With coral reefs facing accelerating impacts from climate change and local pressures, coordinated action across countries and partners is essential to protect biodiversity and sustain the livelihoods and economies that depend on healthy reefs. The Coral Reef Rescue Initiative (CRRI) partners convened in Sanur, Bali, for the CRRI Strategy Refresh Workshop, with facilitation support from MCC and C2O Pacific, from 31 March to 2 April 2026. The meeting marked an important milestone in strengthening cross-country collaboration, aligning strategic directions, and formulating a long-term vision for coral reef protection that is more impactful and sustainable. It also supports the broader Global Environment Facility (GEF) Coral Reef Rescue (CRR) Project goals by strengthening coordination, learning, and shared approaches across CRRI countries to accelerate on-the-ground implementation. 

The workshop was officially opened by Muh. Firdaus Agung Kunto Kurniawan, Director of Ecosystem Conservation at the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) of Indonesia and continued with remarks from Dewi Lestari Yani Rizki, Chief Conservation Officer of WWF Indonesia; Jacquelyn Beattie, Senior Program Officer at WWF‑US GEF Agency; and Rachel S. James, Lead for CRRI at WWF-Australia. The speakers highlighted the critical importance of strong global collaboration, rooted in locally driven action. 

Collaboration as the Core of the CRRI Strategy

One of the key messages of the workshop was the importance of collaboration across scales and stakeholders as the foundation of coral reef conservation efforts. CRRI advances a “global partnership, locally driven” approach, where partnerships among governments, non‑governmental organisations, academia, and communities are central to the design and implementation of programs. 

This strategic alliance is not merely coordinative, but also participatory—placing national and regional partners as essential actors in decision‑making and program design processes. As a result, each intervention reflects local needs and contexts while remaining aligned with global objectives. 

This approach ensures that conservation efforts do not occur in isolation, but instead reinforce one another across regions and stakeholders, generating broader and more sustainable impacts. 

The workshop provided a shared learning space for partners from various regions, including Fiji, Indonesia, Madagascar, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Tanzania .  

Through intensive discussions, participants exchanged experiences, challenges, and innovations in coral reef management. 

Key outcomes of the workshop included: 

• Strengthened cross‑regional learning, enabling the exchange of knowledge and best practices among countries; 

• Strategic alignment, covering governance direction, partnership models, and communication and advocacy to strengthen the impact of country‑level conservation actions; and 

• Development of the CRRI 2030 and beyond vision, forming the foundation for the next strategic phase that is more adaptive, inclusive, and impact oriented. 

This alignment is essential to ensure that all CRRI partners move forward within a shared framework, guided by clear and measurable goals. The draft refreshed CRRI strategy is currently under review. Next, partners will finalise the strategy refresh and share the updated CRRI direction publicly in June. Following publication, CRRI will work with country partners and the wider alliance to translate the strategy into priority actions, strengthen cross-country learning and coordination, and support implementation that delivers measurable outcomes for reefs and the communities that depend on them. 

The Sanur Pledge

At the close of the second day, participants endorsed the Sanur Pledge, a collective commitment to strengthening global collaboration for the protection and regeneration of coral reef ecosystems.

The Sanur Pledge underscores the importance of: 

• Strengthening cross‑country and cross‑sector partnerships; 

• Collaborative action rooted in local needs; 

• Enhancing science‑ and data‑driven approaches; and 

• Accelerating conservation efforts in response to climate change and increasing pressures on marine ecosystems. 

This commitment serves as a shared foundation to drive more coordinated, inclusive, and impactful action at multiple levels. 

Field Visit to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida

As part of the workshop program, participants conducted a field visit to Nusa Lembongan and Nusa Penida on 2 April 2026. During the visit, participants observed coral reef conditions firsthand through snorkelling activities and learned about coastal ecosystems, including mangroves. 

The activity provided a tangible illustration of the condition of Indonesia’s marine ecosystems and reinforced the importance of evidence‑based approaches in conservation program planning and implementation. Participants practiced entering data using ReefCloud, MERMAID, and Reef Check EcoDiver (Tropical) monitoring tools. 

Acknowledgements 

CRRI extends its sincere thanks to all partners who contributed their time, expertise, and perspectives to the CRRI Strategy Refresh Workshop, helping to shape a shared direction for CRRI 2030 and beyond. 

• Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) 

• CARE 

• Global Environment Facility (GEF) project colleagues and the WWF-US GEF Agency team 

• Marine Parks and Reserves Unit (MPRU), Tanzania 

• The University of Queensland (UQ) 

• Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) 

• Reef Check Indonesia 

• Rare 

• Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) 

• WWF country offices and programme teams 

CRRI also thanks KKP for opening and supporting the workshop and CRRI’s mission, WWF-Indonesia for their local knowledge and support coordinating the workshop, and the Coral Triangle Center (CTC) for hosting the group and facilitating the field day.