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  • 09 Jun 2020

Manado, Indonesia, June 2020 – In celebration of Coral Triangle Day, the six member countries of the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF)—namely, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste—agreed to work together and call for unified collaborative actions to address the pressing global problem of marine plastic pollution.

Based on the 2019 UN Environment Programme report, a growing amount of plastic waste turns up in Southeast Asian waters—especially plastic packaging. More than half of the plastic in the surrounding ocean originates from Southeast Asian countries themselves.

Developed countries export their plastic waste to our region for so-called “recycling.” Much of this waste cannot be recycled and ends up in our landfills, rivers, and eventually, the sea. Not all plastic materials are recyclable. Developed countries, with tight regulations on recyclable materials, have plastic products made by manufacturers that are recyclable, but developing and underdeveloped countries must bear the burden of cheaper, unrecyclable plastic products.

It is timely that the governments of developing countries should also look into ensuring that recyclable plastics are produced or used by local consumers. However, this has limitations because some foods require multilayer plastic packaging, which is more costly and often difficult to recycle.

Stricter control of plastic scrap waste in the Coral Triangle region is urgently required. Additionally, production and use of plastics in this region should be reduced through several strategies such as reduction, recycling, and the development of new alternatives to plastic.

“Addressing the grave impact of plastic on the marine environment as well as on human health calls for concrete regional cooperation. It is important that the Coral Triangle member countries and their stakeholders synergize their efforts for collaborative actions on marine plastics in order to improve implementation and results on the ground,” emphasized Dr. Mohd Kushairi Mohd Rajuddin, Executive Director of the CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat.

Dr. Kushairi reiterated that CTI-CFF is making efforts to cooperate and collaborate with existing activities within this region, particularly under the purview of SPREP, ASEAN, APEC, COBSEA and its Regional Action Plan on Marine Litter (RAP MALI) and Experts WG on Marine Litter, UNEP Regional Seas Programmes, UNEP UNEA-4, the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities (GPA), and the Sustainable Development Goals and Post-2030 Agenda (especially SDG 14) on marine plastic litter. Additionally, CTI-CFF is working together with WWF’s plan to assist in undertaking a stocktake of the marine plastics situation in the Coral Triangle region, assessing existing regional, national, and local efforts, and collaborating with other stakeholders from government, non-government, community, and private sectors to ensure food security, sustainable livelihoods, and the well-being of Coral Triangle communities.

The Coral Triangle Day, celebrated every 9th of June, is an annual event that brings together individuals, organizations, and establishments to shed light on ocean conservation and the many ways to protect and preserve the Coral Triangle.

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About CTI-CFF

The Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries, and Food Security (CTI-CFF) is a multilateral partnership of six countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste (CT6). The CT6 countries work together to sustain extraordinary marine and coastal resources by addressing crucial issues such as food security, climate change, and marine biodiversity.

The CTI-CFF was formally established during the Leaders’ Summit in 2009 with the approval of the leaders from the CT6 countries. They adopted the CTI Regional Plan of Action (CTI RPOA), a strategic action plan with five goals:

  1. Designation of effectively managed seascapes;
  2. Application of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management;
  3. Establishment of a fully functional marine protected area system;
  4. Strengthening climate change adaptation and resilience; and
  5. Improving the status of threatened marine species.

About the Regional Secretariat

The Regional Secretariat (RS) of the CTI-CFF is mandated to promote regional cooperation, knowledge sharing, and learning among the six member countries of the Coral Triangle. The RS coordinates and monitors the progress of the implementation of the Regional Plan of Action (RPOA) goals.

The RS also coordinates and supports official meetings and events linked to the CTI-CFF process, including cross-cutting services in support of monitoring and evaluation, financial coordination, information management, and outreach. It further provides support to and coordination with National Coordinating Committees (NCCs), advises the CTI-Council of Senior Officials (CSO) on emerging opportunities, and helps achieve the goals and targets of the RPOA.

The RS acts as a channel of communication and information sharing, fostering networking among the Parties, CTI Partners, and other organizations and donors to promote the objectives of the CTI-CFF. The Regional Secretariat is based in Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Media Contact

Janet Rosalie Anne H. Polita
Communication & Information Manager
CTI-CFF Regional Secretariat
www.coraltriangleinitiative.org

Email: jpolita@cticff.org
CC: regional.secretariat@cticff.org