Crisis sentinel indicators: Averting a potential meltdown in the Coral Triangle

Abstract

The Coral Triangle (CT) includes some or all of the land and seas of six countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste (CT6). It covers only 1.1% of the world's area, but is the global hotspot for marine biodiversity and a rich spawning area for tuna. One-third of the CT6 population and millions more from outside the region are dependent on these resources. However, a range of human pressures threaten the biological health and diversity in the CT, affecting the food security and livelihoods of these people. A set of Crisis Sentinel Indicators (CSI) has been proposed to discuss the current state of affairs of the Coral Triangle based on the three dimensions of sustainability: Ecological, Socioeconomic, and Governance indicators. Furthermore, a Pressure-State-Response (PSR) analysis was performed for each CT6 country, using the three dimensions of sustainability, to capture and discuss the local state of affairs.