Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian delegation introduced the world's first conservation area funding innovation at the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3) 2025 in Nice, France, as an effort to maintain marine sustainability through a sustainable financing scheme.
"Indonesia introduced the newest marine funding innovation through a side event entitled Indonesia Coral Reef Bond: The World's First Outcome Bond for Marine Protected Area and Its Underlying Strategic Activities," Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries Sakti Wahyu Trenggono said in a statement on Saturday.
The side event took place at the UNOC event on June 9-13, in France.
According to him, this initiative is a concrete step towards the target of 30 percent of marine conservation areas by 2045.
The step is also an attempt to bridge the lack of conservation funding of US$100-200 million per year, he added.
"Coral Reef Bond is the world's first outcome-based funding instrument for conservation using non-sovereign and non-debt funding sources, as well as principal protection by the World Bank," the minister explained.
Trenggono said the funding instrument will be used to improve the effectiveness of conservation area management as measured by using global standards, namely the IUCN Green List, with an indicator of increasing fish biomass.
Three priority conservation locations are the focus of implementation, namely the Raja Ampat National Conservation Area, the Raja Ampat Regional Conservation Area, and the Alor Islands Regional Conservation Area, he detailed.
"Indonesia will manage funds from forgone coupons to ensure measurable and sustainable conservation results at these locations," Trenggono continued.
In addition, the minister invited the global community to collaborate in protecting coral reefs, since the responsibility for conservation is a shared work that requires investment support from the private sector, philanthropy, and the wider community.
In the same statement, the Chair of Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Siti Hediati Hariyadi, who was present at the event, called the introduction of the Coral Reef Bond an important milestone in conservation finance innovation.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arif Havas Oegroseno, who facilitated the discussion, emphasized that the Coral Reef Bond could stand as a global model in sustainable and measurable marine conservation funding. This approach is expected to be replicated by other countries in the future.
The implementation of the Coral Reef Bond involves cross-institutional collaboration, including the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Bappenas, Ministry of Finance, BRIN, World Bank, GEF, BNP Paribas, and IUCN.
This side event was attended by around 180 participants from various countries and institutions, including government, NGOs, universities, and the private sector, as well as other related parties.
