UNESCO

The tsunamis of Sunday 26 December 2004 struck without apparent warning on a clear day. Not only was there a devastating loss of life, but coastal resources and infrastructure in the Indian Ocean suffered massive destruction as well. This book focuses on the impacts on the natural coastal resources, especially the coral reefs and associated ecosystems, and the responses by the international community.

The Ecosystem Approach, defined as a strategy for the management of land, water and living resources that promotes conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way, was adopted at the Second Conference of the Parties of the CBD as the primary framework for action under the Convention. It puts people and their nature resource use practices squarely at the centre of the decision-making framework.