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).
