The Coral Triangle

Map of the Coral Triangle.

The Coral Triangle, located in the western Pacific Ocean, encompasses the waters of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Timor Leste, and the Solomon Islands. It is known for having the world’s highest biodiversity of coral and fish species, with over 600 species of coral and over 3,000 species of fish. The region is considered to be a global center of marine biodiversity and is of significant importance for both marine ecosystems and the local communities that rely on the resources provided by the ocean for their food, income, and protection from storms.

However, the coral reefs in the region are facing significant threats such as overfishing, pollution, and climate change, which are causing declines in the health of the coral reefs and reducing the biodiversity they support. In order to protect and preserve the unique biodiversity of the region, as well as the livelihoods and cultural heritage of local communities, conservation efforts are needed.

Some of the key conservation efforts underway in the Coral Triangle include the creation of Marine Protected Areas, promotion of sustainable fishing practices, implementation of climate change adaptation measures, and the implementation of community-based management approaches. These efforts are aimed at ensuring the long-term health of the coral reefs and the biodiversity they support, and preserving the resources that are critical to the livelihoods and well-being of the local communities.

United Science Report 2019 on Climate Change

 Some details on the state of the climate © http://www.futureearth.org

See the high-level synthesis report of latest climate science information convened by the Science Advisory Group of the UN Climate Action Summit 2019. This report assembles the key scientific findings of recent work in the domain of global climate change research. Some topics in the report consists of the global climate in 2015 – 2019, Global fossil CO2 emissions, greenhouse gas concentrations, emissions gap, climate insights, and global framework for climate services.

Financing Blue Carbon with Insurance

Mangroves in the Philippines. Photo by Esther Anne F. Bueno.

The Restoration Insurance Service Company (RISCO) is an innovative finance project aimed at investing in blue carbon in marine and coastal ecosystems, particularly in the Philippines. The project is part of the Global Innovation Lab for Climate Finance and aims to protect 4,000 hectares of mangrove forest through conservation and restoration efforts in partnership with local communities.

RISCO’s innovative approach involves identifying areas where mangroves provide high flood reduction benefits and modeling the value of those benefits.

This innovative finance project highlights the potential for financial solutions to address environmental challenges, such as the protection and restoration of mangrove ecosystems. By partnering with local communities and generating revenue from blue carbon credits, RISCO aims to create a sustainable model for mangrove conservation and restoration.

Learn more here.