TDA-IME Project Final Report June, 2013 SECTION 1 Introduction to the Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis Project An agreement was signed on 01 July, 2011 between the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) and the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park Foundation (SIEPF) to implement a regional project on Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis of the Indochina Mangrove Ecosystems (TDA-IME Project). The project was designed to enhance regional knowledge, and strengthen national and regional assessments, by applying an analytical tool for identifying and prioritizing key issues impeding the sustainable management of transboundary mangrove ecosystems. The project covered six countries (Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam – Table 1); these countries border two large marine ecosystems (LMEs): the Gulf of Thailand and South China Sea; they also form part of the Indomalaya Ecozone. The project’s focus was to undertake a systematic scientific analysis of mangrove ecosystem integrity, taking a descriptive macro‐level approach, with the following objective: To gain a better understanding of how to maintain the health of the region’s remaining mangrove ecosystems effectively, as well as reducing the rate of loss, which is significantly higher than for other forest types. 10 In addition, the project aims were to: Enhance regional knowledge and strengthen consistent and coherent national and regional assessments; Serve as a basis for the future development of a comprehensive and regionally‐agreed strategic plan of actions for addressing the priority transboundary mangrove ecosystems problems; Promote knowledge‐based regional cooperation for environmentally sustainable development in Southeast Asia; and, Serve as a platform for environmental dialogue on matters of regional and global importance, relating to ecosystem services and poverty under climate variability. It was further anticipated that outputs and experiences from the TDA-IME Project will be replicated and scaled-up in the design and implementation of other projects in different bioregions within Asia. Project Rationale The total area of mangrove forests worldwide is believed to have declined from 18.8 million hectares in 1980, to only 15.2 million hectares by 2005 (FAO, 2007). The highest rate of loss has occurred in Asia, at 1.01% annually between 2000 and 2005, which is well above the global average for mangrove loss of 0.66% per year (Table 2). On a regional basis, mangroves are most extensive in Asia (42%, or around 6 million hectares), followed by Africa (20%), North and Central America (15%), Oceania (12%) and South America (11%). Moreover, six of the ten countries with the largest extent of mangroves worldwide are found in the Asia-Pacific Region (Giri et al., 2010; see Table 3); India (11th) and Philippines (15th) also rank in the 15 most mangrove-rich countries reported by the same study.
Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis of Indochina Mangrove Ecosystems
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