Working Groups

Working Group 1 identifies gaps in existing coastal and marine sustainability efforts by analyzing current programs, policies, and initiatives to pinpoint areas requiring joint actions. Based on the gap analysis, the group designs the Meta-Network framework to enhance coordination across all levels, from local to global, ensuring that resources address critical needs.

Working Group 2 develops and implements a multi-scale ground-based monitoring network called the Core-and-Network System (CNS) for multi-scale comprehensive monitoring consisting of national, sub-regional and regional CNSs. Linking with WG3 (Remote Sensing) and others, CNSs contribute for integrated network-based coastal zone management. CNSs serve also as effective platforms for widely connecting institutions, agencies and citizen scientists, and providing training and building capacity for monitoring-based sustainable management. The group focuses now on developing and implementing the national level CNSs in Coral Triangle and its surrounding areas and connecting them to establish a sub-regional CNS.

Working Group 3 establish joint schemes to enhance multi-scale remote sensing methodology development and applications. The group will develop well-standardized new methodologies for RS image analyses and their applications with effective ground-truthing systems based on CNSs, real-time monitoring systems to detect environmentally harmful events, citizen science-based RS methodologies, and link with model simulation analyses and predictions. By integrating all these, the group provides accurate information for decision-making.

Working Group 4 facilitates joint efforts to develop and implement other emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and innovative transdisciplinary approaches based on identification of the key challenges in South and East Asian coasts and marginal seas and the needs to develop and implement new technologies and innovative transdisciplinary approaches to tackle them.

Working Group 5 aims at establishing a synergetic data/knowledge infrastructure, which collects various data/knowledge from the Meta-Network members and others, integrates them with outputs from all other working groups to construct well synthesized data/knowledge base, analyze them with other relevant working groups, and share the synthesized and analyzed output with the data providers and various potential users. This system ensures transparency and accessibility through open-access platforms.

Working Group 6 builds networks for students and young researchers to strengthen future capacity for sustainability. It organizes webinars, workshops, and training programs to develop skills and foster collaboration among the next generation of scientists. Read more about WG 6 activities here.

Working Group 7 connects scientific research with policy-making. It ensures that decision-makers have access to the latest research and methodologies. The group designs frameworks and organizes workshops to translate science into actionable policies for sustainable governance.

Working Group 8 secures funding to support the Meta-Network’s activities. It identifies opportunities, prepares proposals, and builds partnerships with donors and stakeholders. The group provides the resources needed to expand and sustain the network’s initiatives.