Nature & Parks

Report of the International Coral Reef Initiative(ICRI) -- Second Regional Workshop for the East Asian Seas

[International Cooperation] Report of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI)

Introduction

  1. The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) was launched in 1994 to promote partnership among the governments of developed and developing countries, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), international organizations, multilateral development banks, and private sector to work towards conservation, sustainable use, and effective management of coral reefs and their related ecosystems. The increasing number of national initiatives undertaken through global and regional cooperation demonstrates the success of ICRI.
  2. The countries that initiated ICRI were soon joined by many others. The UNEP joined as an international organization partner. In addition, three of UNEP's Regional Seas Programs-the Caribbean Action Plan, South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), and the East Asian Seas Action Plan through its Coordinating Body on the Seas of East Asia (COBSEA)-were among the original supporters of ICRI when it was launched in 1994.
  3. At the invitation of the Government of the Philippines, ICRI held its first international workshop in May 1995 at Dumaguete for over 120 participants from around the world. The Dumaguete workshop adopted a call to action and a framework for action, which provide the basis for future international and regional actions and cooperation.
  4. In its subsequent phases, ICRI worked at implementing the Framework for Action at the regional and national levels. As an initial step, ICRI planned and held regional workshops for all countries with coral reefs. These regional workshops were based loosely on the areas covered by UNEP's Regional Seas Programme.
  5. At the invitation of the Government of Indonesia, the first ICRI Regional Workshop for the East Asian Seas was convened at the Sahid Bali Hotel, Denpasar (Bali) during 18-22 March 1996.
  6. Representatives of Australia, the Kingdom of Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam attended the workshop. In addition, representatives from the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC-UNESCO), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the International Coral Reef Initiative Secretariat, the World Conservation Union (IUCN), the International Center for Living Aquatic Resource Management (ICLARM), Wetlands International (Indonesia), the Association of Southeast Asian Marine Scientist (ASEAMS), the Siam Environment Club, and the Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippines also participated.
  7. The first workshop was organized by the UNEP Regional Coordinating Unit for the East Asian Seas Action Plan (RCU/EAS) with financial contributions and cooperation from the governments of Indonesia, Japan, and Denmark, as well as the cooperation of the ICRI Coordinator.(Items 1-7 referred to report of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) Regional Workshop for the East Asian Seas, UNEP 1996).
  8. The Bali workshop adopted the East Asian Seas Regional Strategy, which provides a basis for implementing the ICRI Call to Action and framework for action in the East Asian Seas region.
  9. In the next phase, ICRI promoted country priority at the national level.
  10. At the invitation of the Government of Japan, the Second ICRI Regional Workshop for the East Asian Seas was held at the Okinawa Convention Center, Okinawa during 16-20 February 1997.
  11. Representatives of Australia, Brunei Darussalam Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam participated in the workshop. In addition, representatives from UNEP headquarters, UNEP/RCU/EAS, IOC/UNESCO, IUCN, universities and international non-governmental organizations attended.
  12. 12. This report consists of the record of the proceedings of the ICRI Second Regional Workshop for the East Asian Seas (Okinawa, 16-20 February 1997).

Ministry of the Environment Government of Japan