WWF South West Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is the fastest-warming ocean basin and is heading towards a state of near-permanent #MarineHeatWave. If we don't curb #CarbonEmissions, the South West Indian Ocean could warm by more than 1.7℃ by the end of this century, leading to declining fish harvests and threatening food security. Research has found that these disruptions could leave up to 70 million people in Africa iron deficient, 188 million lacking in vitamin A, and 285 million struggling to obtain vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids. ? Now is the time to #ActForOurPlanet by reducing carbon emissions. The future of our ocean and the well-being of coastal communities depend on it. #COP29 #InHotWater

We are thrilled to share that we have partnered with WWF Madagascar ?????? to provide #coralreefrestoration #training to four practitioners from #Madagascar. The 15-day intensive program started with online lessons covering essential principles of restoration ecology and best practices, and has now transitioned to in-the-field training at our CORAL complex in Amitie, Praslin Island and Cousin Island Special Reserve where the restoration occurs. This hands-on experience, facilitated by the #ReefRescuers team led by Dr. Luca Saponari, will cover all aspects of coral restoration including collecting healthy corals for restoration, building underwater nurseries, growing corals underwater, planting them in degraded areas, and monitoring and evaluating success. The aim is to share our expertise and foster a community of coral restoration professionals across borders to improve the outlook for corals in the Western Indian Ocean. The training draws on Nature Seychelles' Coral Reef Restoration Toolkit, created in Seychelles and published in 2018, alongside new and improved practices from the third phase of the program, which is financed by the Adaptation Fund through UNDP Mauritius and Seychelles and the Government of Seychelles. Funding for Madagascar’s project and training has been provided by Blue Action Fund. In the photos is a recap of the first week. #coralreef #restoration #training #seychelles #Madagascar #generationrestoration #climatecrisis #climateaction

The BMZ project has successfully conducted training for 25 rangeland committee members from four villages in EWMA (Olmolog, Tingatinga, Oldonyo, and Lerang’a). The training aimed to enhance rangeland health by equipping participants with the knowledge and tools for sustainable rangeland management practices. During the program, committee members developed tailored Rangeland Action Plans for each village. The training was complemented by a learning visit to Monduli, where committee members visited two key sites, Esilalei and Naitolia, to observe successful rangeland management practices. These sites showcased the use of half-moon technology, a water harvesting technique that restores degraded land and improves soil moisture retention. The activity included the preparation of four demonstration plots where community members, particularly women, actively participated in replanting grass seeds. These efforts complement the importance of community-led conservation. #soknotunganisha #bmzunganisha

Consultancy opportunity: Seascape financing feasibility assessment for Inhambane Seascape, Mozambique The South West Indian Ocean region, home to the world’s second richest marine biodiversity hotspot, supports a blue economy fundamental to the livelihoods of 60 million people. WWF is employing a seascape approach across 5 countries (Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania) to enhance conservation impact and attract large-scale finance. Project Objective: Assess the feasibility of a seascape financing mechanism in Inhambane (Mozambique) to secure biodiversity funding and sustainable livelihoods for coastal communities. Key activities include: ? Evaluating revenue streams for sustainable enterprises ? Conducting feasibility tests for seascape financing models ? Engaging stakeholders and aligning with the SWIO Seascape Venture Builder initiative Consultant qualifications: ? Experience in community enterprises, blue finance, and conservation projects ? Proven track record in SWIO countries and proposal development Application details: Submit your technical and financial offer by?11 November 2024?to?[email protected]. Find more details on application requirements and WWF policies : https://bit.ly/4fiWnzb

Released by UNEP-WCMC today, the Protected Planet Report 2024 provides a sobering assessment of the scale of action needed to effectively protect 30% of the ocean by 2030. Since 2000, the extent of marine protected areas worldwide increased from 400 million hectares to 3 billion hectares, a testament to the concerted efforts of political leaders, conservationists, communities and donors. However, current levels of protection (8.4%) remain far too low, and progress has slowed substantially over the past five years. Globally, the rate of MPA establishment has dropped 75%, from 263 million hectares per year (2015-2019) to 67 million hectares per year (2020-2025).* Urgent action is needed to accelerate the establishment of marine protected areas and to support their effective management, in partnership with coastal communities. The Protected Planet Report highlights the need to accelerate national implementation and scale up international cooperation and finance, two topics firmly on the agenda this week at #COP16Colombia: "As we move rapidly towards 2030, many Parties will need to focus not only on domestic actions, but also on ensuring that their commitments to provide international financing to developing countries are met."? UNEP-WCMC, IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) Neville Ash, Grethel Aguilar, Astrid Schomaker, Peter Thomson, Kirsten Schuijt, Nik Sekhran, Pauli Merriman, Lucía Ruiz Bustos https://lnkd.in/geYQjAZX *Source: Protected Planet Report 2024, Chapter 3 (data download).

?? ?? At #COP16Colombia, 196 countries have agreed to establish the “Cali Fund” which will help channel funds to Indigenous & local communities. But the meeting was suspended, with agreement on a broader biodiversity fund delayed, risking crucial progress ?? Our reaction: https://lnkd.in/e3XsGbu5

Saving Kenya's sea turtles ?????? Since the 1990s, we have made significant strides in conserving sea turtles. With support from the Beckett Foundation, WWF-Kenya has been instrumental in establishing a national digital marine turtle database. Before the database was developed, we supported the mapping of Turtle Conservation Groups in coastal Kenya and geochemical factors affecting nesting success rates on Kenyan beaches. In addition, we supported the development of a digital data collection tool for conservation groups, which culminated in the development of Kenya’s first marine turtle database that today informs data-driven decision making.

?? Join the Pandas! ?? WWF is hiring an ESG Investment Analyst to lead sustainable finance solutions and drive environmental impact in the industry! ???? Are you ready to make a difference where finance meets the future of our planet? ??? Apply now and help create a more sustainable world! ?? Click here to learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/d4p8YAgQ #WWFCareers #hiring #jobs #BeTheChange

?? Last week, the WWF team showcased their work in the South West Indian Ocean (#SWIO) at the 7th International Marine Conservation Congress (#IMCC7), which took place in Cape Town, South Africa, from 13-18 October.? ? Speaking under the general theme of “Making Marine Science Matter”, WWF presented on the importance of octopus closures; taking a community-science approach to monitoring conservation efforts; the impact of the 4th coral bleaching event on reef restoration; and the role of diversified livelihoods in community-led marine conservation. ? ?? The team also presented on WWF's ambitious regional projects, including the development of a regional #MarineSpatialPlanning vision and roadmap for the Northern Mozambique Channel and the SWIO Venture Builder, a WWF-led initiative to enable a sustainable and inclusive blue economy in the Western Indian Ocean region. ?? In total, WWF-SWIO delivered 18 presentations and co-hosted two workshops, reflecting the organization's unwavering commitment to the people and nature of the SWIO region through work backed by a strong scientific foundation.

?? WWF-SWIO's Eduardo Videira and Maafaka Ravelona recently had the pleasure to attend the Western Indian Ocean Locally Managed Marine Area Forum, "Strengthening LMMAs for sustainable ocean Stewardship in the WIO", in Mahajanga, Madagascar.? ? "It was very inspiring to witness the engagement of Madagascar’s government in the oceans conservation sector, especially as the Minister publicly announced the full recognition of the LMMAs in Madagascar.” - Maafaka ? ?? Read about the Forum's outputs and WWF-SWIO's initiative to strengthen regional LMMAs through a learning network: https://lnkd.in/d9DgMPG9?