Coral Triangle nations meet to address common threats

MANILA, Philippines — Six nations comprising the Coral Triangle meet this week to address unsustainable fishing, pollution and loss of critical habitats from coastal land development to protect this biodiversity-rich region.              

Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Roy Cimatu, chairman of the council of ministers, said, “Every gathering of countries that prioritizes the protection of marine and coastal resources is a welcome opportunity to do our share to improve the lives of people who depend on these resources.”

Aside from the Philippines, other Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) members are Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Timor-Leste. These nations are collectively called CT6.

Cimatu noted that the rise in sea temperatures due to climate change has also negatively affected the region’s coral reef systems.

“The coral reef ecosystems of the Coral Triangle are among the most threatened in the world. We are racing against time to save them to ensure food security for our people, especially in the face of climate change,” he said.

The 13th CTI-CFF Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) in Makati City is a multilateral collaboration of the CT6 to protect the Coral Triangle Region and to address critical issues such as food security, livelihoods, climate change and marine biodiversity through a people-centered approach to conservation.

Senior officials are set to review the CTI-CFF Regional Plan of Action (RPOA) to hasten implementation of the initiative’s goals and objectives, according to DENR undersecretary for policy, planning and international agreements Jonas Leones, the designated chairperson of the SOM.

The body will also tackle updates on the respective national plan of action (NPOA) of each member country, Leones said.

The RPOA listed five thematic goals: strengthening of management of seascapes; application of ecosystems approach to fisheries management; enhancing management of marine protected areas; building resilience to climate change, and protecting threatened marine species.

Leones said the CT6 aims to achieve its goals by 2020.

“The CTI-CFF country report on the NPOA achievements, challenges and lessons learned will pave the way for the member countries to set our action plans toward this direction while addressing emerging challenges,” he said.

The group will also take up the application of Wildlife Conservation Society as a new member of CTI Partners and recommend its approval to the Council of Ministers.

The Coral Triangle, considered as the “world’s epicenter of marine biodiversity,” covers 647 million hectares of land and sea within the territories of the six member countries. The name refers to marine waters roughly triangular in shape between the Pacific and Indian oceans.

The Philippines serves as chair of the council of ministers from 2016 to 2018.