Tens of thousands of kilometres of Marine Protected Areas teeming with biodiversity within the Coral Triangle – nicknamed the Amazon of the Sea – are at severe risk of exposure to oil and gas concessions and production operations, a new report has warned world leaders and policymakers convened at COP16 in Colombia this week.
Vast areas of mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass habitats are all now at an increased risk of the fallout from fossil fuel expansion plans, including increased tanker traffic and oil spills with what has been called ‘dire consequences’ for local population and marine life.
Calling for a moratorium on oil, gas, and mining activities in the area, the report has been presented at COP16 in Cali, Colombia this past week by the teams from Earth Insight, SkyTruth, and CEED Philippines.
Each collated the findings of the report from satellite imagery and data analysis of the Coral Triangle region, an area that extends over 10 million square kilometres to span seven countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, the Philippines, Timor-Leste, and the Solomon Islands.
