Allow Time for the Sea to Recover

KOMPAS/ICHWAN SUSANTO

Divers examine the condition of coral and fish around Hatta Island in Banda Naira, Central Maluku on Tuesday (5/11/2019). The results of examination are used as a control or comparison of the condition in the waters in Banda Naira Marine Tourism Park and the Ay and Rhun Waters Conservation Areas. The activities of the Coral Triangle Center also include surveying the socioeconomic condition of the local community. The Governor of Maluku in 2016 declared the Ay and Rhun Waters, which cover a total area of 47,968.74 hectares, a conservation area.

The sea constitutes an important part of life on earth. Seventy percent of the earth surface is covered by the sea. Besides, it is the sea that accommodates 97 percent of water on this planet. However, the conservation of the sea is facing a problem due to the presence of plastic waste and the rise in sea surface temperature

According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), 8 million tons of plastic ends up in the sea annually. The plastic waste comes from rivers around the world, which function as direct channels of waste from cities to the marine environment.

The five-biggest contributors of plastic waste in the sea are China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.This is because plastic goods are widely used in these countries, especially plastic bags.

To reduce pollution by plastic waste, several countries have started adopting bans the use of plastic bags. Bangladesh, India and South Africa are among nations that have initiated the prohibition of plastic bags.

In Indonesia, a number of cities have applied bans on single-use plastic. These regions are Bogor city (West Java), Banjarmasin (South Kalimantan), Balikpapan (East Kalimantan), Bali province and Jakarta province.

This target is contained in Presidential Regulation No.83/2018 concerning the handling of marine waste.

Indonesia has also set a target of a 70 percent reduction in plastic waste in the sea in 2025. This target is contained in Presidential Regulation No.83/2018 concerning the handling of marine waste.

Sea temperature increase

The problem of world marine conservation not only involves waste but the sea is undergoing dynamics beyond its customary pattern in line with changing climate.

The warming earth has caused sea temperature to rise as well. This increases sea water evaporation and transfers the heat to the air. When this area is hit by a storm heading for the land, a lot more water vapor will be carried.

As a result, the storm gets even worse. The wind blows harder because of the increasing difference between warm and cold temperatures, while the rain multiplies in intensity. The wind heightens in speed and the water inundating the land wreaks havoc on life.

Storms with floods and rising sea level have begun to defy human control. This condition also threatens the habitat of humans in coastal regions. According to United Nations data, 2.4 billion people live in coastal zones.

The total makes up 40 percent of the world population. Some 600 million of the total are settled in coastal areas, where ground level is less than 10 meters above sea level, making these areas vulnerable to tidal floods or storms that sweep coastal zones.

A study conducted by Skylar Tibbits of the Architecture Department of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has presented three alternatives for humans in the face of the coastal habitat crisis.

As is the case with the reduction of plastic use, the world is also striving to fight the disaster crisis in coastal regions. A study conducted by Skylar Tibbits of the Architecture Department of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has presented three alternatives for humans in the face of the coastal habitat crisis.

The first suggestion is to stay away from coastal areas. The rising frequency of storms has prompted people living in US coastal zones to start moving, as seen in Norfolk. Owners of waterfront houses are beginning to sell their property.

The second alternative is to build protective structures in the form of sea walls. But the sea wall development strategy takes a long time and demands high cost, not to mention the risk of damage in quake-prone areas. Moreover, sea wall construction still requires periodical revitalization to catch up with sea level increase.

AFP

Boats are berthed amid thick algae clogs at a bay in Qingdao, Shandong province, China. The algae bloom has become an annual phenomenon along the Shandong coastline since the first outbreak in 2008, and is believed to be caused by warming sea temperatures.AFP

The last strategy is the filling or reclamation of coastal regions. Like the building of sea walls, coastal reclamation is also time consuming and expensive. In addition, unless comprehensively undertaken, reclamation has the potential to cause damage to the natural habitat of marine biota.

In view of the constraints and weaknesses of the above methods, people should continuously seek ways to coexist with the sea.

Environmental conservation to protect the earth is the means actively pursued by many circles.

Relying on natural forces

The latest is the World Marine Day 2020 campaign for the mission of protecting 30 percent of the earth environment. This movement is sponsored by the Wyss Foundation and National Geographic.

Today, the earth surface is already designated as a conservation zone.

The target to turn a third of land and sea areas into a protected zone is expected to be achieved in 2030. The subjects to be protected cover the land, sea and all their biological diversity as well as indigenous or traditional communities existing in the conservation zone.

One of the factors leading to this idea was the result of a case study of a marine area in Cabo Pulmo, Mexico. In the 1990s, the Cabo Pulmo waters had a barren seascape like a desert on the sea floor.

The bleak condition of Cabo Pulmo made it deprived of coral reefs and fish. Consequently, local fishermen found it hard to catch fish as a source of their living.

These fishermen later agreed to put an end to their fishing. Then they requested the government of Mexico to convert the 70-square-km marine zone into a national park.

The outcome was that within 10 years the sea floor habitat of Cabo Pulmo improved and recovered. Coral reefs were growing and swarms of fish appearing. Predator species also again showed up, including groupers and sharks.

The marine biodiversity of Cabo Pulmo increased by 460 percent after being left without human disturbance for a decade. At present, local fishermen can again put out to sea and tourism offering its undersea attraction is also thriving.

The success of this model inspired the campaign for the conservation of a third of the earth surface. This is called the Campaign for Nature (CFN), which involves all world countries to participate in implementing an international agreement.

Conservation

The landmark of the campaign for nature is slated to be established at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Kunming, China. This event is planned for 15-28 October 2020.

The mission of this campaign is to prevent the extinction of species in the biodiversity of all parts of the world. It is feared that with the rising number of extinct species there will be a disparity in the ecosystem.

In the case of such disparity, it will be difficult for the ecosystem to recover naturally. Therefore, it is proposed that four points of commitment should be included in the agreement.

First, certain regions are prioritized based on the biological resources they contain. In achieving their targets, partner countries should have systematic conservation plans. Approaches are to be based on science and cooperation is undertaken with indigenous or traditional people.

Conservation is carried out by means and with the aim of safeguarding natural resources and community lives in the areas.

Priority is given to regions as yet unscathed or undamaged by human activity. Conservation is carried out by means and with the aim of safeguarding natural resources and community lives in the areas.

Second, the rights of traditional communities should be recognized and upheld. This is in conformity with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples endorsed in 2007. Countries should inform and direct traditional communities in the conservation zone management cooperation.

Third, the regions being conserved should be managed over a long-term period and with a plan so as to be fruitful. Their aims can be effectively achieved if the cooperation with traditional communities is properly undertaken.

Geographic spaces should be clearly determined and managed with justice by paying attention to the lives of traditional peoples. The management of resources and the environment should be legally executed.

KOMPAS/P RADITYA MAHENDRA YASA

Children play among the remaining tidal pools in Kampung Tambaklorok, Semarang city, Central Java, Wednesday (3/6/2020).

Fourth, funds should be sufficiently available for long-term conservation. The objective of protecting 30 percent of the earth will not materialize unless partner countries allocate adequate funds.

Although still in the phase of planning and campaigning, the scenario offered by the Campaign for Nature is quite promising and easy to realize. This has been proven by the ecosystem recovery in the marine zone of Cabo Pulmo.

The success of fishermen in Cabo Pulmo shows that the restoration of nature should be done with a strong commitment. Allowing time for nature’s recovery can bear the fruit of a new life for humans and the earth. (KOMPAS RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT DIVISION)