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Rowe impressed with marine management efforts
By
Reporter
UNITED State Ambassador Leslie Rowe has expressed confidence in the Office of Climate Change & Environment Sustainability (OCC&ES) and the Department of Environment and Conservation's (DE&C) progressive efforts in managing the marine environment under its Adaptation's Program. This adaptation program that will be implemented by six countries in the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) were funded by the US Government for a total of $US40 million. The US is part of the stakeholders of foreign aid donors like the United National Development Program, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, European Union and the Governments of British, Australian and Japan. These stakeholders are funding various programs initiated by the CC&ES to be implemented throughout PNG as stipulated under the United Nation Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The CTI covers the exclusive economical zones of Indonesia, PNG, Solomon Island, East Timor, Philippines and Malaysia and the OCC&ES is one of the key partners to implement this program in PNG. The adaptation program is in line with the 10-year- plan of action of the CTI Roadmap. The road map was agreed in Bali, Indonesia in Dec 6-7, 2007 by 25 representatives of the six countries in the CTI. OC&ES Executive Director Dr Theo Yasause said that sustainable management of these extraordinary marine and coastal biological resources will generate important benefits for the people of PNG - for this and future generations. These benefits include: food security, livelihoods, income, and sustainable development, particularly for populations living in hundreds of coastal communities across the country. Broader economy-wide benefits to PNG include, for example; long term and significant revenues and jobs generated from a healthy tuna fishery (and other fisheries), and potential for significant revenues and jobs from an expanded marine-based tourism industry. However, these resources are now under threat as the CT sits at a crossroads of rapidly expanding population, economic growth and international trade. These and other factors are generating increased pleasure on marine and coastal ,including over fishing, unsustainable fishing projects, land-based sources of pollution, coastal habitat conversion, and climate change. The current status of the marine resources across the region, along with future projections is sounding alarm bells. Many important coastal fisheries including commercial pelagic fish stocks, particularly species of tuna and mackerel across the region are been depleted, with some fisheries already collapsed or almost collapsing. Hazards associated with climate change such as mass coral bleaching, ocean acidification, sea level rise and flooding will pose increasing threats to these resources must be taken seriously and must be acted upon. The CT is described by scientists that it represents the global epicentre of marine life abundance and diversity. Although this area covers only 1.6% of the planet's oceanic area, it has 76% of all known coral specis, 37% of all known coral reef species, 33% of the world's coral reefs, the greatest extend of mangrove forest in the world, and spawning and juvenile growth areas of the world's largest tuna fishery. Moreover, the biogeographically conditions within the CT may also enable the region to maintain its exceptional productivity in the face of future climate change, making it the potentially the world's most important refuge for marine life. These marine resources provide profound benefits to the 36million people who reside within these countries. It also provides benefits to many millions more outside the region. |
NEWS
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