Biliana Cicin-Sain, Joseph Appiott, Marisa Van Hoeven, Ryan Ono

Global Ocean Forum and University of Delaware

OCEANS AND COASTS AT RIO+20Working for a Strong Ocean Outcome at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development

OVERVIEW

I. Oceans at Rio+20 Report—Assessing Progress in the Implementation of UNCED and WSSD goals

II. Major Recommendations for Oceans, Coasts, and Small Island Developing States in the Rio+20 Process

III. Analysis of Submissions to Rio+20 Process Mentioning Oceans

I. Oceans at Rio+20 Report—Assessing Progress in the

Implementation of UNCED and WSSD goals

1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development

Chapter 17 of Agenda 21, “Protection of the Oceans, All Kinds of Seas, including Enclosed and Semi-Enclosed Seas, and Coastal Areas and the Protection, Rational Use and Development of their Living Resources” emphasized that new approaches that “are integrated in content and anticipatory in ambit” are needed.

Seven major program areas are included in Chapter 17:

1. Integrated management and sustainable development of coastal areas, including Exclusive Economic Zones;

2. Marine environmental protection;

3. Sustainable use and conservation of living marine resources of the high seas;

4. Sustainable use and conservation of living marine resources under national jurisdiction;

5. Addressing of critical uncertainties in management of the marine environment and climate change;

6. Strengthening of international, including regional, cooperation and coordination;

7. Sustainable development of small islands

2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development

The major outcome of the WSSD was the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) designed as a framework for action to implement the commitments originally agreed at UNCED. The JPOI includes eleven chapters: an introduction; poverty eradication; consumption and production; the natural resource base; health; small island developing States (SIDS); Africa; other regional initiatives; means of implementation; and institutional framework.

Regarding ocean and coastal issues, the JPOI emphasized issues related to:– the ecosystem approach and integrated management;

– protection of the marine environment from land-based activities;

– integrated water resource management;

– biodiversity and marine protected areas;

– small island developing states;

– fisheries and aquaculture;

– global marine assessment;

– coordination of UN activities on oceans;

– capacity development.

About the Global Ocean Forum

• First mobilized in 2001 to help governments place issues related to oceans, coasts, and SIDS on the WSSD agenda; brings together ocean leaders from all sectors from 110 countries to advance the global oceans agenda

• Promotes the implementation of international agreements related to oceans, coasts, and SIDS by assessing progress made, and identifying obstacles and opportunities for achieving sustainable development

• Reports on progress achieved on each of the WSSD ocean-related goals through expert working groups and multi-stakeholder dialogues:

– track progress in WSSD implementation by issuing report cards on how well we are doing

– feature progress (or lack thereof) in global ocean conferences, so far held 5 times, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2008, and 2010

– anticipate emerging ocean policy issues that need to be addressed and facilitate the building of consensus on unresolved ocean issues

Ecosystem-Based and Integrated Approach to Management

Protection of the Marine Environ.

from Land-Based Activities

& IWRM

Marine Biodiversity &

Marine Protected

Areas

SIDS & Oceans

Sustainable Development of

Fisheries & Aquaculture

Addressing Critical Uncertainties for the Management of the Marine Environment & Climate Change

Coordination of UN Activities

Global Marine

Assessment

Capacity Development and Public Outreach

Topics Covered in the Global Ocean Forum Summary for Decision Makers

BOTTOM LINE• Progress often difficult to measure

– No evaluation frameworks have been developed to assess progress at the global scale

– Lack of data; no single institution has been charged with collecting national and global data

– Lack of standardized data over time

– In some areas, efforts are underway to create the enabling conditions for implementation, but tangible outcomes are not yet evident

– BOTTOM LINE– NEED TO MEASURE BETTER AND MORE CONSISTENLY

• MIXED RESULTS– SOME SUCCESSES, MANY IMPLEMENTATION GAPS

• Oceans at Rio+20 report puts forth detailed recommendations for each of the 9 major areas

Related Activities

The Global Ocean Forum launched “Rio+20 Friends of the Ocean” to call on ocean leaders from governments, international agencies, non-governmental organizations, scientific institutions, and the private sector to mobilize and seize the opportunity to achieve a significant ocean outcome at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development Rio+20) to be held on June 4-6, 2012, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

