Report on Youth-Led Marine Conservation and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals in Southeast Asia

Executive Summary

This report details youth-driven marine conservation initiatives across Southeast Asia, with a specific focus on a project in Brunei. These grassroots efforts are examined through the lens of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting their significant contributions to environmental sustainability, community resilience, and economic development. The report documents how local, youth-led actions are instrumental in achieving global targets, particularly SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Youth Engagement in Brunei: A Case Study in SDG Implementation

Ocean Week Brunei 2025 Initiative

During Ocean Week Brunei 2025, a series of conservation events placed youth at the forefront of marine habitat restoration. These activities provide a direct model for achieving multiple SDGs through community action.

• Reef Ball Fabricator Event: Youth participants constructed artificial reef balls from marine-safe concrete at Serasa Jetty. This hands-on project directly addresses SDG 14 (Life Below Water) by creating artificial habitats designed to foster marine biodiversity.
• Reef Ball Discovery Event: A subsequent activity involved attaching salvaged coral fragments (“corals of opportunity”) to the reef balls before their deployment at the Pelong Rocks snorkelling site. This action promotes ecosystem restoration and contributes to the resilience of coastal areas, aligning with SDG 13 (Climate Action) by strengthening natural coastal defenses.
• Educational and Empowerment Outcomes: These events serve as a powerful educational platform, providing young people with practical conservation skills and fostering a sense of ownership over their local environment. This aligns with SDG 4 (Quality Education) by promoting education for sustainable development.

Regional Conservation Efforts and Broader SDG Alignment

The Significance of Grassroots Movements in Southeast Asia

Local conservation projects throughout Southeast Asia are critical for the region’s ecological and economic stability. Millions of people depend on healthy marine ecosystems, linking these efforts to several key SDGs.

• Economic Resilience and Livelihoods: Healthy reef systems support fisheries and tourism, providing economic stability for coastal communities. These outcomes are central to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 1 (No Poverty).
• Food Security: The restoration and protection of marine habitats ensure the sustainability of fish stocks, directly supporting SDG 2 (Zero Hunger) for coastal populations.
• Community and Cultural Preservation: These initiatives protect not only biodiversity but also the cultural identity and heritage of communities tied to the ocean, reinforcing SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

Case Studies of Youth-Led Conservation Across the Region

The initiative in Brunei is part of a larger regional trend of youth engagement in marine conservation. The following examples illustrate the widespread impact of these movements:

1. Indonesia
   • Biorock Indonesia: Youth are engaged in restoring degraded coral ecosystems. This work has revived reef health and transformed the local economy through eco-tourism, demonstrating a successful model for achieving SDG 14 and SDG 8.
   • Thresher Shark Indonesia: Youth are trained in data collection and citizen science to protect the endangered thresher shark. This initiative advances SDG 14 by focusing on species protection and SDG 4 through targeted educational outreach.
2. Malaysia
   • Semporna Islands Project: Young Indigenous sea guardians lead reef surveys and marine conservation education. Their work integrates traditional knowledge with scientific monitoring, contributing to SDG 14 and preserving cultural heritage under SDG 11.
3. Philippines
   • Save Philippine Seas (SEA) Camp: This youth leadership program empowers young Filipinos to design and implement local marine conservation projects, from establishing marine protected areas to developing eco-tourism. It is a direct investment in achieving SDG 14 through capacity building aligned with SDG 4.
4. Other Regional Initiatives
   • Across Vietnam, Thailand, and Timor-Leste, youth groups organize beach cleanups, mangrove plantings, and coral monitoring. These activities contribute to SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 13 (Climate Action) through mangrove restoration, and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

Conclusion: Investing in Youth for a Sustainable Future

Empowering the Next Generation of Ocean Stewards

The success and scalability of these youth-led initiatives depend on sustained investment, trust in local knowledge, and institutional support. Empowering young conservationists is a critical strategy for long-term environmental management.

• Funding for small-scale, local projects is essential.
• Valuing lived experience and local knowledge alongside formal scientific expertise is required.
• Building partnerships between youth groups, local communities, and larger organizations is key to fulfilling SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

The actions of young people in Southeast Asia demonstrate that the future of marine conservation is being actively shaped today. Their hands-on efforts are building ecological resilience and laying the foundation for a future where environmental health, cultural preservation, and sustainable development are inextricably linked, embodying the core principles of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 14: Life Below Water

  The article is fundamentally about marine conservation. It details numerous projects aimed at protecting and restoring marine ecosystems, such as building artificial reefs, planting corals, and establishing marine protected areas. The text explicitly mentions the importance of healthy reef systems, marine biodiversity, and safeguarding marine heritage.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  The article directly links the conservation efforts to climate action, stating, “Climate action is not something the next generation must wait to be invited into.” It also highlights the role of healthy reef systems in providing “coastal protection,” which is a key strategy for adapting to the impacts of climate change, such as increased storm intensity.

