Strategic Oceans Planning to 2016

In late 2006, the Global Forum began a strategic planning effort in collaboration with governments, United Nations agencies, NGOs, industry, and scientific groups, to advance the global oceans agenda over the ten-year period to 2016. Twelve Multinational Expert Working Groups, involving 254 experts from 72 countries, address a number of overarching cross-cutting issues which have been organized around three major themes, as shown in the Working Group Matrix.

The Working Groups have prepared a set of Policy Analyses addressing:

--The major problems/obstacles that affect the issue area and ways of overcoming these

--How the global ocean goal/target under consideration can be assessed and progress (or lack thereof)

can be measured; the extent to which intermediate and readily measurable targets and timetables might

be set as implementation benchmarks; and the relationship of the ocean goal/target to other global ocean

goals/targets.

--Strategic opportunities for advancing the global goal/target in the next decade, by whom, and in what

form

--Recommendations on 3-5 specific priority action steps for implementation by national and international

decision makers to advance the issue in the next phase.

The following policy briefs, which were presented at the 4th Global Oceans Conference in Hanoi (April 2008), are available:

COLLABORATION INVITED IN THE GLOBAL FORUM’S PROGRAM OF WORK 2009-2012

Organizations with an interest in advancing the global oceans agenda are invited to collaborate with the Global Forum in the further development and implementation of the strategic plan to advance to global oceans agenda and associated activities.

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) and a variety of other partners from governments, UN agencies, NGOs, foundations, academic sector, and museums and aquaria have committed support as core funding to support this work. Additional collaboration and co-financing is invited from a wide range of collaborators from UN agencies, national governments, nongovernmental organizations, foundations, research centers, and
aquaria and museums.

Recommendations for Action Emanating from the 4th Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands.

Invitation to Collaborate in the Global Forum Programme of Work 2009-2012

Major Activities to Be Undertaken:

1. STRATEGIC PLANNING TO ADVANCE THE GLOBAL OCEANS AGENDA

The strategic planning process began by the Global Forum in 2006 is an informal process of envisioning where the oceans community would like to be in the next decade on the global oceans agenda and how to arrive there, in association with governments, UN agencies, NGOs, private sector, ocean donors, science sector, and the world’s museums and aquaria. Building on the recommendations of the Working Groups at the 4th Global Oceans Conference, the Global Forum will continue focusing on the achievement of the WSSD and MDG goals while responding to new challenges, such as those related to climate, disasters, and high seas governance. The major next steps that should be taken in each area by the appropriate lead organizations need to be refined, and the role of the Global Forum in each area defined, as appropriate. Furthermore, each step should be assessed against a set of criteria, which includes: need for cross-sectoral perspective; comparative advantage; implementation feasibility; measurable indicators; and requisite funding.

This activity will determine how to best bring the top ocean issues to the attention of decisionmakers in various fora, especially the oceans and climate change issues. In particular, strategic planning in the areas of climate change, biodiversity conservation, and linking the management of freshwater, oceans, and coasts will involve incorporating oceans in the following major fora:

• climate talks in 2009 (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 15th Conference of

the Parties (UNFCCC COP15) in Denmark, December 2009);
• biodiversity in Nagoya, Japan in December 2010 (United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity

10th Conference of the Parties, Nagoya, Japan); and
• the 5th World Water Forum in Istanbul in March 2009.

The Global Forum will also be communicating with interested governments and the UN Division of Economic and Social Affairs regarding preparation of the oceans review by the UN Commission on Sustainable Development in 2014-2015.

(1) Climate, Oceans, and Security

The Global Forum has developed an Action Agenda on Oceans and Climate to advance the global oceans agenda in relation to climate change and to influence the UNFCCC negotiations process in collaboration with other partners.

