Posted on May, 18 2016

Coral Triangle – WWF, in partnership with the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF) and www.thecoraltriangle.com, will be putting the spotlight on the ever-growing problem of plastic pollution in celebration of Coral Triangle Day on June 9 via a social media campaign called #noplace4plastic.
 
Plastic pollution is a major problem for coastal and marine life on the planet. It has been reported that roughly eight million tons of plastic waste is dumped into the ocean every year. According to a study released by the Ocean Conservancy and McKinsey Center for Business and Environment, five countries are responsible for up to 60 percent of marine plastic entering our ocean.
 
In the Coral Triangle region, Indonesia and the Philippines are on that list, next to China, Thailand, and Vietnam, according to the study conducted in 2015.
 
To help raise awareness on this critical issue, WWF and Coral Triangle partners will be celebrating the Coral Triangle Day by reaching out to hundreds of thousands of ocean lovers through #noplace4plastic – an Instagram contest that will encourage users to post a creative photo of plastic where it should not be - in any natural environment, whether land or sea - using the hashtag #noplace4plastic. Users can also include a one line description on what they are doing personally to reduce plastic waste. 
 
A number of sponsors have generously donated prizes to help support this activity and entice more people to participate in this contest, including a 3-day, 2-night stay at Gaya Island Resort in Malaysia, a 5-day all inclusive dive package with Scuba Junkie in Borneo, a 7-night stay at Fatboys Resort in Gizo, Solomon Islands, Cressi dive gear, BYO underwater guides, and Coral Triangle coffee table books.
 
This June 9 marks the 5^th Coral Triangle Day – an event initiated by WWF and the CTI-CFF, which brings together individuals, organizations, and establishments on one special day of the year to shed light on ocean conservation and the numerous ways to protect and conserve the Coral Triangle, the world’s centre of marine life.
 
During this day, simultaneous local events are held in multiple places around the region ranging from beach clean ups, mangrove replanting activities, sustainable seafood shows and exhibitions, and educational and awareness-raising workshops for the youth, among many others.
 
Through #noplace4plastic, WWF and partners aim to reach a multitude of people via social media and build important discussions around the need to reduce plastic waste to help protect critical coastal and marine environments, which are valuable to human wellbeing.
 
In the long-term, WWF would like to see more systemic solutions in addressing plastic pollution in the Coral Triangle region with local governments and business and industry adopting more stringent policies and regulations on the use and management of plastic waste. 
 
WWF aims to work closely with the private sector through public-private partnerships in sustainable coastal and marine tourism, focusing on business transformation and footprint reduction, which includes effective waste management.
 
To learn more about the #noplace4plastic Instagram contest and the other on-the-ground events happening in celebration of Coral Triangle Day, visit: www.coraltriangleday.org
 
ENDS
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Notes to the Editor:

• The Coral Triangle—the nursery of the seas—is the world’s center of marine life, encompassing around 6 million sq km of ocean across six countries in Asia-Pacific – Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste.
• It is home to 76% of the world’s known coral species, 37% of the world’s coral reef fish species, and commercially-valuable species such as tuna, whales, dolphins, rays, sharks, including 6 of the world’s 7 known species of marine turtles.
• The Coral Triangle directly sustains the lives of more than 130 million people and contains key spawning and nursery grounds for tuna. Its reef and coastal systems also underpin a growing tourism sector.
• WWF is working with governments, local communities, businesses, and consumers to promote sustainable development in this region. For information on Coral Triangle go to: www.panda.org/coraltriangle 
• Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Coral_Triangle

 
For further information:
 
Paolo Mangahas, Marketing and Communications Manager, WWF Coral Triangle Programme.
Email: pmangahas@wwf.org.my