• SDG 4: Quality Education

  A central theme is the empowerment of youth through education and training. The article describes various initiatives like the “SEA Camp” in the Philippines, school outreach programs in Indonesia, and training youth in “data collection, conduct underwater surveys and share conservation stories,” all of which contribute to education for sustainable development.

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The connection between marine health and local economies is clearly established. The article notes that healthy reefs support “economic resilience through tourism and fisheries.” It provides a specific example of a restoration project in Pemuteran, Indonesia, that “transformed the local economy by attracting divers and scientists from around the world” and mentions the development of “eco-tourism initiatives.”

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The article emphasizes the protection of cultural heritage linked to the ocean. It states that young conservationists are “safeguarding the places that raised them, fed their families, and anchored their cultural heritage” and ensuring that “songs, languages and traditions tied to the ocean don’t vanish.” This directly relates to safeguarding a community’s cultural and natural heritage.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  Collaboration is a recurring theme. The article describes partnerships between local communities, youth groups, and organizations (e.g., “a collaboration between a local dive shop and Balinese villagers”). It also highlights how “youth-led movements like these are connecting communities across borders” and calls for investment and support for these multi-stakeholder efforts.

What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 14.2: Sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems

  The entire article is an illustration of this target. Projects like creating “reef balls,” attaching “corals of opportunity,” mangrove plantings, and general restoration efforts described in Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia are direct actions to “protect marine and coastal ecosystems” and “take action for their restoration.”

• Target 14.5: Conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas

  The article mentions that youth efforts in Indonesia have “contributed to the creation of local marine protected zones” and that SEA Camp alumni in the Philippines are involved in “creating locally-led marine protected areas.” These actions directly contribute to the goal of conserving marine areas.

• Target 14.a: Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology

  The article describes how youth are being “trained to participate in data collection, conduct underwater surveys” and are leading “community reef surveys.” This represents an increase in scientific knowledge and research capacity at the local level through citizen science.

• Target 4.7: Ensure all learners acquire knowledge and skills for sustainable development

  The initiatives described, such as the “SEA Camp” which “empowers young Filipinos to design and implement marine conservation projects,” and school outreach programs that raise awareness, are prime examples of “education for sustainable development” in action.

• Target 8.9: Promote sustainable tourism

  The article provides a clear example of this target being met in Pemuteran, where coral restoration “transformed the local economy by attracting divers and scientists.” It also mentions the development of “eco-tourism initiatives that benefit both people and reefs” in the Philippines.

• Target 11.4: Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage

  The article explicitly states that these conservation efforts are about more than biodiversity; they are about safeguarding cultural heritage, ensuring that “the songs, languages and traditions tied to the ocean don’t vanish alongside the species that inhabit it.”

• Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards

  By restoring coral reefs and planting mangroves, these projects enhance natural coastal protection. The article notes that millions depend on healthy reefs for “coastal protection,” which strengthens community resilience against climate-related hazards like storms.

Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicators for Ecosystem Restoration (Target 14.2)

  The article implies several quantitative and qualitative indicators: the number of reef balls fabricated and deployed, the number of coral fragments planted, the area of restored reef, the number of mangrove plantings, and the observed return of marine life (“Fish will take shelter… Coral will reclaim the structure”).

• Indicators for Marine Conservation (Target 14.5)

  A direct indicator mentioned is the “creation of local marine protected zones” and “locally-led marine protected areas.” Progress could be measured by the number and total area of these newly established zones.

• Indicators for Scientific Capacity (Target 14.a)

  Progress can be measured by the number of youth trained in scientific methods (“data collection, conduct underwater surveys”), the number of citizen science programs established, and the volume of data collected through “community reef surveys.”

• Indicators for Education (Target 4.7)

  The article provides concrete numbers that can be used as indicators, such as the “26 youth” who participated in one event. Other indicators include the number of youth camps (like SEA Camp) held, the number of participants, and the number of school outreach programs conducted.

• Indicators for Sustainable Tourism (Target 8.9)

  The article implies economic indicators, such as an increase in local revenue from tourism (“transformed the local economy”). Other indicators include the number of new eco-tourism initiatives created and the number of jobs generated in this sector.

• Indicators for Cultural Heritage (Target 11.4)

  While harder to quantify, an implied indicator is the preservation and practice of local traditions, songs, and languages tied to the ocean, as described in the article. This could be assessed through community surveys and cultural documentation.

Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: cosmosmagazine.com