1. Develop a series of Policy Briefs aimed at high-level policy makers on each of the major oceans/climate themes (noted below) through consultation with expert scientists and decisionmakers. (COMPLETED; please see volume of policy briefs on oceans and climate change )

2. Organize the Global Ocean Policy Day to be held during the World Ocean Conference (WOC) in Manado, Indonesia (May 11-15, 2009), in cooperation with the United Nations Environment Programme, the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the Global Environment Facility, and other partners. The WOC will bring together Ministers, high-level government officials and representatives from international organizations from around the world to focus on the implications of climate change for the world’s oceans and coastal communities, the role of the oceans in climate change phenomena, and the need for mitigation and adaptation measures to climate change. (COMPLETED; please see subsequent discussion.)

3. Participate in the UNFCCC process (leading up to the COP15, December 2009, Copenhagen) as a non-government organization, and articulate the central role of oceans in climate, the effects of climate change on oceans, coastal communities, and small island States, and the need for specific mitigation, adaptation, and financing measures. (COMPLETED; see Oceans Day website at: http://www.oceansday.org/)

4. Organize the 2010 5th Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands, April 5-9, 2010 at UNESCO in Paris, with a focus on climate change and oceans and integrated, ecosystem-based ocean governance

Major Oceans/Climate Issues to Be Addressed (organized according to the categories that will be addressed at the UNFCCC COP15)

Mitigation

1. Articulate the central role of oceans in climate and emphasize that continued levels of ocean absorption

of anthropogenic CO2 emissions could lead to a level of ocean acidification that could produce

irreversible impacts for millennia.

2. Understand and develop policy responses to global ocean changes (ocean warming, ocean

acidification, changes in currents, and changes in Polar Regions).

3. Properly manage mitigation efforts that use the oceans (carbon capture and storage, ocean

fertilization).
4. Encourage alternative forms of energy using the oceans (wind power, tidal energy and power from

waves and ocean currents).
5. Manage air pollution from ships

Adaptation

6. Encourage a wide range of adaptation efforts (soft, hard, floating) in the context of integrated

ecosystem-based management.

Financing Mechanisms

7. Address the “climate divide” and promote international commitments and funding mechanisms,

including public/private partnerships, to respond to the differential effects of climate change on

different regions and peoples.

Cross-cutting Issues

8. Enhance capacity building to address climate change effects.
9. Develop public outreach and education strategies.

(2) Achieving Ecosystem-based Management and Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management by 2010 and Progress Markers

The Global Forum will:

• Prepare reports from the 4th Global Oceans Conference:

1. A Report following up on the 2006 Global Forum report on Meeting the Commitments on

Oceans, Coasts, and Small Island Developing States Made at the 2002 World Summit on

Sustainable Development: How Well Are We Doing?

2. A Book on Progress in Meeting the Global Goals of Achieving Ecosystem Management and

Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management by 2010 with major policy briefs and

presentations from the 4th Global Oceans Conference; and

3. A Peer review of the Policy Brief on Achieving Ecosystem-Based Management and

Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management by 2010 and Progress Indicators

• Carry out a major international survey on the extent of implementation of Ecosystem-Based

Management (EBM) and Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management (ICM), including freshwater

aspects, at national and regional levels, in partnership with national and regional collaborators.

• Promote the development and implementation of best practices in integrated marine and coastal

policies at the national and regional level

(3) Large Marine Ecosystems

There are currently sixteen LME projects involving 110 countries. The Global Forum will encourage ministers to continue to support the LME process within their countries. Each LME project is being carried out by stakeholders who are focusing on the improvement in the management of ocean and coastal resources through the project, and thus need continued support.

(4) Marine Biodiversity and Networks of Marine Protected Areas

The Global Forum Working Group on Marine Biodiversity and Networks of Protected Areas will work on the preparation of a synthesis report to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) as part of the review of the CBD’s Programme of Work on marine and coastal biodiversity being carried out by the CBD Secretariat for in preparation for COP10 in 2010.

