The Indonesian Archipelago consists of about 17,500 islands and has a coastline of 81,000 km. The region is a centre of biodiversity with highly productive ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves and sea grass meadows. These ecosystems stabilize the coastlines, are repositories of significant genetic and biological information, and play a vital role in the lives of coastal population as a source of food, energy and income. Today these coastal ecosystems are under enormous pressure from rapid social and economic changes.
The overarching goal of the SPICE Program is to address the scientific, social and economic issues related to the management of the Indonesian coastal ecosystems and their resources. In addition to strengthening the existing scientific data base, the program promotes capacity and infrastructure building in the marine sector in Indonesia and Germany and contributes to education and public awareness.
The first phase of the SPICE Programme (2003-2007) provided significant information on the structure and functioning of coastal ecosystems covering mangroves, coral reefs, coastal pelagic systems and peat swamps, and on their alterations due to human interventions. The focus on natural sciences was complemented by social science during the second phase (2007-2010). After the evaluation of both program phases the Indonesian-German Steering Committee on Earth and Ocean Science recommended the continuation of the SPICE Program. New research topics were jointly agreed as follows:
1. Marine Biodiversity, Food Security & Sustainability
2. Climate Change and the Oceans: Carbon Sequestration in the Indonesian Seas & their Global Significance
3. Understanding and Managing the Resilience of Coral Reefs and Associated Social Systems
4. Terrestrial Influences on Mangroves Ecology and Sustainability of their Resources
5. Marine Geology and Geochemistry
6. Ocean Renewable Energy
7. Capacity Building
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