Singapore-based Ant International, a digital payment service with 1.6 billion users including 90 million merchants–many of them micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs)–launched a global program for marine sustainability and conservation at COP29.
Called AquaViva, the program will leverage Ant International’s digital capabilities to raise awareness, educate communities and foster a global mindset toward marine sustainability. The company is beginning with a partnership with Conservation International to drive marine conservation efforts from Singapore, where both organizations have established presence, to the Asia-Pacific region.
The inaugural joint project will focus on whale shark conservation in Indonesia. Led by Conservation International’s main implementing partner Konservasi Indonesia, the project will engage with Indonesian authorities and communities to develop and implement ecotourism policies and practices that support whale shark-friendly, sustainable tourism around key habitats in Saleh Bay, Sumbawa; Gorontalo, Sulawesi; and Kaimana, West Papua.
Dr Richard Jeo, Senior Vice-President, Asia-Pacific Field Division, Conservation International said, “Oceans are the lifeline of our planet’s survival, yet their immense importance is often overlooked. Over 600 million people rely on the ocean for food and livelihoods, and it plays a critical role in regulating and stabilizing Earth’s climate. Protecting our oceans is essential for human survival. Initiatives like AquaViva are crucial in raising awareness about the ocean’s often-overlooked role in climate regulation, food security, and the emerging blue economy.”
Though over 190 countries adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework – an international commitment to better protect the planet, only 8% of the ocean is protected so far, short of the 30% target necessary to sustain the ocean’s benefits for people and environment.