The Global Forum Working Group on Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (concerned with moving toward integrated, ecosystem-based management of marine areas beyond national jurisdiction (64% of the oceans) and protecting marine biodiversity in these areas will focus on four key next steps:

• Systematic regional experimentation on area-based management interventions in marine areas beyond

national jurisdiction, drawing implications for the global situation, in cooperation with the Global

Environment Facility;

• Mapping of areas beyond national jurisdiction and identification of special areas in need of protection

through marine protected areas;

• Further development of global approaches and rules– systematic analysis of the range of options for

achieving integrated, ecosystem-based management of marine areas beyond national jurisdiction, on a

continuum ranging from improvements in the sectoral processes to the establishment of integrated

institutions

• Building bridges between developed and developing countries on these issues to achieve forward

movement toward international consensus

(5) Fisheries and Aquaculture – Sustainability and Governance

The major recommendations put forward by the Working Group at the 4th Global Oceans Conference include specifying next steps by the international community to accelerate progress in:

1. Enhancing the performance of the Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs) to achieve

sustainable fisheries management as well as to move toward ecosystem-based management of ocean

areas
2. Controlling Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) Fishing
3. Addressing the problem of fishing overcapacity
4. Doing aquaculture right, including additional and more detailed global guidance as well as global targets

(akin to the WSSD targets on fisheries) needed to properly steer this important food-generating

activity
5. Considering the range of climate effects of fisheries and the policies that can be put in place to help

fishers adapt to these changes and to address such changes.

The Working Group will mobilize on the following immediate next steps:

• Encourage the involvement of commercial fishing, tourism, energy, and other sectors in the Global

Forum’s multi-stakeholder dialogues
• Examine ways by which traditional fisheries management can influence climate change impacts. For

example, the rehabilitation of fish stocks can constitute building resilience to global climate change;

rehabilitation of coastal ecosystems that serve as fish nurseries such as mangroves and sea grass,

which also serve as carbon sinks, contribute to mitigation efforts. Changes in fishing patterns, such

as substituting more passive fishing gear, e.g. traps, for more active fishing gear, e.g. trawls,

contribute to fuel reduction.
• Provide input and assist in ensuring that governments are adequately informed about the issues from

various perspectives
• Contribute to the following meetings:

• Committee on Fisheries (COFI) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

• World Ocean Conference 2009

• Fifth Global Conference 2010

• Review of the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement (UNFSA), 2010/2011

(6) Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Implementation of the Mauritius Strategy

The Working Group will mobilize on the following immediate next steps:

• Conduct consultations with Alliance of Small Islands States (AOSIS) country UN missions in New

York as to their views on how the Global Forum may support AOSIS on the implementation of the

Mauritius Strategy and on its involvement in the climate negotiations, especially in the areas of

mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer, and financing.

• Participate in the following meetings/conferences related to: 17th Session of the Commission on

Sustainable Development (CSD) (SIDS Day), May 2009, World Ocean Conference 2009, 10th United

Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (ICP-10),

June 2009, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change 15th Conference of the

Parties, December 2009, 5th Global Oceans Conference 2010, and Preparation for CSD review of the

oceans 2014-2015.

• Participate in the UNFCCC process and develop a set of materials related to oceans, coasts, and

SIDS to be used to articulate key points about the central role of oceans on climate and the effects of

climate change on small island developing States

• Promote the development of capacity building for coastal and marine management

• Involve ocean experts in the preparation of an economic opportunity report for SIDS (including

opportunities for alternative energy development) which could be the basis for World Bank and

other investments
• Enhance the ocean and coastal curricula within the University Consortium of Small Island

States; involve partners such as the International Ocean Institute and the United Nations

Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)

(7) Linking the Management of Freshwater, Coasts, and Oceans

The major recommendations emanating from the Working Group and 4th Global Oceans Conference include:

• Identify and recognize the costs and implications of failure to link integrated water resources

management (IWRM) and integrated ocean and coastal management (ICM)

