The term ‘Blue Halo’ can be divided into two parts. ‘Blue’ refers to the resources from oceans, and ‘Halo’ refers to the benefits. In simple words, when the resources from the ocean are protected, and well-managed, it benefits the environment and impacts our livelihood.
The government of Indonesia, with the support of the Green Climate Fund, Conservation International, and Konservasi Indonesia, set up a new model for ocean conservation and fisheries management in Indonesia. The model, called Blue Halo S, is the country’s first-ever integrated marine protection and sustainable fishery management approach designed to fund itself over time.
Blue Halo S draws inspiration from ‘ecological relationship’. When we sustainably manage ocean economic activities, it can fund conservation plans.
The Indonesian marine ecosystem is the epicentre of global marine biodiversity. It is the second-largest marine fishery producer. Every year, Indonesia produces 10.5 million tonnes of fishery resources.
Annually, Indonesian marine contributes an approx of $27 Billion USD to its National GDP and it supports over 12 million jobs.
Indonesia’s marine ecosystem harbours a total of 19% of critical mangroves. There has been a 40% loss in seagrass and 70% of Indonesia’s coral reef has less than 50% cover. Fishing activities have seen 38% exploitation and 44% of fishing has reached saturation point.
The rise in temperature levels, ocean acidification and severe weather patterns are worsening the loss of essential marine habitats and decline in fishery production. Indonesia is ranked among the top one-third of countries facing climate risk.
Indonesia’s Coordinating Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs (CMMIA) is formulating a national blue economy strategy that balances effective marine conservation and sustainable development
Konservasi Indonesia is partnering with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to pilot the Blue Halo S and explore innovative sustainable financing models to maximise the climate, biodiversity, and economic and livelihood benefits of Indonesia’s ocean economy.
Blue Halo S has three implementation pillars that promote sustainable management of 100% of Indonesia’s oceans:
The science pillar supports national and local scientific capacity building to inform effective marine conservation and sustainable marine resource development and management.
The policy and institutional capacity pillar support the Indonesian Government to harmonise marine conservation, fisheries, and other policies for sustainable ocean financing.
The sustainable financing pillar brings local, regional, and international expertise to design, structure, and implement financing tools.
Conservation of biodiversity and ecology has become important more than ever. Recently, the United Nation signed the historic ‘High Seas Treaty’.
According to the UN statement the legal framework would place 30 percent of the world’s oceans into protected areas, put more money into marine conservation, and cover access to and use of marine genetic resources. The treaty is crucial for addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, the statement added.
The high seas begin at the border of countries’ exclusive economic zones, which extend up to 370k from coastlines. Beyond that point, the seas are under the jurisdiction of no country.
As per the treaty these new protected areas will put a cap on how much fishing can take place, the routes of shipping lanes and exploration activities like deep sea mining – when minerals are taken from a sea bed 200m or more below the surface.
(Source: https://www.konservasi-id.org/inisiatif-program-nasional/blue-halo-s)
