MANILA, Philippines — Conservation International (CI) Philippines and a United Nations project official have paid tribute to Dr. Kent Carpenter, the American marine scientist whose research helped shape marine biodiversity conservation in the Philippines and around the world.
In a statement, CI-Philippines said Carpenter’s work brought global attention to the Philippines’ rich marine ecosystems and laid the scientific foundation for several major conservation initiatives.
Carpenter, 73, was fatally shot on July 12 after masked men forced their way into a house in Sibulan, Negros Oriental, where he was staying with his Filipina companion. Police have arrested three suspects in connection with the killing.
Romeo Trono, program management specialist at the United Nations Office for Project Services and Philippine national coordinator of the South China Sea Strategic Action Program Project, described Carpenter as a dedicated scientist known for his integrity and generosity in sharing his expertise.
Among Carpenter’s most influential contributions was a landmark 2005 study that identified the Verde Island Passage as the global center of marine shore fish biodiversity. The research helped lead to Executive Order No. 578 in 2006, which designated the Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor as a national conservation priority.
CI-Philippines said Carpenter also contributed to conservation efforts in the Sulu-Sulawesi Seascape, the Coral Triangle and the Tubbataha Reefs, while leading the Global Marine Species Assessment, the first worldwide evaluation of the extinction risk facing about 20,000 marine species.
The organization credited his work with strengthening marine conservation efforts in the Philippines and internationally, describing his legacy as one that will continue through protected marine areas, scientific research and future generations of conservationists.
CI-Philippines and Trono also called for swift justice as authorities continue investigating Carpenter’s killing.