II. Major Recommendations for Oceans at Rio+20

Major Recommendations

1. Oceans and Climate Change

2. Integrated Ocean Governance at National, Regional and Global Levels, including action at the highest levels of the UN

--including fisheries, marine biodiversity, land-based sources of pollution

3. Capacity Building

4. Special Case of SIDS

5. Green (Blue) Economy

1. Oceans and Climate ChangeRecommendations Recommendations

MitigationMitigation• Adopt Adopt stringent reductions in GHG emissions stringent reductions in GHG emissions within a short within a short

timeframetimeframe

• Support additional research on quantifying the amounts of carbon Support additional research on quantifying the amounts of carbon stored and released by marine and coastal ecosystems (stored and released by marine and coastal ecosystems (Blue CarbonBlue Carbon), ), take measures to protect and restore marine ecosystems as major take measures to protect and restore marine ecosystems as major carbon sinks, and move toward incorporating Blue Carbon into carbon sinks, and move toward incorporating Blue Carbon into emissions reduction and climate mitigation protocolsemissions reduction and climate mitigation protocols

• Sustainably develop Sustainably develop ocean-based renewable energyocean-based renewable energy (such as offshore (such as offshore wind power, wave energy, etc.) and accelerate efforts to implement wind power, wave energy, etc.) and accelerate efforts to implement these approaches through marine spatial planningthese approaches through marine spatial planning

• Consider and, if appropriate, develop regulatory frameworks for Consider and, if appropriate, develop regulatory frameworks for possible carbon capture and storagepossible carbon capture and storage in the oceans in the oceans

AdaptationAdaptation• Implement Implement ecosystem approaches to adaptation through integrated coastal and ecosystem approaches to adaptation through integrated coastal and

ocean management institutions at national, regional, and local levelsocean management institutions at national, regional, and local levels to build the to build the preparedness, resilience, and adaptive capacities of coastal communities;preparedness, resilience, and adaptive capacities of coastal communities;

• Provide Provide sufficient fundingsufficient funding, supported by improved estimates of adaptation costs, , supported by improved estimates of adaptation costs, to support to support adaptationadaptation for coastal communities, including through the possible for coastal communities, including through the possible creation of a special Coastal Adaptation Fund or directing a significant portion of creation of a special Coastal Adaptation Fund or directing a significant portion of the current Adaptation Funds to coastal issues;the current Adaptation Funds to coastal issues;

• Develop and support measures to address the issues associated with the Develop and support measures to address the issues associated with the displacementdisplacement of coastal populations as a result of climate change. of coastal populations as a result of climate change.

Capacity development, scientific monitoring, and public educationCapacity development, scientific monitoring, and public education• Provide Provide technical assistancetechnical assistance to small island developing States (SIDS) and to small island developing States (SIDS) and

developing countries developing countries to build institutional capacityto build institutional capacity to implement adaptation to implement adaptation measures, early warning systems, and disaster risk reduction;measures, early warning systems, and disaster risk reduction;

• Establish the Establish the scientific capacityscientific capacity in all countries for marine environment in all countries for marine environment assessment, monitoring, and prediction;assessment, monitoring, and prediction;

• Expand Expand public outreach and educationpublic outreach and education efforts to improve awareness of the risks efforts to improve awareness of the risks posed to coastal communities and to catalyze support for mitigation and posed to coastal communities and to catalyze support for mitigation and adaptation responses and changes in behavior and lifestyle.adaptation responses and changes in behavior and lifestyle.

