27/01/2005 - It has been
one month since the Asian tsunami disaster,
which killed more than 280,000 people.
Huge challenges remain for survivors, governments,
NGOs and aid agencies in the region. Millions
of people have been displaced; hundreds of
thousands more have lost their livelihoods.
While the tsunami's destruction of ecological
resources is of a different order from the
appalling loss of human life, its significance
should not be underestimated as reconstruction
gets under way. Of particular concern is the
significant damage that appears to have been
done to coral reefs and mangrove forests throughout
the region.
Here is an overview of the reconstruction
and rehabilitation efforts of our offices
on the ground.
WWF Thailand
WWF Thailand is working on the development
of a range of activities around a number of
priority areas, these include;
- Rehabilitation and restoration of conservation
infrastructure damaged or destroyed by the
tsunami
- Environmental education
Few people knew that the rapidly retreating
waters were a sign of the imminent tsunami.
WWF-Thailand is looking at oportunities to
work with the local authorities to develop
curricula that take pride in local knowledge,
help teaching outside the classroom and provide
local communities (particularly indigenous
sea people such as the Moken) with life skills
to survive in the fast changing world.
- Restoration and improved management of
coastal habitats
WWF is working to develop a range of activities
and tools, such as providing online information
for foreign divers planning on visiting Thailand
who would like to volunteer in the clean up
of debris on coral reefs, and communicating
the importance of mangroves in lessening the
impact of the tsunami.
WWF Thailand is also assisting families of
deceased or injured staff of partner organizations.
WWF Indonesia
A report, by Greenomics Indonesia, the policy
research institute, and WWF shows that as
much as 266,666 ha of timber - an area more
than 4 times the size of Singapore - will
be needed for the reconstruction effort in
Aceh over the next five years. The two organisations
say that to avoid the clearing of hundreds
of thousands of Indonesian forests, alternative
foreign sources of timber should be explored
so as not to create further financial burdens
for the Indonesian government.
Greenomics and WWF are proposing that some
of the aid already pledged by donors for the
reconstruction of Aceh should be made in the
form of timber. They calculate that this would
amount to one million cubic meters per year,
an amount that could quite easily be met by
the donors' joint efforts.
“The option of sourcing timber as aid from
other countries is much more rational than
accelerating land clearing of natural forests
in the name of the reconstruction of Aceh”
said Elfian Efendi, the Executive Director
of Greenomics.
WWF Indonesia is also working with the Aceh
Forum, a coalition of local NGO's, which is
helping with the management of refugee camps
and aid distribution. And is working closely
with the Ministry of Environment which is
due to carry out assessments of the environmental
impact.
WWF India
The priority is reconstruction and rehabilitation
work on the Nicobar Islands as they were the
worst hit. WWF India is calling for debris
piling up from relief aid on the Nicobar and
Andaman islands not to be dumped in the mangroves,
coral reefs or in the coastal areas. It wants
the plastic to be shipped back to the mainland.
WWF is collecting data on the role of mangroves
in lessening the impact in certain areas,
and is calling for an immediate moratorium
on any further mangrove destruction and the
immediate restoration of lost mangroves.
WWF India is also calling for the strengtheneing
of laws on regulating development in coastal
zones.
Our office in India also reports that turtles
have been sighted on several beachs on the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
WWF is part of the UNEP tsunami task force,
and is engaged in dialogue and meetings. UNEP
is helping co-ordinate various environmental
assessments in the region. It has pledged
$1 million to start international environmental
investigations and created a task force to
study satellite photos and collect water and
soil samples. There will be a UNEP governing
council meeting on Feb 15th, with the tsunami
top of the agenda.
Green Reconstruction
The WWF network has called for "green
reconstruction." There are opportunities
for sustainable development to be at the heart
of the reconstruction effort, however there
are also challenges. The environmental impacts
could be exacerbated if the rebuilding process
makes the mistakes of the past. There could
be further damage to marine and coastal habitats
and freshwater ecosystems, unsustainable sourcing
of timber from coastal forests, development
in pristine undamaged areas and development
that is not sustainable.
WWF India, Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand
are assessing the role that WWF can play in
green reconstruction. Many offices within
the WWF network have already been contacted
by government and aid agencies for advice
in greening the reconstruction.
Note
For the latest information on the tsunami
tragedy, please visit your preferred online
news site. WWF is monitoring the situation
closely but will provide only occasional communications
on the tsunami disaster.
