The East Asian region is teeming with marine biodiversity. The greatest density of mangroves and coasts are in the region along with a multitude of species of seagrass, fish, and other plants and animals, some of them are endemic to the region.
The important role of the region's rich biodiversity to economic prosperity, employment and food security in discussed in great detail in this issue of Tropical Coasts.The region's coastal and marine environments fill a substantial percentage of the world's demand for food, while economic opportunities afforded by coastal and marine environments provide livelihood to more than a billion people in the region living with in 100km of the coast.
There exist, however, grave and immediate threats to coastal and marine environments, which are home to the diversity of plants and animals in the region. The ever ballooning global population and the corresponding increase in food production and consumption, further aggravated by rapid urbanization and development, are exerting tremendous on coastal and marine environments. Countries and areas producing and consuming disproportionately large amount of marine products, such as PR China, Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines, are also endowed with rich biodiversity, rendering a large percentage of the region's mangroves, coastal and seagrass more prone to devastation. Overfishing in certain areas in the region has already depleted fish stocks, negatively affecting both the natural balance and possible economic opportunities. Rapid urbanization and human development in the coastal areas have already destroyed and are still laying waste to natural habitats.
Economic development, urbanization and development should not be ruthlessly made at the expense of the environment. Conscious and systematic efforts should be made to ensure that such development is approached from a sustainable viewpoint. These trends show that more than ever, the need to achieve sustainable development is becoming more crucial.
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