Biodiversity

The six countries of the Coral Triangle are undertaking measures to preserve biodiversity and the associated ecosystem services in three large transboundary seascapes.

The Coral Triangle is regarded as the global epicentre of marine biodiversity. Its unique habitats and important ecosystem services are increasingly jeopardised, however. The main stress factors include overfishing and the destruction of coastal habitats, discharge of waste and wastewater, and ocean acidification and rising ocean temperatures in connection with climate change.

In 2009, the six countries in the Coral Triangle launched a multilateral partnership, the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF), in response to the growing challenges.

Due to the size and cross-border environmental interconnections of the Coral Triangle, a comprehensive approach needs to be taken to protect it. In light of this, the governments of the six CTI partner countries prioritised three large-scale marine areas: the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape, the Lesser Sunda Seascape and the Bismarck-Solomon Seascape.

The project aims to enhance the resilience of ecosystems and local communities in the three prioritised seascapes. To do so, tried and tested solutions for the protection and effective management of marine and coastal areas will be used on a broad scale in close cooperation with partner governments and with national and international nature conservation organisations. In connection with the regional action plan adopted by the six countries, the project

• develops measures and activities for each country and each of the prioritised marine regions,
• provides advice on developing and implementing strategies and action plans and
• promotes close cooperation between the six partner countries.

An important element in this approach involves making solutions that have already proved successful more widely available.