About the Project

The Ocean Governance project was initiated by the European Commission to contribute to European Union (EU) objectives on international ocean governance and to the delivery of EU global commitments regarding sustainable development, climate change and biodiversity protection. The EU is committed to take action on international ocean governance to ensure safe, secure, clean and sustainably managed oceans.  The action is funded by the EU Partnership Instrument.

The project is being implemented by a consortium of partners including GOPA International Consultants, B&S Europe and WWF Indonesia.

The purposes of the project are:

• to advance a process leading to enhanced cooperation of MPAs in and between the Atlantic and South-East Asian regions.
• to support the implementation of marine and coastal ecosystem restoration activity in the South-East Asian region.
• to facilitate broader regional cooperation on marine and coastal resilience in the South-East Asian region with a view to underpin regional stability.
• to contribute to the effective management of MPAs in the Atlantic and South-East Asian regions.

Activities in the project are divided into 4 components:

1. Increased knowledge and practice of protecting and restoring marine and coastal ecosystems in three selected areas of marine protected areas in the South-East Asian region.
2. Improved management of marine protected areas around the Atlantic Ocean using the concept of shared environmental protection.
3. Strengthened knowledge exchange between Atlantic and South-East Asian marine and coastal regions.
4. Improved basis for dialogue among marine and coastal stakeholders in the South-East Asian region.

The project builds on the EU-funded Transatlantic Action ‘Cooperation with Northern and Southern Transatlantic Dimension – MPAs’ project and its extension (2016-19) with a view to consolidate and deepen the initiated cooperation.

It will bring together MPA manager networks, MPA managers, national and local administrations, regional organisations, local communities including indigenous people and women’s groups, the private sector and non-governmental organisations.