NASA Earth Observatory image modified by SkyTruth
Visualizing the Threats of Fossil Fuel Expansion in the Coral Triangle
Earth Insight and SkyTruth co-authored a report on the threats of oil and gas exploration in the Coral Triangle region of Southeast Asia, presenting the findings at the UN Biodiversity Conference and securing major media coverage of the issue and report.
The Coral Triangle extends over 10 million square kilometers (4 million square miles), spanning seven countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, the Philippines, Timor-Leste, and the Solomon Islands. Fossil fuel expansion and exploration pose a great risk to this incredibly biodiverse region, known as the ‘Amazon of the seas’. In contrast to the rich biodiversity below the surface, oil and gas concessions, as well as production areas, overlap with tens of thousands of kilometers of marine protected areas (MPAs).
More than 100 known offshore oil and gas blocks are currently producing in the Coral Triangle, while over 450 more are being explored for future oil and gas production, covering an area larger than Indonesia. As the fossil fuel industry promotes liquified natural gas (LNG) as a ‘clean’ shipping fuel, proposed LNG shipping routes and import terminals will contribute to an escalating industrial buildout in this already-threatened region.
Earth Insight and SkyTruth, along with support from CEED Philippines and Say No to LNG, developed the report “Coral Triangle at Risk: Fossil Fuel Threats and Impacts” to explore the threats of oil and gas expansion as well as impact of current fossil fuel activity in the region on the ecosystem and surrounding communities.
Using Cerulean, SkyTruth detected around 793 oil slicks in the area since July 2020 covering an area of over 24,000 square kilometers — nearly enough oil to cover all the land in the Solomon Islands. While the source of all slicks range from vessel traffic to offshore oil and gas infrastructure, the resulting damage to the surrounding ecosystem remains constant. Alongside MPAs threatened by oil and gas, the report highlights the locations of critical ecosystems such as coral reefs and mangrove forests — many of them unprotected — that will be at risk if the fossil fuel industry’s expansion plans come to pass.
“In our partnership with SkyTruth we were able to illustrate the current impacts and future threats imposed by continued expansion of oil and gas development to critical ecosystems and people in the Coral Triangle.”
Dr. Bart Wickel, Science and Research Director, Earth Insight
The report also produced policy recommendations including a moratorium on new fossil fuel expansion, alternative renewable energy plans, and special designation of the Coral Triangle as a “Particularly Sensitive Sea Area” which may provide additional protection against the impact of industry activity.
The report, released at the 2024 COP16 UN Biodiversity Conference in Colombia, created a major media blitz, producing over 85 media hits across global outlets, securing coverage in news wires such as AFP, and additional coverage in major publications including Mongabay and Inside Climate News.
Media coverage of the Coral Triangle report tied in closely to global news about major coral bleaching events. This report, and the significant media coverage it received, make visible the often-overlooked local environmental damage imposed by oil and gas development in sensitive marine ecosystems.
Supported by new data and compelling visualizations, CEED Philippines and allied groups across Southeast Asia are mounting evidence-based advocacy campaigns focused on the true cost of fossil fuels. This approach can be applied globally to various groups seeking to protect biodiverse areas similar to the Coral Triangle.
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