Coral Triangle Initiative
The “The Coral Triangle” (CT) region is located along the equator at the confluence of the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. Using coral and reef fish diversity as the two major criteria, the boundaries of this region are defined by scientists as covering all or part of the exclusive economic zones of six Coral Triangle Countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste.
Covering only 1.6% of the planet’s oceanic area, there is broad scientific consensus that the CT represents the global epicenter of marine life abundance and diversity -- with 76% of all known coral species, 37% of all known coral reef fish species, 53% of the world’s coral reefs, the greatest extent of mangrove forests in the world, and spawning and juvenile growth areas for the world’s largest tuna fishery. Moreover, the biogeographical conditions within the CT may also enable the region to maintain its exceptional productivity in the face of future impacts of climate change, making it potentially the world’s most important “refuge” for marine life. These unparalleled marine and coastal living resources provide profound benefits to the 363 million people who reside within the six countries that compose the Coral Triangle, along with benefits to many millions more outside the region.
However, these marine and coastal resources are under significant and increasing threat. The Coral Triangle sits at a crossroads of rapidly expanding populations, economic growth and international trade. The current status of marine and coastal resources across the region, along with future projections, is of great concern. In response to the alarming trends outlined above, in August 2007, President Yudhoyono of Indonesia proposed to other five CT leaders a new multilateral partnership to safeguard the region’s marine and coastal biological resources: the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF). The six Coral Triangle governments have now developed an ambitious and visionary 10-year Regional Plan of Action.
The principles of the Coral Triangle Initiative are that it should:
- support people-centered biodiversity conservation, sustainable development, poverty reduction and equitable benefit sharing.
- be based on solid science
- be centered on quantitative goals and timetables adopted by governments at the highest political levels
- use existing and future forums to promote implementation
- be aligned with international and regional commitments recognize the transboundary nature of some important marine natural resources.
- emphasize priority geographies
- be inclusive and engage multiple stakeholders recognize the uniqueness, fragility and vulnerability of island ecosystems.
To successfully achieve sustainable management of marine and coastal resources for current and future generations, the Coral Triangle countries will collectively and individually commit to:
- Designate the sustainable management of marine and coastal resources as a high and urgent ongoing priority on our national agendas;
- Mobilize high-level public and private sector leadership;
- Achieve enhanced regional collaboration to address important regional problems;
- Implement needed economic, policy and legal reforms;
- Establish a system of sustainable funding and orient these financial resources toward achievement of the CTI Plan of Action;
- Achieve a rapid improvement in institutional and human capacity;
- Lead effective, highly participatory multi-stakeholder alliances;
- Integrate conservation, management and development; and
- Promote public / private partnerships.
The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) is a unique opportunity for biodiversity conservation, capacity building, and outreach about the value and importance of protecting the marine biodiversity epicenter of the planet. It is a multilateral partnership between six country governments in the Coral Triangle Region, implemented at regional, national, and local levels through collaborations with many partners and stakeholder alliances from within and outside of the region. The Coral Triangle Support Partnership represents one of these key collaborations.
The Coral Triangle lies mainly within the East Asian Sea IUCN-WCPA region. You can learn more about this region on Protect Planet Ocean, and read more about the initiative on the CTI Secretariat website and at WWF.