• Take the lead in making marine issues more visible at the World Water Forum

• Challenge participants to identify ways to better link IWRM and ICM that can be suitable for

governments, donors, planners, and key stakeholders

• Invite freshwater experts to the 2010 Global Oceans Conferences and organize freshwater-oceans

event for both communities

• Co-host joint freshwater-coastal event at the 2009 World Oceans Conference

• Provide input to the Global Forum related to recommendations and next steps

• Draw lessons learned from specific case studies for dissemination among decision-makers,

management practitioners in both freshwater and ocean areas and for public outreach

The Working Group will mobilize on the following immediate next steps:

• Participate in forthcoming meetings where the need to strengthen the linkages between the

management of freshwater and oceans can be highlighted, including at the 5th World Water Forum,

Istanbul, March 2009; World Ocean Conference 2009; 5th Global Oceans Conference 2010; Third

Intergovernmental review of the UNEP/GPA, 2011.

• Enhance the information on freshwater-to-oceans linkages available on existing websites, such as the

World Ocean Observatory ‘From Freshwater to Oceans’ website, and maximizing the opportunity

for access by creating links between these websites and the 5th WWF website.

• Build on the concept of environmental flows for both downstream and upstream users, including the

identification of positive and negative impacts of upstream and downstream activities on freshwater

and marine ecosystems, resources, and dependent communities, as a basis for establishing and

strengthening linkages.

Roundtable Discussion at the 5th World Water Forum: Meeting Human and Environmental Needs through Linking Integrated Management of Freshwater Basins with Downstream Coastal Areas and their Ecosystems

Session presentation

Global Forum Discussion Statement

Session outcome

Session summary report

(8) Improving Governance of Marine Ecosystems and Uses in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction

Since 2005, the Global Forum has been engaged in an informal process to bring together major relevant interests to facilitate open and constructive multi-stakeholder policy dialogue to inform and support the formal processes that have been or may be established by the United Nations General Assembly regarding governance of marine areas beyond national jurisdiction. The general intent is to work to clarify the issues, lay out various perspectives, discuss options, and identify possible avenues for consensus-building among disparate interests, especially between developed and developing countries, and industry and environmental groups.

Considerable work has already been carried out in this area by the Global Forum, which are reviewed in the Global Forum’s report to the UN Ad Hoc Open-Ended Informal Working Group to study issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction (2nd Meeting, 28 April – 2 May 2008, New York.

The Global Forum has organized a series of workshops, policy analyses, and multi-stakeholder dialogues carried out under the Project Governing the Oceans Beyond National Jurisdiction: Multistakeholder Policy Analyses and Policy Dialogues for Improved Ocean Governance, supported by the Nippon Foundation, Japan, and carried out at the University of Delaware Gerard J. Mangone Center for Marine Policy, which included three workshops:

• Strategic Planning Workshop on Global Oceans Issues in Marine Areas Beyond National

Jurisdiction in the Context of Climate Change, January 23-25, 2008, Nice, France

• Workshop on Ecosystems and Uses in Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction, held on

April 5, 2008 as part of the Fourth Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands: Advancing

Ecosystem Management and Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management by 2010 in the Context of

Climate Change held in Hanoi, Vietnam, April 7-11, 2008

• Workshop on Management Issues and Policy Alternatives to Improve Governance of Areas

Beyond National Jurisdiction, together with the Government of Singapore, in Singapore, on

November 3-5, 2008, which advanced discussions of: a) Major institutional options for moving

toward integrated, ecosystem-based management; b) Options for managing marine genetic resources,

especially focusing on possible modalities for benefit sharing; and c) Possible design of experiments

incorporating ecosystem-based management through pilot sites in areas beyond national jurisdiction.