1. Oceans and Climate Change

2. Integrated GovernanceRecommendations at National Level• Scale up successful national EBM/ICM efforts to include larger portions

of coastal and ocean areas under national jurisdiction• Further strengthen integrated institutions and decision-making processes

for oceans and coasts, including through ocean and coastal laws

Recommendations at Regional Level• Accelerate the development and implementation of EBM/ICM in regional

and transboundary governance approaches, including through the Large Marine Ecosystem Programs and the Regional Seas Programs, encouraging the adoption of regional protocols on EBM/ICM to guide action at the national level

Recommendations in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction• Apply EBM/ICM principles and approaches to the 64% of the ocean that

lies beyond national jurisdiction (ABNJ) to address multiple use conflicts, manage new uses, and protect vulnerable ecosystems and marine biodiversity. Vest authority for applying EBM/ICM approaches in ABNJ in existing or new institutions and establish a process for multiple-use decision making;

2. Integrated Governance (cont.)

Recommendations at Global Level• Elevate oceans to the highest levels of the

UN system to enable a cross-cutting approach and appropriate and timely response to major threats and opportunities

– Establish a UN Secretary-General or other high-level coordination mechanism on oceans

– Develop a UN Secretary-General Ocean Budget report

2. Integrated Governance (cont.)

• Link various ocean-related fora (Law of the Sea processes, Convention on Biological Diversity, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, etc.) and reform existing institutions, including the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the UN Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), to provide for consistent and coordinated policy development and priority-setting in addressing ocean and coastal issues;

• Consider the need for new international agreements, e.g.: carbon capture and storage, offshore oil development, offshore aquaculture, marine debris

2. Integrated Governance (cont.)Sectoral issues in the context of integrated governanceFisheries and Aquaculture• Accelerate multi-pronged efforts to arrest the continuing decline

of global fish stocks, including:– Increased ratification and implementation of global instruments, including the

UN Fish Stocks Agreement, FAO Code of Conduct for Fisheries, FAO Compliance Agreement, FAO Port State Measures Agreement; and UN General Assembly resolutions aimed at ensuring sustainable exploitation of deep-sea fish stocks

– Strengthening and, where appropriate, creating new Regional Fisheries Management Organizations

– Development and implementation of national strategies and action plans to address IUU fishing and reduce fishing overcapacity

• Must also consider the possible need for more far-reaching and innovative solutions if positive on-the-ground results are not obtained within a certain time frame

2. Integrated Governance (cont.)Sectoral issues in the context of integrated

governance

Marine Biodiversity and Marine Protected Areas• Accelerate the establishment of MPA networks in the context of

EBM/ICM and marine spatial planning, with emphasis on climate change resilience, and achieve the Convention on Biological Diversity’s target of protecting at least 10% of marine and coastal areas

• Create, and improve the capacity of, institutional mechanisms dedicated to the creation and the management of MPAs

2. Integrated Governance (cont.)Sectoral Issues in the Context of Integrated Governance

Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities

• Good progress has been made through the GPA in the control of persistent organic pollutants, radioactive substances, and hydrocarbons.

• The GPA has not been able, however, to substantially curb four of the most serious sources of marine degradation—sewage, nutrients, marine litter, and physical alteration and destruction of habitats.

• Given the “soft law” basis of the GPA and the resulting weak implementation, nations should consider the forging of a global legally-binding instrument on land-based pollution and encourage, as well, the creation of Land-Based Sources Protocols at regional levels.

Recommendations • Develop a strategic approach to funding and capacity building for

oceans and coasts, including through increased coordination among countries, donors, UN agencies, and providers of capacity training and education. Periodically assess and track overall efforts and expenditures in capacity development, aggregate impact, and the extent to which current and emerging needs are being met

• Substantially increase the total amount of financing devoted to capacity development, commensurate with the needs and challenges facing developing countries and SIDS

• Develop and/or strengthen mechanisms for sharing of training materials and education curricula, and lessons learned in capacity development among organizations involved in capacity development for ocean and coastal governance, including the development of a clearinghouse of information on capacity building activities, courses, and training materials.

3. Capacity Development

Improve the ability of SIDS to sustainably utilize and effectively govern their oceans and coastal resources to ensure the continued functioning of marine resources and ecosystems as a critical aspect of livelihood, well-being, and survival

Recommendations • Enhance ocean use agreements in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) of SIDS by

improving their design and implementation to ensure social equity, resource conservation, and public transparency, and that the benefits from EEZ resources accrue to SIDS and their peoples;

• Provide financial support to SIDS to improve their ability to adapt to the impacts of climate change, supported by improved cost estimates, and to protect coastal and ocean ecosystems, securing their role in providing valuable ecosystem services, products, and livelihoods critical to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, especially poverty alleviation;

• Enhance capacity development on the interrelated issues of ocean and coastal management/climate change/biodiversity, especially:

– 1) among high-level leaders, – 2) fostering the next generation of leaders through investment in university programs,

especially through the SIDS Consortium of Universities, – 3) among leaders and stakeholders in local communities.

