On April 30, 2025, the Coral Triangle Center (CTC) took part in the Our Ocean Conference (OOC) side event titled “Scaling Commitments for Marine Conservation: Multi-Stakeholder Approaches and Technological Innovations for Effective MPAs and OECMs.” Hosted by Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (MMAF), this high-level forum brought together leading institutions to exchange inclusive, data-driven approaches to scale marine conservation efforts.

CTC Senior Program Manager, Dr. Hesti Widodo moderated Session 2: Strengthening Stakeholder Collaboration for Ocean Health, which emphasized the importance of collective action in achieving the global 30×30 target. The session featured key speakers including CTC Executive Director, Rili Djohani, Vice President of RARE Indonesia, Hari Kushardanto, Marine Ecology Manager at Konservasi Indonesia, Dr. Jimy Kalther, and Director for Ocean Program at Rekam Nusantara Foundation, Dr. Heidi Retnoningtyas. 

In her presentation titled “Bridging the Gap: Development of Regional Platforms and Targeted Training to Strengthen Local Capacity in Indonesia and Across the Coral Triangle Region,” CTC Executive Director Rili Djohani shared insights on the importance of regional collaboration and capacity building. Drawing from years of hands-on experience, she outlined how CTC’s work—ranging from the development of regional learning hubs to the implementation of the Coral Triangle Marine Protected Area System (CTMPAS)—has helped bridge national goals with local realities.

The session explored a range of strategies: from empowering local communities through Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs) to integrating traditional ecological knowledge into modern conservation planning. Speakers agreed that sustained capacity development and inclusive participation—especially from coastal communities, Indigenous peoples, and women—are essential to delivering long-term impact.

This dialogue reaffirmed that no single organization or institution can solve the ocean crisis alone. By creating space for cross-sector collaboration, the side event demonstrated how governments, NGOs, and community organizations can align their efforts to strengthen marine governance and ecosystem resilience.

CTC’s participation in this session reflected its ongoing commitment to nurturing capable, informed, and connected conservation leaders across the Coral Triangle. As the region faces intensifying pressures from climate change, overfishing, and biodiversity loss, CTC remains focused on building the human and institutional capacity needed to ensure a healthy ocean for generations to come.

Because in the end, what connects us—our shared ocean—can only be protected if we act together.

Writer: Asia Salsabilla

Photos: CTI-CFF