The State of Asia Pacific Coral and Marine Ecosystems and their Economic Value Eleanor Carter Second Asian Judges Symposium on Environment, Manila, December 2013

Critical Marine Ecosystems in Asia Pacific Coral Reefs Seagrass Mangroves

Engines of the Ocean Nursery for > 25% of all marine life globally Cover < 1% of ocean Asia Pacific has highest diversity and productivity

Southeast Asia Highest population dependency on reef systems Coral Triangle ~ 1/3 of worlds coral reefs

Essential Natural Capital Fisheries & Food Security Tourism & Recreation Resilience against Climate Change Defense system for Coastal Development Medicines

Fisheries & Food Security Southeast Asia coral reef fisheries = US$2.4 billion / year (WRI, 2002) Coastal fisheries resources in the Coral Triangle (2010) - (ADB, 2013) - supported livelihoods & food security for > 373 million people - contributed 11.3% (19.1 tns) of all global capture fisheries and aquaculture production. - provides 1.2% to 6.8% of GDP in CT6 nations Av. 36% of protein needs (up to 80% in remote / rural locations) (CRA,2013) Indonesia - 95% harvest from artisanal fishers (FAO, 2013)

Tourism & Recreation High value habitats for tourism Reef associated tourism - up to 30% of national export earnings AP (World Bank, 2010) $18 billion USD / yr generated in the Coral Triangle

Resilience against Climate Change Blue Carbon – 60% of global potential in Asia and Oceania Est. $10-$20/ton value under EU Emissions Trading Scheme (Siikamaki et al., 2012) Defenses against storm-surges

Defense system for Coastal Development Coral reefs mitigate 75-95 % of wave energy (Brander et al., 2004) Example: Loss of 11 & 2% (respectively) of the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea coastlines is equivalent to loss of US$156 million real estate value (World Bank 2006).

Treatments currently available for: Medicines Prospects of new medicines 300-400 times greater than terrestrial ecosystems (Bruckner, 2006) Japan investing up to $1 billion research each year Treatments currently available for: CANCER, ARTHRITUS, ASTHMA, ULCERS, BACTERIAL INFECTIONS, HEART DISEASE, VIRUSES, etc etc

Overall Economic Value of Resources © 2013 The Coral Reef Alliance Example: Malacca Straits coral reefs = ‘combined’ economic value of US$ 563 million (WRI, 2011)

Status of Natural Capital

Rapidly declining habitats & resources 75% reefs globally under threat (WRI, 2011) 20% world mangroves destroyed “.. stocks of all species currently fished for food are predicted to collapse by 2048.” (Worm et al, 2006)

Asia Pacific Threats “..most severe in Southeast Asia” 95% reefs threatened 50% classified as ‘high’ or ‘very high’ threat status (WRI,2011)

Causes of decline Habitat removal / destruction Pollution Sedimentation Overfishing Destructive Fishing Climate change

Top Threats Overfishing & Destructive Fishing Est. net economic loss from blast fishing in Indonesia ~ US$570 million over the next 20 years (WRI,2011)

Challenges of fisheries management & enforcement Licensing Regulating & enforcing sustainable catch quota’s Enforcing protected areas (refuge’s for breeding stock)

Habitat removal / destruction Ex: Loss of original mangrove cover by early 1990’s Malaysia ~ 75% Thailand ~ 84 % Vietnam ~ 37 % Myanmar ~ 75% Philippines ~ 67 % Brunei ~ 20 % Indonesia ~ 55% (Burke, 2001)

Anticipated net benefits & losses 2002 - 2022 WRI, 2002

Summary Coral and marine ecosystems Critical habitats for livelihoods, health and economy of nations Under considerable threat – declining rapidly Appropriate Legal & Judicial frameworks critical to sustain natural capital Urgent need to close the gap between policy, legislation, implementation & enforcement

Thank you Eleanor Carter Second Asian Judges Symposium on Environment, Manila, December 2013