WELLINGTON, New Zealand. The small Pacific island nation of Niue has unveiled an innovative strategy to safeguard its extensive and pristine territorial waters: sponsorships. Niue’s Prime Minister Dalton Tagelagi introduced the plan in New York on Tuesday, where individuals or companies can contribute $148 to protect 1 square kilometer (approximately 250 acres) of ocean for 20 years, shielding it from threats like illegal fishing and plastic pollution.
Niue aims to generate over $18 million through this initiative by selling 127,000 square-kilometer units, representing 40% of its waters, which will form a no-take marine protected area.
In an interview with The Associated Press prior to the launch, Prime Minister Tagelagi emphasized the deep connection his people have with the ocean. “Niue is just one island in the middle of the big blue ocean,” Tagelagi stated. “We are surrounded by the ocean, and we live off the ocean. That’s our livelihood.” He expressed the desire to pass on their oceanic heritage to future generations in a sustainable manner.
While most fishing in Niue is for local sustenance, there are some small-scale commercial operations and occasional offshore industrial-scale fishing. Tagelagi noted that due to illegal fishing and other activities, Niue felt compelled to take a leading role in ocean protection.
Unregulated fishing can deplete fish stocks irreversibly, and plastics can harm marine life through ingestion or entanglement. Human-induced climate change has also led to warmer and more acidic oceans, disrupting underwater ecosystems.
Niue is particularly vulnerable to rising sea levels, which threaten its land and freshwater resources. The island faces increased risk from more intense tropical storms fueled by warmer air and waters.
With a population of just 1,700 people, Niue acknowledges its need for external assistance. It is one of the world’s smallest countries, overshadowed by an ocean territory 1,200 times larger than its landmass.
Under the plan, the sponsorship funds, referred to as Ocean Conservation Commitments, will be managed by a charitable trust. Niue will purchase 1,700 sponsorship units, one for each of its citizens. Initial donors include philanthropists Lyna Lam and Chris Larsen, co-founder of blockchain company Ripple, as well as U.S.-based nonprofit Conservation International, which helped establish certain technical aspects of the program.
Maël Imirizaldu, a marine biologist and regional leader with Conservation International, highlighted a flaw in the conventional approach to ocean conservation funding, where places like Niue constantly seek project-specific funding. “The main idea was to try and switch that, to change the priority and actually help them have funding so they can plan for the next 10 years, 15 years, 20 years,” Imirizaldu explained.
Simon Thrush, a marine science professor at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, who was not involved in the plan, praised the concept. “It’s a good idea,” Thrush remarked, as long as it underwent thorough scrutiny and ensured long-term guarantees. “I’d be up for it,” he added.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
