International Coral Reef Initiative

Lore & Background

ICRI was established in 1994 at the initiative of eight founding nations: Australia, France, Japan, Jamaica, the Philippines, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It was launched at the First Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity, held in the Bahamas in December 1994, and subsequently announced at the high level segment of the Intersessional Meeting of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development in April 1995. The first General Meeting of members was held in Dumaguete, Philippines, in June 1995 where ICRI's foundational documents were adopted: its 'Call to Action' and 'Framework for Action' for achieving sustainable management of coral reefs and related ecosystems. The 'Call to Action' was renewed in 1998 at the first International Tropical Marine Ecosystems Management Symposium held in Townsville, Australia and endorsed by over 300 delegates from 49 nations. A Continuing Call to Action (and associated Framework for Action) was further adopted at ICRI's 28th General Meeting in October 2013 in Belize.

The Initiative functions through a rotating Secretariat hosted by member nations; since 2001 the Secretariat has been hosted in partnership by a 'developed' nation and a 'developing' nation. The Secretariat has been hosted by a series of nations including the United States, Australia, France, Sweden and the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the Seychelles, Japan and Palau, the United States and Mexico, France and Samoa, Australia and Belize, and Japan and Thailand. The governing body of ICRI is its General Meetings, held at least annually. ICRI has also encouraged the holding of regional meetings and workshops, with East Asia being the most active region, holding annual regional ICRI workshops.

ICRI has established Operational Networks and temporary Ad Hoc Committees. The most well-known Operational Network is the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network which produces global and regional reports on the status of coral reefs on a regular basis. Although ICRI is not a United Nations body, it is regularly cited in UN documents such as Secretary General Reports. The ICRI has had non-legally binding frameworks and agreements as well as legally binding agreements, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), established in 1982.

Reader's Guide

The International Coral Reef Initiative is significant as the only global entity solely devoted to coral reefs. It raises global awareness on the plight of coral reefs, promotes sharing of best practices in coral reef management, builds capacity of coral reef managers worldwide, and ensures coral reefs are included in relevant international deliberations. Its Framework for Action requires complete participation and dedication by all involved parties, backing actions with substantial productive effects on coral reefs, monitoring and managing human-related pursuits that cause degradation, and acknowledging the importance of coral reefs to different cultures and regions. The Framework also requires commitment to coastal management with involvement of local communities, and participation in crucial examination and analysis to sustain and protect coral reefs on a widespread capacity. ICRI has created different geographical seminars to customize its protocols for each region, noting the deficiency of recognizing the extensive help the scientific community has contributed. It has adapted over time to reach more needs of Federal and Community levels while aiding International and Regional levels with uninterrupted overseeing. Although not a UN body, ICRI is regularly cited in UN documents, including a resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly at its 67th session in November 2012. Its legally binding agreements include the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which commits countries to avert, decrease, and monitor land-based causes of pollution.