Achieving 30x30 in Southeast Asia with Kathlyn Tan, Rumah Foundation

Welcome to Planet & Purpose, a LinkedIn-exclusive newsletter featuring professional insights and personal experiences from ocean and climate ecopreneurs, VCs, advocates, and beyond.

If you’re new to my page and this newsletter, welcome! I am Daniela V. Fernandez , Founder & CEO of Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA)—a global nonprofit organization powered by young people dedicated to restoring ocean health.

Today I am joined by Kathlyn Tan , a leading philanthropic funder focused on ocean and humanitarian advocacy in Southeast Asia with Rumah Group & Foundation .

In her role, she helps to advance local ocean conservation efforts and bolster communities. There is an inherent intersectionality between the ocean and humanitarian lenses of her work, given that over 10 million people are employed in fisheries in this region of the Global South.

In this special edition, Kathlyn reveals a new fund launched collaboratively with Asia Community Foundation and Oceankind to address the gap between existing ocean protection in the region (a mere 3%) and the 30x30 conservation goal, with half a decade left to make significant progress.

With Thanksgiving approaching in the U.S., I will be taking a short break from publishing to connect with loved ones over the holiday. We’ll be back in December with a double dose of ocean inspiration before the new year.

Until then, please enjoy this informative edition and be sure to engage with this month’s BONUS section!

Daniela (DVF): Welcome to Planet & Purpose, Kathlyn!

Kathlyn Tan (KT): Thank you for having me, Daniela. We’ve been in conversation about this for some time and I’m excited to be able to join you and share ocean funding news in this edition!

DVF: It was well worth the wait! Before revealing your exciting news, please explain your lifelong journey to becoming a philanthropic funder.

KT: Absolutely. My journey is probably a little unorthodox!?

My father was a humanitarian worker, and he would often take me into the field with him as a child. The eye-opening experiences that came with this left me hungry for purpose.

Then, after graduating from university in Australia, I learned to scuba dive at the Great Barrier Reef. It was life-changing. I fell in love with the vibrant underwater world and all the fascinating creatures beneath the waves.?

I also met my other half, Thomas Knudsen , on the water. Together, we’ve witnessed the rapid decline of the underwater places we love—and we knew we needed to do more.

Today, I have the incredible opportunity to incorporate the ocean into our work at the Rumah Foundation.?

Meanwhile, my husband is leading our Singapore-based family office’s impact investments, working with our portfolio companies to grow and scale.?

DVF: I love that you met your partner over your shared love for the ocean! Now, for those who may be unfamiliar, can you share Rumah Foundation’s investment thesis?

KT: Happy to! Rumah Foundation has two portfolios: one that addresses the ocean-climate nexus and the other to provide humanitarian support in marginalized communities.

The ocean-climate portfolio was started in 2017 and supports interventions that address ocean awareness and education, the protection and restoration of blue carbon ecosystems, and alternative seafood in Southeast Asia.?

Through this portfolio, we deploy both philanthropic and investment capital with the objective of positive environmental and social impact.

On the other side, we have the humanitarian portfolio that was started by my father, Stanley, in 1991.

This arm of work is dedicated to empowering marginalized communities by focusing on critical areas such as refugee support, poverty alleviation, and community development.

Hundreds of millions of people live along the coast in Southeast Asia, many of whom are also economically vulnerable and highly dependent on the ocean for subsistence, fisheries, and marine tourism

With climate change, these two areas of work are increasingly converging.

DVF: Intersectionality is critical when addressing climate change, and often requires disrupting existing industries and educating those working in these spaces on how they can make a difference and still make an income. This is especially true in Southeast Asia and the Global South. With that, please share more about Rumah’s specific ‘fit-for-region’ investment approach.

KT: Across our portfolio, we have partners in Indonesia, the Philippines, Timor-Leste, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, and Singapore. We’ve been struck by the differences and similarities in the challenges and interventions across the region.

To your point, we’ve also seen the pivotal role that local communities play in conserving natural resources and the importance of knowledge transfer and capacity building.

This is why we launched a Community Conservation Grant Program in 2023. It aims to support conservation work that is run by or engages with local communities to protect and restore blue carbon sinks, as well as the species that depend on them.

DVF: Engaging communities and youth is core to SOA’s mission as well! I love that you have had the opportunity to meet some of our Asia-based members like Mary Jane Lamoste and Brigitta Maria Andrea Gunawan .?

I wanted to highlight that you are the first ocean advocate I’ve interviewed who is strictly focused on this region. I’d love for you to share your expertise on the unique regional marine ecosystems and biodiversity in Southeast Asia.

KT: Thank you, Daniela—and what an honor to be the first expert in my specific field to be in Planet & Purpose!

This region is special for so many reasons. Southeast Asia's marine biodiversity is remarkable on both a regional and global level.

First, it is home to about 30% of the world's coral reefs, known as the ‘Coral Triangle’—an area spanning Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and the Solomon Islands with the highest coral biodiversity in the world.

On top of that, it is also home to approximately a third of the world’s seagrass beds and mangroves, which are vital breeding and feeding grounds for the region’s rich biodiversity.

Further, because of our archipelagic nature with thousands of islands and extensive coastlines, the ocean and everyday life go hand in hand for countless communities around the region.

