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  IUCN 30 May 06
Global Support for the World Conservation Union's Tsunami Response

Asian governments, and regional and international organizations support long-term coastal restoration programme

Gland, Switzerland, 30 May 2006 (IUCN): The World Conservation Union's "Mangroves for the Future" programme received active and enthusiastic support by governments as well as international and regional organizations, stated at a meeting organized by the Office of the United Nations' Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, headed by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and the World Conservation Union (IUCN), in New York.

The "Mangroves for the Future" programme is a partnership effort to conserve coastal ecosystems in the Tsunami-stricken countries in order to reduce vulnerability against natural disasters and promote the long-term development of livelihoods.

"Now that the humanitarian efforts are largely completed, our collaborative work will focus on the opportunities to rebuild the natural assets that are the basis of livelihoods of coastal communities. Restoring coastal ecosystems will also contribute to reducing the vulnerability of coastal communities to natural disasters," said Achim Steiner, Director General of The World Conservation Union .

"It is clear that healthy coastal ecosystems, whether mangrove forests, sand dunes, coral reefs or coastal wetlands, play an important role in reducing the impacts of natural disasters, and increasing the ability of affected communities to cope and recover from them. This programme promises to deliver the local action and policy change to those ends, and therefore merits a prominent place alongside development efforts," said Eric Schwartz, UN Deputy Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery.

The programme aims to improve the security and livelihoods of tsunami-affected countries in the Indian Ocean region by replanting mangroves and restoring other natural ecosystems, thereby strengthening local livelihoods, improving sustainable coastal zone development, and encouraging collaboration between the many agencies who are already involved in natural resource conservation and post-tsunami reconstruction.

The programme builds upon the strong scientific evidence that healthy coastal ecosystems provide a range of goods and services, including fuel wood, fish and flood protection, in particular to the poorest communities who are most vulnerable to natural disasters.

The need for this programme of work was identified by a growing group of organizations, based on a review of ongoing restoration and relief activities, existing needs in the region, and assessments of the contributions of ecosystems to livelihoods in tsunami-hit areas.

Representatives of governments and organizations present at the meeting warmly welcome the initiative. The meeting was attended by delegates from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand; UNDP, UNEP, UN ISDR; the UN Foundation; the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; the Sri Lanka Nature Conservation Society, The Nature Conservancy, Fauna and Flaura International, and Wetlands International.

They join the already active support for the programme by a range of governments and non-governmental and community organizations in the region. The Union will now finalise the proposed actions with these partners for a formal launch of the initiative in autumn of this year.
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