Kiribati President receives International Conservation Leadership Award
Outstanding Conservation Leadership Award for The Honourable Anote Tong in recognition of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area
22 May 2007 - Kiribati President, The Honourable Anote Tong has been presented with an Outstanding Conservation Leadership Award by Conservation International (CI) in recognition of his leadership in global marine conservation with the establishment of the Phoenix Islands Protected Area (PIPA) in March this year. At 184,700 square kilometres (18.5 million hectares) the PIPA is the third largest marine protected area in the world. The PIPA has been established in collaboration with the New England Aquarium and CI.
At a ceremony on 11 May at CI’s global headquarters in Washington DC President Tong received the Outstanding Conservation Leadership Award from CI President Dr. Russ Mittermeier.
“We applaud the leadership shown by President Tong on behalf of the people of Kiribati,” said Dr Mittermeier. “The Phoenix Islands Protected Area is an important sanctuary for the unique biodiversity of the Pacific region, which includes many species of coral, reef fish, seabirds and turtles.”
“Conservation International will continue to support the Government of Kiribati in the planning and management of this marine protected area, which is a great gift to the heritage of the people of Kiribati, and to mankind,” added Dr Mittermeier.
Accepting the award President Tong said he hoped others would follow his example by taking steps to protect threatened natural resources.
“We are able to enjoy our oceans and reefs, and we continue to profit from the resources they provide, but have a responsibility to ensure that future generations have the opportunity to do the same,” said President Tong.
“With the threat of global climate change remoteness can no longer be relied upon to conserve our atolls, reefs and marine life,” said President Tong. “I hope other countries - in particular developed countries - will follow the example set by the Republic of Kiribati and take action to protect the world’s natural resources.”
President Tong was congratulated by Dr Greg Stone, Vice President for Global Marine Programs at the New England Aquarium (Boston, USA), whose research team has carried out several expeditions in the region, documenting the unique biodiversity values of the Phoenix Islands.
Kiribati is the largest atoll nation is the world with an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 3.5 million square kilometres. The PIPA which includes islands, seabed, seamounts, open ocean and coral reefs represents approximately seven per cent of the EEZ.
The management and enforcement of the protected area will be financed through an endowment system which will compensate the government for lost fishing licence revenues. In the face of multiple threats to marine biodiversity this represents a sustainable way to finance a protection scheme. CI’s Global Conservation Fund is financing the implementation phase and will begin the capitalisation of the endowment.