The Indo-Pacific region, an area rich in marine resources, is one of the most vulnerable to climate change and biodiversity loss. Lovelock et al. indicate that mangrove forests in study sites with low tidal range and low sediment supply could disappear as early as 2070. The marine ecosystems here are critical not only for regional food security and livelihoods but also for their role as significant carbon sinks, essential in mitigating global climate change. However, these ecosystems face accelerating threats due to environmental changes and intensifying human activities, necessitating immediate and robust cooperation among nations. Specific cooperative strategies for effectively addressing these twin crises in the Indo-Pacific include the following:
The marine ecosystems here are critical not only for regional food security and livelihoods but also for their role as significant carbon sinks, essential in mitigating global climate change.
Enhancing scientific research networks and data sharing
Building a robust scientific research network and improving data-sharing mechanisms among Indo-Pacific nations is a critical first step. Marine scientists, biologists, and climate experts across the regional seas must collaborate to collect and analyse data related to biodiversity loss and climate change in coastal and marine areas. Such effort will provide insights into shifting species distributions, rising sea temperatures, and coral bleaching events, thereby facilitating continuous monitoring of marine ecosystem health. Regional frameworks, such as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), and the United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) regional seas programmes, could establish a data-sharing platform, enabling real-time information exchange to inform coordinated response strategies across countries.
