Rolex is restoring lost time in Indonesia through its Perpetual Planet Initiative, backing organizations safeguarding and nurturing the Coral Triangle — a biodiversity hotspot providing food and income security for coastal communities.
As detailed by the World Wildlife Fund, the Coral Triangle is in peril because of a combination of factors, including unsustainable tourism, illegal fishing — for instance, using explosives to stun or kill fish — pollution, and limited resources to enforce environmental regulations.
In 2014, the Indonesian government established a marine protected area spanning more than 49,500 acres after marine ecologists including Rili Djohani pushed for stronger protections through her nonprofit, the Coral Triangle Center.
According to the iconic watchmaker, Djohani's successful work caught the eye of one of its partners, Mission Blue, in 2020 — a year after Rolex established its Perpetual Planet Initiative to support those taking "concrete action to find solutions to today's challenges."
As a result, the marine protected area became a designated Hope Spot — "scientifically identified as critical to the health of the ocean," per Mission Blue.
With the backing of Rolex, CTC has continued to expand its mission, focusing not only on protection but also restoration. In addition to transplanting fragments of coral to heal damaged reefs, per Rolex, the nonprofit has rallied community support and planted thousands of mangroves — which store significant volumes of carbon and protect against flooding.
Wira Sanjaya, CTC's Bali project manager, told Grazie that the organization is only getting started and hopes it will encourage people to support sustainable development and participate in protecting the ecosystems we enjoy and rely on.
"As more people are inspired to take action, I feel hopeful that we can push for healthier seas," Sanjaya told the publication.
"It's so important to have local people included in the management and benefits of this hope spot so no one is left behind," Djohani added.Â
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