The Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Asian Development Bank have joined together to support the preservation of Asia’s Coral Triangle, with the GEF committing $63 million to fund conservation of this area. 
The Coral Triangle, which crosses Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands and East Timor, is recognized as the epicenter for coral reef biodiversity on the planet, with more coral, coral reef fish, and marine invertebrate species than anywhere else. As I've commented here before, overfishing and destructive fishing methods, including the use of cyanide and dynamite, have destroyed large areas of coral reef and depleted marine productivity. The impacts of global warming such as sea level rise and increases in ocean temperatures and acidity levels may hasten the damage.GEF funds, which will be distributed primarily as grants to local and international biodiversity conservation agencies, will cover activities to preserve the region’s coastal and marine ecosystems and develop measures to help the environmentally rich area adapt to climate change. Special priority will also be given to projects that directly address conservation issues in international waters, land degradation, the ozone layer, persistent organic pollutants, and destructive fishing practices.
3 comments:
The Coral Triangle is the world's centre of marine biodiversity and it is very threatened. The three environmental NGOs--WWF, The Nature Conservancy, and Conservation International--are working together with other NGOs, governments, businesses and communities to conserve the marine treasures and resources of the Coral Triangle for the benefit of all. There is good information on WWF's website (www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/coraltriangle/index.html). The six governments of the Coral Triangle, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands and Timor Leste, are working together to develop and sign a Coral Triangle Plan of Action (www.cti-secretariat.net).
it is a very good sign to see the coral triangle governments attempting to work together on coral conservation in the region, as it will certainly take a seriously coordinated effort from governments if conservation is going to happen there...
it's of course important that the Big NGOs (BINGOS) are dedicating dollars and human-power to coral conservation, anonymous, i can speak from experience that it's going to take the little NGOs as well to make conservation work... don't get me wrong, the BINGOS play an important role in financing and getting the ear of decision makers, but i'd hate to create the illusion that they alone have the answer...
BINGO performance in coral reef conservation is spotty throughout the coral triangle... of course the public only hears of the successes, but there are disturbing examples of profound waste as dysfunction in BINGO projects in PNG, Indonesia, and the Philippines...
let's hope the GEF funding can bring more fruitful partnerships to bear in the region...
I'm so happy to see people discussing the Coral Triangle on this blog!
It is true that there must be concerted action at all levels - governments, BINGOS, grassroots NGOs, and especially, the private sector.
So much of the development in the Coral Triangle, and its associated impacts, comes from the private sector. And it can easily become sustainable with a bit of investment and long-term points of view. Tuna, live reef fish trade, tourism and others are driven largely by private sector outside of the region and derive huge profits while the costs of maintaining the resources lies on the backs of the Coral Triangle countries.
Please keep up the good work blogging about the Coral Triangle and getting the word out - this place is one of the most important, and most forgotten, centers of biodiversity in the world!
Ken
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