VZCZCXRO6803
RR RUEHDT RUEHPB
DE RUEHJA #1919/01 2900339
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 160339Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY JAKARTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0333
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 3159
RUEHML/AMEMBASSY MANILA 3260
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR 2514
RUEHPB/AMEMBASSY PORT MORESBY 4034
RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 0990

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001919 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR OES AND EAP 
COMMERCE FOR NOAA 
USAID FOR ANE, EGAT 
BANGKOK FOR RDM/A 
 
E.O. 12598: N/A 
TAGS: SENV KGHG EAID AORC EFIS PREL ID
SUBJECT: DRAFT MANADO OCEAN DECLARATION FOR 2009 WORLD OCEAN 
CONFERENCE 
 
REF: A. JAKARTA 1880 
 ¶B. JAKARTA 1766 
     ¶C. JAKARTA 1395 
 
¶1.  (U) This is an action request.  See paragraph 5. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Post has obtained an advance draft of the Manado Ocean 
Declaration (MOD).  The formal goal of the World Ocean Conference 
(WOC), taking place from May 11-15, 2009 in Manado, Indonesia, is to 
produce the Manado Ocean Declaration (ref C).  To prepare for the 
WOC, the Government of Indonesia (GOI), is hosting an International 
Round Table Meeting from October 30-31, 2008 in Bintan, Indonesia. 
The GOI will invite officials from interested countries, scientists, 
and other subject experts to informally discuss the MOD text as well 
as other preparations for the WOC.  Post has obtained a draft of the 
diplomatic note (with enclosures) that the Indonesian Ministry of 
Foreign Affairs will be sending to formally invite partner countries 
to the Bintan roundtable. 
 
¶3.  (U) The WOC and Manado Declaration are important opportunities 
to support Indonesian leadership on environmental issues and, 
through constructive engagement, further our bilateral and regional 
Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) priorities.  Post is focused on the 
success of the WOC and the CTI Summit in Manado, Indonesia.  These 
events offer a unique diplomatic opportunity to advance the 
long-term environmental and scientific agendas of the CTI, both in 
Indonesia and the wider Coral Triangle region (reftels). 
 
¶4.  (SBU) The unedited text of the draft MOD is reproduced in full 
below. 
 
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 
--------------------------- 
Oceans and coastal areas are essential to ensure long-term human 
prosperity; and the adverse impact of climate change on the marine 
environment and marine biodiversity which poses serious threat to 
sustainable development. We also need to take into account relevant 
international agreements and decisions pertaining to ocean, coastal 
and marine sectors. 
 
The impacts of climate change: 
 
The world's oceans have an enormous diversity of life and play a 
vital role in the earth's life support system in regulating climate 
and global bio-hydro-geochemical cycles through their capacity to 
absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2).  Increasing levels of CO2 
and other greenhouse gases pose major threats to our ocean as well 
as our atmosphere and that the climate change causes adverse effects 
to the physico-chemical parameters of the oceans, such as 
temperature, strength of currents and chemistry. The increased 
exposure to adverse impact of climate change will ultimately slow 
the pace of progress towards Sustainable Development as well as the 
attainment of Millennium Development Goals. 
 
Roles of the oceans in regulating global climate change: 
 
The ocean plays significant role in modulating global climate change 
and moderating weather system as ocean-climate coupling regulates 
and mitigates the exchange of heat as well as carbon and water 
cycle. However, the potential role of coastal ecosystems such as 
mangrove, algae and sea grass need to be further studied, and also, 
we need to increase the scientific understanding of the 
oceans/atmosphere interface as well as to promote information 
exchanges and best practices. 
 
Adaptation and mitigation: 
 
Call upon States to enhance their efforts to reduce the emission of 
greenhouse gases in order to reduce and tackle projected adverse 
effects of climate change on the marine environment and marine 
biodiversity and the predicted profound effects on ecosystems and 
coastal community, especially among the developing countries and 
Small Island Developing States.  Encourage states to develop and 
implement their action plans to adapt to the impacts of climate 
change and to promote comprehensive adaptation measures and to urge 
developed countries to assist the developing countries that are 
particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change in 
meeting costs of adaptation to adverse effects. 
 
JAKARTA 00001919  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
Opportunities for regional and international cooperation: 
 
Greater investment in coastal and ocean observing systems would 
allow better measure of changes in the coastal ecosystem and ocean 
environment and we need to urge international community to increase 
knowledge on the effects of changing physical and chemical 
characteristics of the ocean, especially through research and 
monitoring programs.  Express profound gratitude to the Government 
of the Republic of Indonesia for its initiative to convene the World 
Ocean Conference in Manado. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) Action request: Post requests information on potential USG 
participants at the Bintan roundtable from Washington.  This is an 
early opportunity to comment substantively on the draft text of the 
MOD.  We welcome consolidated USG comments and suggestions regarding 
the draft that we can convey to the GOI in advance of the 
roundtable. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Post has provided electronic copies of the draft 
invitation, roundtable agenda and administrative arrangements, and 
MOD to the Office of Ocean Affairs (OA/OES).  Please contact Stephen 
DeVincent for details.  Please note that these are drafts and 
subject to change, and should not be distributed outside the USG 
until we receive the formal invitation from the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs. 
 
 
HEFFERN