Green Reconstruction Successes

Green Reconstruction success stories

Wide support: A wide range of government and non-government agencies have welcomed WWF’s Green Reconstruction Policy Guidelines. Azwar Abubakar, the acting governor of Aceh, said in the preface to the guidelines, “This document will become the guidelines for Aceh’s sustainable reconstruction. […] They will be a reference for donors and development agencies so that their contribution to developing Aceh is undertaken in a manner that minimises the negative impacts of the reconstruction process on Aceh’s environment and natural resources.”

Environmental advice (to NGOs, government agencies and UN Special Envoy): WWF is providing ongoing environmental advice to agencies involved in reconstruction. WWF is working particularly with World Vision and the American Red Cross in India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka (through IUCN Sri Lanka), and Thailand to review and provide advice on environmental aspects of programs funded by those organisations. WWF is providing environmental input into aspects of the work of the United Nations Special Envoy for Tsunami Recovery, former US President Bill Clinton, and his office.

Green Coast Program: WWF in partnership with IUCN, Wetlands International, and Ends launched the Green Coast Program to provide environmental support across the tsunami-affected region. It is funded by the Netherlands Public Charity Funds through NOVIB (Oxfam Netherlands). In Aceh, the project – undertaken in cooperation with BRR – began with the planting of mangroves and other coastal vegetation. According to Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, Chairman of BRR, “Reconstruction must be implemented systematically with the effect of restoring and improving the function of the ecosystem. Reconstruction, in the long run, also has to increase community livelihoods or incomes, especially those dependent on fishing and agriculture. If all parties work in isolation, the costs will be very high and success will not be assured.”

Sustainable tourism: In Thailand, WWF will take part in a project to rehabilitate marine parks and establish links between environmental protection and economic development, especially by enhancing sustainable tourism through joint public-private commitments to biodiversity conservation. The project will be led by Agence Française de Development (French Development Agency) and carried out in collaboration with the Thai Department of National Parks, WWF and IUCN. The project will focus on the Andaman Sea region of Southern Thailand.

Turtle protection: WWF is working closely with the Thai government to build the capacity of Haad Thai Muang Park staff to constructively engage local communities and the private sector in management of the national park and its resources, especially in conservation activities related to turtle nesting beach management. These include beach patrols, nest protection, and natural hatcheries, as well as patrolling offshore to prevent illegal fishing during the turtle-breeding season.

Sustainable aquaculture: WWF, with funding from the Packard Foundation, is exploring the feasibility of shrimp farming that minimizes environmental impacts and maximizes economic development and social equity in tsunami-affected countries. Much of the work developed through the Shrimp Aquaculture and the Environment Consortium (World Bank / FAO / NACA / WWF), as well as the certification principles, criteria, and standards for sustainable shrimp aquaculture developed by WWF can be applied in tsunami-affected coastal communities.