4. Small Island Developing States

5. Green (Blue) Economy• Identify and scale-up successful green economy initiatives

(e.g., responsible coastal tourism practices, certification of sustainably caught seafood) and strengthen means of implementation through capacity building, technology transfer, and mobilization of financial resources from public and private sectors

• Ensure that the greening of ocean industries contributes significantly to: 1) income and jobs; 2) low carbon emissions, efficient use of resources, and reduced waste and pollution; and 3) sustainable development of oceans and coasts, social equity and inclusiveness, and poverty reduction in coastal communities

• Support the valuation and payments of ecosystem services and other biodiversity financing mechanisms for more effective decision making in development planning involving marine ocean resources– Information on the estimated value of particular ocean/coastal

ecosystems goods and services provided (food, raw materials, nutrient cycling, climate regulation, and recreation), is a powerful justification for conservation measures and financial support for management;

• Support scientific research efforts to quantify the carbon sequestration capacity of coastal ecosystems (e.g., mangroves, salt marshes), and pursue the potential for the trading of various forms of “Blue carbon” in a similar way to green carbon (e.g., rainforests)

5. Green (Blue) Economy (cont.)

5. Green (Blue) Economy

• Enhance the capacity and participation of all stakeholders for effective ocean and coastal management through:

– Provision of incentives for green (blue) production and resources for promoting research, development, and transfer of clean technologies

– Investment in capacity development, and development of a toolbox of best practices and mechanisms for sharing knowledge and experience, including through communities of practice.

III. Analysis of Submissions to Rio+20

Process Mentioning Oceans

Input to November 1 Rio+20 Compilation Document:

Who mentioned oceans?*

SUBMISSION NUMBER/NUMBER OF SUBMISSIONS

ANALYZED

PERCENTAGE

POLITICAL GROUPS 4/4 100%

REGIONAL PREPARATORY MEETING OUTCOMES

4/4 100%

MEMBER STATES 37/69 54%

UN AGENCIES and IGOs 22/67 33%

MAJOR GROUPS 76/491 15%

* Based on inputs submitted by November 10, 2011

All Political Groups and Regional Preparatory Meetings

Political Groups Group of 77 and ChinaPacific Small Island Developing States CARICOMEU

 Regional PrepcomsAfrica RegionArab RegionAsian and Pacific RegionLatin American and Caribbean Region 

 

Member States submissions that contained at least one Keyword (ocean, coast, fish...)

Africa --Burkina Faso, Liberia , Niger , Senegal , Togo, Tunisia

Asia -- India , Indonesia , Japan , Philippines , Republic of Korea , Sri Lanka , Thailand, Turkey

Caribbean – Cuba , Dominican Republic , Grenada , Jamaica

Europe -- Croatia , Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro , Norway , Switzerland

North America -- Canada , Mexico , United States of America

Oceania -- Australia , New Zealand

South and Central America Argentina, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Brazil, Chile , Costa Rica , Guatemala, Peru

Main Priorities Articulated• Climate Change

– Concern about impacts on coastal communities, including sea level rise, increased storms and flooding, coastal erosion

– Need for coastal adaptation plans– Disaster and risk management with a focus on climate change

• Fisheries– Eliminate IUU (illegal, unregulated, unreported) fishing– Address harmful fishing practices– Remove harmful subsidies– Sustainable management of stocks– Importance of fisheries for food security– Strengthen Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs)– Implement FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries

Main Priorities Articulated

• Meeting Commitments/Capacity Development– Implement Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI), Barbados

Plan of Action (BPoA), and Mauritius Strategy

– Capacity building, including financial and technical assistance, needed to address threats and implement major commitments

– Improved capacity for water and waste management

– Special focus on building capacity of SIDS

– Capacity building in the sustainable management of fisheries, including science and technology

– Capacity is needed for improved monitoring and assessment (environmental, climate change, pollution, fisheries)