5 Reasons to Create a Large Biosphere Reserve in Pacific Ocean off Latin America

The waters of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean are home to a dazzling array of life, from whales, sharks, and sea turtles to porpoises, tuna, corals, and seabirds. Now, after nearly two decades of collaboration, the presidents of Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama say the time has come to protect and conserve this thriving marine ecosystem by establishing a 500,000-square-kilometer (193,000-square-mile) transboundary biosphere reserve, which would be roughly the size of Spain and one of the largest in the world.

In November 2021, the four presidents signed an agreement to create a biosphere reserve that would help connect waters that either are or soon will be protected near Cocos Island (Costa Rica), Cordillera de Coiba (Panama), the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador), and the Gorgona and Malpelo islands (Colombia). Over the past year, each country has made new commitments to safeguard each of these ecological hot spots and also pledged to protect at least 30% of its respective exclusive economic zone.

Safeguarding the pathways between the region’s biological hot spots—which are already ecologically linked to each other—would protect the tuna, sharks, rays, whales, birds, sea turtles, and many other creatures that rely on these corridors to feed, gather, reproduce, and give birth. Science shows that large, conserved areas that encompass multiple habitats and protect migratory pathways and key habitats can better ensure the connectivity of populations, which can then help species build resilience in a changing environment. In addition to the benefits to nature, the reserve would also support food security and boost local economies.

The reserve would build on a 2004 intergovernmental initiative known as the Eastern Tropical Marine Corridor (also known by its Spanish acronym, CMAR) that provides a formal—though voluntary—way for the four countries to work together on challenges affecting the region’s waters. The effort has resulted in growing cooperation on marine conservation, greater collaboration and exchange of knowledge among marine protected areas, growing political coordination among environment ministers, and adoption of joint positions. For example, in 2020, in response to the presence of a large, foreign-flagged industrial fleet operating near the Galápagos Marine Reserve, CMAR issued a joint statement raising concerns about threats to biodiversity and calling on the international community to strengthen monitoring and control of fishing activities.

Additionally, a broad coalition of philanthropic and nongovernmental organizations recently pledged technical and financial support to help Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama achieve their vision of establishing the biosphere reserve. As a member of the coalition, the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project is working alongside elected leaders, communities, Indigenous groups, government officials, scientists, and other nongovernmental organizations to support these efforts.

Five reasons to create the eastern tropical Pacific biosphere reserve

1. Protecting marine species and ecosystems
   The region’s biologically rich waters support vital marine ecosystems with more than 600 marine species, including an extraordinary number that are endemic, native, or migratory. The region features key habitats for whales, tuna, rays, sea turtles, and birds as well as some of world’s highest concentrations of sharks. A biosphere reserve would add and strengthen protections of this vast, unique, irreplaceable, and interconnected ecosystem.
2. Ecological connectivity
   The eastern tropical Pacific’s interconnected ecosystem supports a wide range of life, including about 160 endemic and migratory marine species. And like all nonhuman life of Earth, the organisms in CMAR waters do not recognize national borders. Sustainability for them depends on how well their habitats—and the areas around them—are connected and protected.
   
   By including significant marine territory of four countries, the biosphere reserve would help protect the routes of highly migratory and endangered species crossing those national boundaries. Science shows that large, conserved areas that encompass multiple habitats and protect migratory pathways and key habitats can improve the connectivity of populations, which can then help build resilience in a changing environment.
3. Climate resilience
   Our seas, climate, and biodiversity are inextricably linked. Growing pressures from harmful human activities, such as fishing by international industrial fleets and climate change, threaten the future of the region’s waters for both people and nature. By creating one of the largest protected areas on the planet, the biosphere reserve would help build climate resilience, reverse biodiversity loss, and support the many communities that rely on a thriving ocean. Scientists say that well-designed and well-managed marine reserves can help marine ecosystems and people adapt to five key impacts of climate change: ocean acidification, sea-level rise, increased intensity of storms, shifts in species distribution, and decreased productivity and oxygen availability. Research also shows that reserves can promote uptake and long-term storage of carbon from greenhouse gas emissions, especially in coastal wetlands, which helps reduce the rate of climate change. The proposed CMAR biosphere reserve, if well designed and managed, would benefit the climate, planet, and people.
4. Supporting people and nature
   In addition to the benefits to nature, the reserve would also support food security for millions of people and boost local economies. CMAR’s ocean ecosystem supports billions of dollars annually in local economic activity. In fact, its commercial fisheries alone generate about $2 billion annually. The new biosphere reserve would also help encourage sustainable research, tourism, and fishing in ways that generate economic activity while protecting the ocean.
5. Regional cooperation
   The region’s biologically rich waters support vital marine ecosystems with more than 600 marine species, including an extraordinary number that are endemic, native, or migratory. The region features key habitats for whales, tuna, rays, sea turtles, and birds as well as some of world’s highest concentrations of sharks. A biosphere reserve would add and strengthen protections of this vast, unique, irreplaceable, and interconnected ecosystem.

The health of our planet—and humanity—depends on a thriving ocean. And because what happens in one part of the ocean often has consequences thousands of miles away, governments must work together to achieve and maintain a healthy global marine environment. By collaborating and cooperating on conservation in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Panama are showing other governments that ambitious long-term regional projects are feasible. The Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project is encouraged to see the philanthropic and nonprofit communities working together with the governments in support of a collaborative approach to securing sustainability for the eastern tropical Pacific corridor.

Matt Rand is the senior director of Pew’s international marine protection efforts and Ashleigh Cirilla is a director for the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy Project.