines’
Undersecretary, Department of Environment
and Natural Resources, and Timor Leste Vice
Minister for Economy and Development.
A number of the countries
expressed their vision for developing blue
economies, recognising the importance of
people-centred approaches and healthy marine
ecosystems to the livelihoods, income and
sustainable development of their countries.
His Excellency Sharif
C. Sutardjo, Minister for Marine Affairs
and Fisheries, Indonesia said “Indonesia
is strongly committed to the CTI-CFF as
an implementing framework for developing
a blue economy.”
WWF, a development partner
to the Coral Triangle Initiative, congratulated
the countries for their leadership, and
commitment.
“WWF shares the vision
for the Coral Triangle Initiative to be
an implementing framework for developing
blue economies that can derive economic
and social benefits from oceans in an efficient,
equitable and sustainable way,” said Yolanda
Kakabadse, WWF International President.
Kakabadse also congratulated
the Australian Government for its announcement
committing eight million (AUD) dollars to
the Initiative and welcomed the interest
in the Coral Triangle expressed by the Government
of Germany.
“As one of seven development
partners to the CTI-CFF, WWF offers continued
support to the Initiative, and remains committed
to helping achieve the critical political,
economic and social force capable of leading
the rapid and large-scale changes required
to halt and reverse the threats facing the
Coral Triangle,” said Ms Kakabadse.
“The Coral Triangle
is an illustration of the importance of
countries cooperating on a regional basis
to provide sustainable management of their
significant and shared ocean and coastal
resources to secure the linkages between
healthy ecosystems and sustainable livelihoods
and incomes” she added.
Indonesia’s Minister
for Marine Affairs and Fisheries extended
an invitation to the Coral Triangle countries
to attend a CTI-CFF summit at the Asia Pacific
Economic Cooperation (APEC) which will be
hosted by Indonesia in 2013.
+ More
Gillard Government Rio+20
oceans announcement a welcome investment
in protection for Coral Triangle and Pacific
WWF-Australia today
applauded the Australian Government for
committing an additional $8 million towards
the Coral Triangle Initiative and up to
$25 million to the Pacific Oceanscape Framework.
The extra funding, announced
by Prime Minister Gillard at the Rio+20
summit, will assist countries across the
Asia Pacific to improve the management of
their oceans and coast.
WWF-Australia CEO Dermot
O’Gorman said the announcement was a welcome
investment in the region.
“Last week’s commitment
to a national system of marine protected
areas set an important example to the world,”
Mr O’Gorman said.
“This further announcement
is a serious commitment from Australia to
support the goals of the Rio+20 meeting
and help re-focus the world’s attention
on the health of our oceans, and the need
to invest in their conservation.”
“Australia has developed
world-class marine science and management
expertise over many years and we hope this
announcement will enable a greater sharing
of that knowledge with our region.
“WWF further hopes that
the vital role that the health of marine
and coastal ecosystems play in supporting
the livelihoods of billions of people around
the world and hundreds of millions in our
region is recognised strongly in the Rio
+20 meeting.”
The Coral Triangle Initiative
on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security
was formed in 2009 by the six Coral Triangle
governments. WWF is one of seven Development
Partners that provide ongoing support to
the Initiative.
Located in the waters
off the coasts of Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua
New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands
and Timor-Leste, the Coral Triangle is the
world’s marine life hotspot. It contains
the highest diversity of iridescent corals,
fish, crustaceans, molluscs and marine plant
species on Earth.
The Pacific Oceanscape
Framework aims to protect, manage, maintain
and sustain the cultural and natural integrity
of the Pacific Islands Ocean Region.