At the Singapore Workshop, there was an important opportunity for a consultation session on the role that the Global Environment Facility could play regarding areas beyond national jurisdiction in the next phase (GEF 5). Recommendations were made to encourage a number of regional “bottom-up” cases to test key concepts for moving forward in this area. Participants urged the Global Environment Facility to consider funding support, in the next GEF 5 phase, for experiments to test the feasibility of applying ecosystem-based management to regional areas which may include areas of national jurisdiction, large marine ecosystems shared by various countries, and areas beyond national jurisdiction. Several possible test cases were identified.

Next steps in this work are to report to the G-77, AOSIS, and other country groupings at the UN on emerging findings, to present findings at the next meeting of the UN Ad Hoc Working Group on the subject (2010), to continue the policy analyses and dialogues, and to develop a series of regional case studies for possible funding by the GEF and others.

The Global Forum work on the themes Capacity Development and Public Education and Outreach are discussed under items 4 and 5 below.

2. CO-ORGANIZE INDONESIA WORLD OCEAN CONFERENCE, MANADO, INDONESIA, MAY 2009 (May 11-15, 2009) (COMPLETED; see Global Ocean Policy Day Final Program and Co-Chairs’ Statement)

The Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands, with funding support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is co-organizing the Global Ocean Policy Day with the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and other partners. The Global Ocean Policy Day is scheduled for May 13, 2009 during the World Ocean Conference (WOC).

The Global Ocean Policy Day will feature keynote presentations and panel sessions, focusing on the key themes of the conference, allowing for a dialogue amongst the participants and further development of the emerging outcomes of the Conference. The Global Ocean Policy Day will provide a major opportunity for multi-stakeholder dialogue among high-level government officials, international organizations, NGOs, industry, and scientists at the World Ocean Conference. About 1000 participants are expected to participate in the Global Ocean Policy Day.

The Global Ocean Policy Day will be preceded by panel discussions on the major ocean/climate issues noted above during May 11 and 12, to be organized by the Global Forum and other collaborators. Key scientists, decision-makers, ocean and coastal managers and other practitioners will lead these sessions. Preparation for these panels and for the Global Ocean Policy Day will involve the development of a number of peer-reviewed policy briefs (aimed at high-level decision-makers and the public) on major climate/oceans themes. A Science Advisory Group involving key scientists from around the world are advising on the planning efforts and are carrying out peer-reviews of the policy briefs, and will be participating in the climate/oceans panels and in the Global Ocean Policy Day.

The Global Forum will actively participate in the preparation of the Manado Ocean Declaration, expected to lay out specific policy recommendations for high-level leaders.

The Global Forum will plan to institutionalize the High-Level Ministerial Oceans Roundtable as part of the Global Forum’s Global Ocean Conferences post-Manado.

3. PLANNING FOR 2010 GLOBAL OCEANS CONFERENCE

The 5th Global Oceans Conference: Advancing Integrated Ocean Governance at National, Regional, and Global levels will be held May 3-7, 2010 at UNESCO in Paris, France. The Global Conference is organized by the Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands, in collaboration with other main organizers from intergovernmental, governmental, and non-governmental entities. Other key ocean-oriented entities, industry, and scientific groups are being invited, as well, to play pivotal roles in the organization of the Conference and the dissemination of its outputs.

The Conference, which will, in part, celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO and the International Year of Biodiversity 2010, will address the following themes:

•    Oceans, Climate and Security: Major Issues in Mitigation, Adaptation, and Financing
•    Integrated Marine and Coastal Policies: Best Practices at National and Regional Levels
•    Progress Markers in Achieving Integrated Ecosystem-Based Management by 2010, Including

Linkages to Freshwater
• Marine Biodiversity (2010) and Networks of Marine Protected Areas (2012), and celebrating the 2010

International Year of Biodiversity
• Next Steps in Building Consensus on Integrated Governance of Marine Areas Beyond National

     Jurisdiction
•    Enhancing United Nations Capacity to Respond to Cross-Cutting Issues in Ocean Governance
•    Mobilizing to Support Capacity Development in Developing Countries and Small Island Developing

