A Rocha is a family of Christian conservation organisations joined by a common ethos and commitments to sustainable development. We operate at the interface between science, policy, community engagement and theology. This engagement with beliefs and faith actors, alongside more conventional conservation practices, often differentiates us from many other organisations and has allowed us to make conservation advances where other more secular organisations have not. For example, A Rocha UK established the UKs eco-church project to which 600 churches now participate.
Our Marine and Coastal Conservation programme has as its goal The transformation of the ocean and the people who use it so that the ocean becomes a place of abundance and teeming and is fruitfully and sustainably used by people. It is particularly committed to supporting Marine Protected Areas and reducing microplastic pollution.
The model we are using to do this is relies on science and theology and this holistic approach attempts to take into account a scientific understanding of marine conservation as well as our own and the local community's worldviews such that projects combine attention to biodiversity, livelihoods, and spirituality.
Our marine projects are currently running in Africa and Europe and we hope to develop projects in North America in the near future too.
Our commitments in Europe will focus on microplastic pollution and in support of this we are assembling a Microplastics Toolkit which will provide its users with the necessary information to undertake citizen science surveys, education and advocacy. We hope that this tool kit will be used across our and the global churches network.
In Africa, our commitments will keep focussing on supporting a marine protected area in Watamu Kenya. We have been working there for a number of years and have recently started a local beach boys project aimed to train the local youth in guiding people around the biodiverse rockpool habitats.
We remain committed to engaging the global Christian population with marine conservation as a faith issue.
Progress reports
By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
Type of commitment
PLASTICS
- Coastal clean-ups
- Plastics product bans or restrictions
- Plastics recovery/recycling/reuse
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
Type of commitment
- Community or Locally Managed Marine Areas
- Integrated Coastal Management
By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics
Type of commitment
- Reduction and elimination fishing practices and gear that destroy/degrade marine habitat
- Science-based fisheries management plans
- Ecosystem approach to fisheries (EAF)
By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
Type of commitment
- No take marine protected area
- Marine protected area with partial protection
- Multiple use marine protected area
By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism
Type of commitment
- Economic benefits from sustainable fisheries
- Economic benefits from sustainable tourism
Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
Type of commitment
- Scientific, socioeconomic and interdisciplinary research
- Research capacity development
- Data access and sharing
- Training and professional development
- Scientific cooperation
August 2017
Microplastic Toolkit resources for education, advocacy and citizen science projects
December 2017
Training Kenyan Beach Boys for rockpool conservation guiding
December 2018
Development of North American marine projects
December 2020
Establish three annual marine events which engage the Church globally for marine conservation
Australia
Brazil
Canada
Czech Republic
Finland
France
Ghana
India
Kenya
Lebanon
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Peru
Portugal
South Africa
Switzerland
Uganda
United Kingdom
United States of America
