The Philippines. Indonesia. Papua New Guinea. Malaysia. Timor Leste, The Solomon Islands.
Parts of all of these places – each with a stunning array of human, animal, plant, and geophysical diversity of great importance – are part of the Coral Triangle. Conservation International (CI) is working with governments and a host of partners to save them all.
The Coral Triangle Initiative
The Coral Triangle Initiative is a government partnership dedicated to promoting healthy oceans by helping people manage their marine resources through creating and strengthening Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), promoting Seascape management at a large scale, improving fisheries, adapting to climate change and recovering threatened species.
DOWNLOAD: 2008 Economic Values of Coral Reefs, Mangroves, and Seagrasses (PDF - 782 KB)
The Coral Triangle has the most diverse marine ecosystems in the world, with more than 500 species of coral, at least 3,000 species of fish and the greatest remaining mangrove forests on Earth. And it is the home of more than 150 million people.
It is the global center of marine biodiversity, and vital to maintaining healthy ecosystems and fisheries for the health and well-being of people all over the world.
But unsustainable fishing, pollution, climate change and habitat destruction threaten the region, its incredible creatures and the human benefits it provides.
Partnership and Progress
CI has targeted the area as a priority for marine conservation activities. Through two Seascapes (Sulu Sulawesi and Bird’s Head), CI and its partners are working to improve the stewardship of marine wildlife and to reinforce and enhance the legal and policy authorities for marine conservation in the Seascapes.
LEARN MORE: Find out how CI and partners work to preserve marine life through seascape programs.
In addition to its Seascape approach, CI’s work in the Coral Triangle centers around developing marine protected areas, sea turtle and shark conservation, helping species and communities prepare for and adapt to climate change, supporting the Global Marine Species Assessment, and improving fisheries management.
CI focuses on forging partnerships with governments, non-profits, academic institutions, the private sector and local communities in Southeast Asia and Melanesia. In fact, in December 2007, the governments of Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands signed a multilateral agreement, the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security, and committed to work together on priority Seascapes, marine protected areas, ecosystem approaches to fisheries management, climate change adaptation and threatened species.
DOWNLOAD: Marine Science in Action (PDF - 787 KB)
Together with these and other partners, CI is helping industries and governments understand that healthy marine ecosystems are good for business and people and thus halt further damage to some of the world’s most beautiful and biologically important coral reefs.
A New Way Forward
The Coral Triangle Initiative is a model for protecting the ecosystems that support and sustain us all. It is a government-led vision for coral reefs, fisheries and food security, and proves that government leadership, smart planning, partnerships and empowered communities can secure long-term human and ecosystem health on a massive international scale.
READ MORE: Protecting Our Oceans and Seas