| Project Detail |
Only a few regions in the world are as rich in species as the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion (SSME). Nowhere else are there so many species of coral, crustacean and marine plants. Plus, with over 3,000 species of fish, twice as many fish species live here than in any other part of the world. The SSME is part of the Coral Triangle region that spans a total of 640 million hectares and encompasses large parts of the adjacent states Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. The natural resources of the SSME are exposed to considerable risk as a result of severe over-exploitation due to population growth, deterioration of habitats due to destructive fishing practices and rapid coastal development, and because of other human influences. These are further exacerbated by the effects of climate change such as a rise in water temperatures and sea level, ocean acidification and higher waves during storms. As part of the Coral Triangle Initiative Regional Plan of Action, a multilateral partnership grouping together the governments of six countries from the region has already concluded various agreements in order to jointly counter the impact of climate change. Nonetheless, closer cooperation within the SSME region as well as the promotion of a cross-border network of marine protected areas is urgently required in order to address the aforementioned problems concertedly and sustainably. Objective The SSME states, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, jointly develop climate-relevant regional planning and development plans and successfully implement them. The measures taken as part of the SSME action plan are better coordinated and cross-border projects in the field of marine protection areas, sustainable fisheries and species conservation are put in place jointly. Approach The project supports capacity development in the relevant government institutions, especially for climate-relevant planning in coastal and marine areas. Furthermore, the project promotes coordination mechanisms between the three SSME countries in order to consolidate cooperation within the SSME action plan. Measures involve the establishment of a joint project secretariat and the setting up of project centres in each of the three project countries. The project assists with the joint planning, financing and implementation of binational or trinational projects as a complementary instrument to enhance cooperation. The research results achieved are published in databases, on all three countries'' websites and elsewhere. In order to disseminate best practice in the SSME and CTI member states, the project provides intensive assistance in the organisation of workshops and the evaluation of experience with a goal to integrating this into local and national planning guidelines. |
