Coral Reefs

Japan and the United States have proposed the International Coral Reef Initiative as a comprehensive program promoting three goals: research and monitoring of coral reef conditions; sustainable management of coral reefs; and personnel training. Both Governments called upon countries to attend an international workshop on coral reefs, held in the Philippines in May 1995.

The workshop, sponsored by Japan, the U.S., Australia, the U.K., France, the Philippines, Jamaica and Sweden, was attended by representatives from 33 countries and a number of international organizations, including the World Bank and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). After discussing the current state of coral reefs around the world and efforts being taken to preserve them, the workshop issued documents entitled "Call to Action" and "Framework for Action," indicating the direction that future efforts should take in protecting coral reefs.

Subsequent to adoption of these two documents, a number of workshops have been held in various regions of the world, and progress is being made in the adoption of regional action plans. Japan has shown initiative in the East Asia region, working closely with UNEP to sponsor a successful workshop in Indonesia in March 1996.

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