To give you a sense of the scale, over 10 million people in the region rely on fisheries and aquaculture for their livelihoods. The regional scuba diving industry alone is valued at over $4 billion USD per year. Mangrove forests also keep thousands of lives safe from sea level rise, tsunamis, and severe storms.

DVF: I am constantly amazed by the immense ecosystem services that mangroves, reefs, and other ecosystems provide to humanity. What is the current state of ocean conservation in the Southeast Asia region, and what do you consider the most pressing challenges??

KT: I’m glad you asked. Marine ecosystems here are severely threatened by stressors such as coastal development, rampant illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and overfishing. As a result, fish stocks in some areas of the South China Sea have declined by 75 to 95% since the 1950s.

Emerging threats like deep-sea mining are also concerning, and it’s worth noting that while 32 countries have made a formal stance against deep-sea mining, not a single Southeast Asian country has announced their support for a moratorium, a precautionary pause, or a ban on this harmful practice (yet).

Given all these factors, it is essential to move towards achieving the 2030 targets established in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework in this vulnerable region.?

The 30x30 initiative is especially important for us to address. Today, less than 3% of the region’s national waters fall under formal protection, so Southeast Asia is far from meeting these goals.

DVF: It’s irrefutable that focusing on Southeast Asian marine ecosystems and biodiversity will be critical to safeguarding our global ocean.?

Now, you just launched a new, collaborative ocean fund in the region to help fund concrete action. Please share this development with readers!

KT: That’s right! At COP16 last month, we announced The 30x30 Southeast Asia Ocean Fund, with the support of the Friends of Ocean Action, hosted by the @World Economic Forum.?

This initiative is a funders collaborative dedicated to supporting efforts to protect 30% of Southeast Asia's seas by 2030.?

Given the urgency of fulfilling the 30x30 goal, we wanted to present an opportunity for mission-aligned philanthropies to unite. In addition to having a tangible impact on the ground, the fund also aims to foster collaboration between regional and global funders and encourage more philanthropic funding for the ocean.?

DVF: Who are the key players and what are the fund’s target(s), duration, and impact areas?

KT: We are thrilled to partner with the Asia Community Foundation and co-chair this effort with Oceankind ! We know that a people-centered approach to conservation is necessary, so we’re prioritizing community-led approaches.?

The fund’s mandate was informed by a range of knowledge partners and will advance three core objectives: to create, expand, and strengthen marine protected and conserved areas that can contribute to the 30x30 goal.?

In addition to Marine Protected Areas, we’re considering other relevant designations, such as effective area-based conservation measures, Indigenous and traditional territories, locally managed marine areas, and others.?

DVF: As Director of Rumah Foundation, can you share with readers the qualities you look for in promising regional grantees?

KT: Working in this field in Southeast Asia, it’s very much about the people and the relationships that we build.

We look for like-minded individuals to journey with who are authentic, trustworthy, and motivated to get things done. Having a well-informed approach to conservation and a spirit of collaboration is also essential. Our favorite partners also tend to be optimistic and curious!

DVF: Any examples of existing Rumah partners you’d like to share, to leave us with a dose of hope?

KT: Yes! While experience and a track record are nice to have, we’re also seeing a rise of young scientists and conservationists who are passionate about nature, ecology, and social science. It would be remiss of us not to see their potential. Some of our impressive youth-led local partners include Thresher Shark Indonesia and Thrive Conservation.

When it comes to international non-profit organizations, we love working with partners that are innovative in their thinking, practical in their approach, and driven and agile.

We’ve really enjoyed seeing Rare ’s Small-Scale Fisheries Impact Bond come to life. Another inspiring partner, Conservation International , is spearheading the ReShark collective to recover threatened sharks and rays around the world, starting with the leopard shark in Raja Ampat!

DVF: You, your husband, and the entire Rumah Group family office are doing amazing work for the ocean, and for people across Southeast Asia, in partnership with so many admirable organizations.?

I can’t wait to see the impact of the new 30x30 Southeast Asia Ocean Fund. Please keep me posted!

KT: Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity to share about our regional context and connect with other ocean lovers, Daniela!?

We’ll definitely keep in touch about this work. More information on the fund is in the ‘BONUS’ section below for anyone who may benefit from it.

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OPPORTUNITIES WITH RUMAH

Announcing: 30x30 Southeast Asia Ocean Fund

If you share our passion for conservation and want to contribute to 30x30 in Southeast Asia, expressions of interest in the newly announced 30x30 Southeast Asia Ocean Fund are NOW OPEN for regional conservation practitioners.?

For more information about applying for a grant or becoming a participating donor, please visit 30x30fund.org.

OPPORTUNITIES IN SOA’S NETWORK

Join the SOA Dream Team

Sustainable Ocean Alliance is actively seeking an experienced and strategic leader to join our Dream Team as Associate Director, Global Hub Network.

This role will be pivotal in growing the impact of SOA’s vibrant global network of Hubs by empowering young leaders, supporting a team of Regional Representatives, and driving impactful initiatives that contribute to ocean conservation and restoration efforts.?

This position will be based in San Francisco, CA with a salary of $100-140K. Learn more and apply today here.