### International Coral Reef Center Initiative in Okinawa - Current Trends in International Environmental Cooperation in 1997

### International Coral Reef Center Initiative in Okinawa - Current Trends in International Environmental Cooperation in 1997

In the mid-1990s, one of the focal points of environmental policy around the world, including Japan, was "biodiversity conservation" and "global cooperation." With the adoption of the Convention on Biological Diversity at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, vulnerable ecosystems such as tropical forests and coral reefs began to attract international attention. Coral reefs, in particular, were seen as a problem of degradation due to climate change, marine pollution, and tourism development, and the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) was launched, led by the United Nations University, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and other organizations.

The concept of establishing an international coral reef monitoring center in Okinawa emerged as a result of this trend. Okinawa is home to the largest coral reef in East Asia and is geographically located at the crossroads of Asia and the Pacific, making it an ideal base for surveys, research, and information exchange. At the planning stage, the research was commissioned to the Underwater Park Center, and the intention was that it would function as part of an international network (GCRMN = Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network).

The background at the time was the rapid expansion of ecotourism in the 1990s and the accompanying concern over the destruction of coral reefs. In 1997, coral bleaching was observed worldwide due to the El Niño phenomenon, and the need for coral conservation was emphasized in Japan as well.

The center concept was significant as an attempt to connect the domestic conservation movement with international environmental diplomacy. It is a clear indication of the era in which Japan was actively trying to make its presence felt as an "environmental superpower" on the international conference stage. The project was also linked to Okinawa's regional development measures, and was positioned as a symbolic project that aimed to strike a balance between the environment and the economy.