Global collaboration for ocean health: EU’s Ocean Governance Project enhances marine protection and ecosystem restoration

In response to these challenges the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) has encouraged partnerships between managers of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Atlantic, Southeast Asia and beyond, and local communities in the areas of restored coral reefs and mangroves in the ‘Coral Triangle’ region.

The Ocean Governance project focuses on supporting MPAs managers, as they play a key role in safeguarding ecosystems at a local level. Through workshops and twinning activities, it fosters cross-border dialogue, strengthens community support for environment protection and enhances global collaboration on sustainable marine management. This is in line with EU’s goal to manage oceans responsibly at global level. It also supports the European Green Deal's goals to tackle climate change and environmental damage, and the EU's 2030 Biodiversity Strategy to help protect natural areas, fix damaged ecosystems, and help solve the worldwide crisis of losing biodiversity.

In Southeast Asia’s ‘Coral Triangle’, the Project partnered with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to carry out coral reef and mangrove restoration activities with local communities in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. It built partnerships with two major regional institutions, the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security, and the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, hosting workshops for ministry officials to support their country’s efforts to meet global biodiversity conservation targets.

New connections were built between MPA managers and networks, previously operating in isolation, around the globe, to facilitate knowledge-sharing and support on topics such as coastal and marine resilience and marine mammal protection. In-person workshops and ‘learning exchanges’ helped to cultivate a global community of MPA managers, who gained a voice and advocacy role by attending regional and international events. Meanwhile, the site restoration works drew the interest of private funders, enabling the works to expand to two new sites in Malaysia and the Philippines.

The project, which will end in January 2024, is set to have a lasting impact. Locally, communities in the Coral Triangle have learned how to restore and monitor reefs and mangroves, equipping them with the skills to continue these efforts. On a regional scale, managers of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) have been invigorated by the exchange of technical tools and best practices. Globally, the emerging network of MPA managers lays a solid groundwork for supporting the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the High Seas Treaty, marking significant strides in marine conservation.