The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) recently held a highly productive online meeting (23rd May 2023), setting the stage for the upcoming 37th ICRI General Meeting, scheduled later this year in September 20223.
During the meeting, participants were engaged in a comprehensive agenda that provided valuable insights on a wide range of topics, covering important developments and noteworthy achievements across multiple areas. This included details from the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) regarding the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, with further representation of ICRI at two upcoming CBD workshops concerning the Sustainable Ocean Initiative (SOI) and capacity needs for CBD Parties, and developing a global partnership for Target 3. Critically #ForCoral, and Ocean ecosystems, Joseph Appiott highlighted the broadness of the GBF’s targets enabling its implementation for the benefit of coral reefs and associated ecosystems. Updates were also provided regarding the Coral Reef Breakthrough, and the 6th United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6).
ICRI members were then briefed on the progress made by ICRIs ad-hoc committees regarding coral reef restoration and resilience-based management, and further updates from the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN) including updates from the GCRMN’s regional nodes as well as the establishment of a Data Task Force to support upcoming regional and global reports.
The meeting welcomed representatives from the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR), including an intervention from Jennifer Koss, ICRI Co-chair, as co-chair of the GFCR Advisory Board, and the Coral Research and Development Accelerator Platform (CORDAP) who provided summaries on their recent and upcoming activities.
The session concluded with an outline of several upcoming events that will play a significant role in the coral reef conservation landscape.
With over 70 attendees participating from across all ocean basins and time zones, the meeting set the scene for a productive week during the 37th General Meeting in September 2023. For more information please visit – https://icriforum.org/events/37th-icri-general-meeting/
The collective efforts and commitment demonstrated during this gathering bode well for the future of coral reef conservation in this critical decade of action, providing hope for the preservation and restoration of these vital ecosystems. We look forward to re-convening at the General Meeting to continue to exchange knowledge and discuss strategies for the implementation of the ICRI Plan of Action 2021 – 2024: Turning the Tide for Coral Reefs.
For the agenda of the online meeting, recording and presentations, please visit – https://icriforum.org/events/icri-online-meeting-2023/
