Anyone Can Adopt a Patch of Ocean! The Island Nation of Niue Raises US$18 Million Globally to Protect the Sea

The Editor says: Beyond the common beach and ocean cleanups, did you know you can also contribute to the ocean through adoption? Niue, one of the world's smallest nations, is crowdfunding from around the globe to advance environmental monitoring, assess the health of coral reefs and fishery resources, and has pledged to achieve 100% sustainable management in the future. Join the Editor in exploring Niue's fundraising plan! <Full article reprinted from the Environmental Information Center, compiled from international reports; translated by 曹可芝; reviewed by 許祖菱>

Crowdfunding has long been a way for many creators to secure their first round of capital — but did you know it can also be used for marine conservation? The Pacific island nation of Niue has recently launched a campaign, inviting people around the world to become sponsors and join together in protecting the vast, unspoiled ocean that surrounds it.

Pacific Island Nation Niue Seeks Sponsors to Jointly Protect Its Vast Ocean

In September, Niue Prime Minister Dalton Tagelagi unveiled the country's fundraising initiative — the Ocean Conservation Commitments (OCC) — at a forum in New York hosted by WWF. The campaign aims to raise over US$18 million (approximately NT$580 million) from around the world, with all funds directed by the government into the Niue Ocean Wide Trust for the maintenance and conservation of marine protected areas.

According to an AP report, the OCC plan will protect a no-take marine protected area (MPA) covering 127,000 square kilometres, which accounts for 40% of Niue's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). According to the OCC fundraising website, both individuals and organisations are welcome to become sponsors. For just US$148, a sponsor can help maintain 1 square kilometre of ocean for up to 20 years, protecting it from threats such as illegal fishing and plastic waste.

The fundraising website emphasises that the OCC is not a financial product and therefore offers no financial returns. Sponsors provide funds based on trust, and Niue pledges to use all contributions for marine conservation. Sponsors will receive a certificate of sponsorship, annual reports, and a measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) mechanism for carbon dioxide from Niue's marine protected area, "Moana Mahu."

At the forum, Prime Minister Tagelagi spoke of the deep connection Niuean people share with the sea, noting that Niueans have inherited their ancestors' knowledge of the ocean and hope to pass it on to future generations. He said: "Niue is a small island in a vast blue ocean. We are surrounded by the sea; we live by the sea. This is our way of life."

"With this funding, Niue will now be able to carry out environmental monitoring activities, assess coral reef health and fishery resources, and strengthen coastal management plans across the island's 14 villages," Tagelagi added.

The initiative has drawn support from numerous academics. Marine biologist and regional director of the international conservation organisation Blue Nature Alliance, Maël Imirizaldu, noted that the biggest challenge in traditional marine conservation is the need for sustained, long-term funding. This plan, he said, will help them map out ocean protection work 10, 15, or even 20 years into the future.

Niue is situated in the south-central Pacific Ocean, nestled between the Cook Islands, Tonga, and Samoa, and is one of the world's smallest nations. Once incorporated into New Zealand during the British colonial era, Niue gained self-governance in 1974 and currently maintains a special political relationship of Free Association with New Zealand. The island is home to approximately 1,700 residents, with around 30,000 people of Niuean descent living in New Zealand and nearly 5,000 in Australia. The Niuean government has already taken the lead by sponsoring the OCC on behalf of all island residents, with each of the 1,700 residents counted as sponsoring one unit.

Niue's land area is just 260 square kilometres, yet its EEZ is 1,200 times larger. Niueans largely depend on subsistence fishing, making the health of the marine ecosystem a matter of national survival. Niue is among the first nations in the world to declare its commitment to achieving 100% sustainable management of its EEZ, with the ambition of building a sound, resilient, and sustainably developing blue economy.

Editor: Jenny Tsai

References

• AP (20 September 2023), Sponsor an ocean? Tiny island nation of Niue has a novel plan to protect its slice of the Pacific

• RFA (21 September 2023), Pacific atoll Niue seeks sponsors to protect vast ocean territory

• Niue Ocean Wide Trust

Further Reading

• Non-native fish species run rampant in Niaosong Wetland — Kaohsiung Wild Bird Society issues fishing permits to call for angler support

• The first of three Ocean Laws to pass: the Ocean Industrial Development Act

Full article reprinted with permission from the Environmental Information Center; original title：人人可以認養一片海！ 島國紐埃向全球募資1800萬美元保育海洋