Collaborating for Marine Conservation: Indonesia’s Global Efforts
Jakarta – Marine Affairs and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono is spearheading Indonesia’s efforts to enhance marine conservation through international collaboration.
**International Collaboration for Marine Conservation**
Minister Trenggono emphasized the importance of managing marine conservation areas in Indonesia, a country boasting 23 percent of the world’s mangroves, 18 percent of coral reefs, and 15 percent of seagrass. These figures underscore Indonesia’s critical role in global marine conservation efforts.
At the launch of the Climate and Ocean Adaptation and Sustainable Transition (COAST) program in collaboration with the United Kingdom, Minister Trenggono highlighted the necessity of tackling financial and technical challenges to expand and effectively manage marine conservation areas. This initiative aims to address these challenges through a partnership approach.
**Blue Carbon Economic Value**
The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries has initiated the development of a model to harness the blue carbon economic value present in marine conservation areas. These areas currently store approximately 98 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) and absorb 360 million tons of CO2eq. The planned pilot projects in East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, Riau Islands, and Central Java will span a decade and require an investment of US$3 million. The anticipated outcome is the protection of over 17 million tons of CO2eq through carbon sequestration.
**Indonesia’s Ambitious Conservation Goals**
Indonesia’s marine conservation ambitions include protecting 10 percent of its marine area by 2030, equivalent to 30 million hectares, and expanding this protection to 30 percent or 97.5 million hectares by 2045. Despite securing 29.9 million hectares of sea as marine protected areas by 2024, which rivals the land area of England, Indonesia acknowledges the substantial journey ahead to reach its conservation targets.
Minister Trenggono outlined the vast marine ecosystems safeguarded by Indonesia’s marine conservation areas, including 1.1 million hectares of coral reefs, 84 thousand hectares of mangroves, and 150 thousand hectares of seagrass. The expansion of these conservation areas will enhance ecosystem protection, although significant financial investments ranging from US$2.5 billion to US$3.4 billion are projected for the effective management of 30 percent of marine protected areas by 2024.
**UK Support for Marine Conservation**
The UK’s COAST program will play a pivotal role in supporting Indonesia’s marine conservation endeavors, with funding of up to 18 million pounds sterling earmarked for this cause. Minister Trenggono expressed Indonesia’s gratitude for the UK’s support in advancing marine conservation efforts, underscoring the significance of international collaboration in achieving shared conservation goals.
By forging partnerships and leveraging global support, Indonesia is poised to make substantial strides in marine conservation, safeguarding invaluable marine ecosystems for future generations.
