the international alliance to combat ocean … 31, 2018 · the international alliance to combat...

TheInternationalAlliancetoCombatOceanAcidificationLookingAhead2018GrowingtheCoalition&MakinganImpact:SinceitslaunchoneyearagotheInternationalAlliancetoCombatOceanAcidification(OAAlliance)hasgrownto55members,including10nationalgovernments,5states,2provinces,5tribalnations,and3cities,alongwithresearchinstitutions,businessesandNGOs.OAAlliancemembersareworkingtogethertoelevatetheissueofoceanacidificationanddevelopOAActionPlansthatcontainpracticable,implementablestepstomitigatecauses,toadapttounavoidablechangeandtobuildresiliencyinmarineecosystemsandthecoastalcommunitiesimpactedbychangingoceanconditions.Inthelastyear:

• NewZealand,CaliforniaandOregonhavebeguntoinitiatethedevelopmentofOAActionPlans.• WashingtondevelopedanupdatetotheirOAActionPlan.• Chile,OceanConservancyandthePCCstateshosted10nationalgovernmentsatthefirstin-person

meetingofOAAllianceinconjunctionwiththe2017OurOceanConference.• Fijico-hostedanOAAlliancesideeventatCOP23andinvitedtheOAAlliancetojointheOcean

PathwaysPartnership,acoalitionworkingtointegrateoceansintotheUNFCCCprocessby2019.• FrancehostedOceanClimatePlatformeventswhichfeaturedOAAllianceleadershipontakingactions

tocombatoceanacidification.• TheOAAlliancehostedfourmemberwebinarsbringingdiversemembertogetherindialoguetoshare

updatesontheirprogresstowardsdevelopingOAActionPlansandcollaboratingtoelevatetheissueofoceanacidificationonaglobalstage.

• TheOAAlliancehostedasideeventandregisteredavoluntarycommitmenttobuildthecoalitionandadvanceOAActionPlansattheUnitedNationsOceanConferencetoImplementSustainableDevelopmentGoal14.

“Supportandcooperationareneededbythealliance.Thiscanbeachievedintheformofinformationsharingofrecentscience,importanceofbestpracticestomitigateandadaptandacallforcollaboration.”

FijiMinisterofFisheriesSemiKoroilavesau

Dec.13,2016.CaliforniaGov.JerryBrownspeaksatanewsconferencetolaunchaneworganizationaimedatprotectingtheoceans,calledtheInternationalAlliancetoCombatOceanAcidification,attheHoteldelCoronado.(GregoryBull).ViaSanDiegoUnion-Tribune

TheOAAlliancewasproudtowelcomenewmemberstotheOAAllianceduringoursideeventatCOP23includingFiji,Sweden,Iceland,NewZealand,Tokelau,SPREP,andSeychelles.OAAlliancesideeventpanelincludedGovernorJayInslee(WA);GovernorKateBrown(OR);Dr.JanNewton,GlobalOceanAcidificationObservingNetwork;FijiMinisterofFisheriesSemiKoroilavesau;ChileMinisteroftheEnvironmentMarceloMena.

AdvancingOAActionPlans:TheOAAlliancehasengagedwithmembersinthedevelopmentofOAActionPlanswhichdescribereal,tangibleactionsgovernmentswilltaketorespondtothethreatofoceanacidification.Callingforthedevelopmentofregional,member-driven,OAActionplansmakestheOAAllianceuniqueinthefocusonconcrete,implementableactionstoaddresschangingoceanconditions.TheOAAllianceregisteredavoluntarycommitmenttoassistinthecreationof15OAActionPlansbyJune2019attheUnitedNationsOceanConferencetoImplementSustainableDevelopmentGoal14.TheOAActionPlantoolkitprovidesmemberswithexamplesandsuggestionsonastrategicprocessforgettingstartedonthecreationOAActionPlans.TheOAAlliancehashostedperiodicwebinarsandprovidedotheropportunitiestohelpmembersbetterunderstandthecontentandformatthatisencouraged,orpossible,withinanindividualplan.TheOAAlliancehosteditsfirstin-personmembermeetinginconjunctionwiththeOurOceanConferenceonOctober6,2017.ThekeytakeawayfromdiscussionamongstgatherednationalpartnerswasthedesiretoseemoreproductsliketheOAActionPlantoolkitwhichhelpmemberswiththedetailsandexamplesrequiredtomakeprogressregionally.TheOAAllianceiscontinuingtodeveloptheActionPlantoolkitandsupportingresourcesforbothgovernmentandaffiliatememberstoutilize.“Globalclimatechangeandoceanacidificationinparticularknowsnojurisdictionalboundariesandthat’swhyit’ssoabsolutelycriticalthatweworktogether.”

OregonGovernorKateBrownWhytheOAAlliance?InDecember2016,thePacificCoastCollaborativelaunchedtheOAAlliance,aninternationalnetworkofgovernmentsandorganizationsthattogetheraddressoceanacidificationandotherthreatsfromchangingoceanconditions.TheOAAlliancewasestablishedindirectresponsetotheimpactofoceanacidificationtooysterhatcheryproductionthatwasfeltacrosstheWestCoast,andtomotivategovernmentstoproactivelyrespondtoimpactsofoceanacidificationoncoastalcommunitiesandlivelihoods.TheOAAllianceis:

1) Supportinggovernmentstotakemeaningfulactionstoaddresschangingoceanconditions;

2) Pushingforinclusionofstrongoceanprotectionprovisionsininternationalclimateagreementsandotherrelevantframeworks;and

3) Creatingacoalitionofgovernmentsandpartnerselevatethevisibilityandimportanceofoceanacidificationinpublicdiscourseandpolicydevelopment.

KateBrown,GovernorofOregon,saidactingonclimatechangeisamoralimperative,asitwillimpactallofus.Credit:VickiArroyo(GeorgetownClimateCenter)ElliotDiringer(C2ES).