States (SIDS)
• Mobilizing the Public and the Private Sector for Global Ocean Stewardship

The Global Conference will feature:\

• A Technical Symposium on Ocean Governance, May 3-4, 2010
• High-level National Officials Roundtable, Meetings of Special Networks (The Ocean Parliamentarians;

Local and Regional Authorities), and Meetings of Global Forum Working Groups, May 5
• The Policy Conference (Plenary Sessions, Concurrent Policy Dialogues, Charting the Course for the

Next Phase), May 6 and 7

4. OCEAN/CLIMATE STRATEGY/VISION/LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR HIGH-LEVEL DECISIONMAKERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD (FOCUS ON PERMANENT OCEAN OFFICIALS IN-COUNTRY AND PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES TO THE UN)

This activity aims to foster the development of “ocean leadership” among high-level decision-makers, including both the highest level permanent officials at national levels and in the UN country missions in New York.

Definition of Ocean Leadership

The goal of ocean leadership is the development of a broad vision and skills to be able to address the thorny issues related to oceans, coasts, small island developing States, biodiversity, and climate in an integrated manner, and increasing understanding of the interrelationships among issues and the impacts of uses and activities on the marine environment and on each other. While rooted in the context, culture, and experience of a particular country, an ocean leader will have the ability to understand the complex interplay among international, national, and local policies and politics which typically shapes actions in the oceans area.

The ocean leader will have a deep appreciation of the meaning of ocean stewardship, of public benefits from sustainable ocean use, and of his/her personal responsibility to future generations, to his/her nation, and to the global community in this regard. The ocean leader will have, as well, the capacity to think, act, and negotiate strategically to advance stewardship of oceans at national and international levels. The ocean leader will have the capacity to negotiate strategically with other countries and the private sector to insure that the ocean resources in the areas of his/her national jurisdiction are used sustainably and for the benefit of the country’s public and especially of its coastal communities.

The ocean leader will have sufficient knowledge and understanding of marine science, economics, public administration, and politics, to enable him/her to formulate and implement ocean policies in an effective and efficient manner and with lasting benefits to the public and to coastal communities.

This training will combine the following aspects: 1) substantive aspects related to the interplay of oceans, coasts, climate, and biodiversity and related international and national frameworks; 2) leadership skills; 3) negotiation skills.

The training will target the highest level permanent officials in developing countries and SIDS as well as country officials in the United Nations Missions in New York (responsible for international negotiations). Special emphasis will be put on the following groups of countries:

• Coral Triangle Initiative Countries (Indonesia, Timor Leste, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea,

     and Solomon Islands)
•    51 Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
•    Countries in the Western Indian Ocean region and Agulhas and Somali Currents Large Marine

Ecosystem
• The 8 countries in the Community of Portuguese-Speaking Nations (Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Cape

Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor Leste)

Specific Modules in this Training Program may include: 1) Implementation of WSSD targets on oceans, coasts, and SIDS: State-of-the Art: a) Status of Ecosystems and Resources; and b) How Well are We Doing?; 2) Effective Communication, Negotiation, and Decision-making; 3) Oceans and Climate Change: a) Developing Strategies and Linkages Among Management Initiatives; b) Putting Oceans in the Climate Agenda, c) Addressing Climate Change Impacts on Vulnerable Ecosystems and Communities.

The Ocean Leadership Training Program will be developed and delivered, with partners, initially in English. Subsequently, the program may be delivered in different languages together with leading partners from different countries.

5. PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH

The Global Forum will collaborate with the World Ocean Network (WON) (reaching more than 250 museums and aquaria around the world), the World Ocean Observatory (WOO), and other groups specializing in public outreach to craft and disseminate messages to the public to promote appropriate individual and social behavior toward the oceans, in conjunction with the world’s museums and aquaria. In 2009, this work will be especially devoted to oceans and climate to coincide with the Global Forum’s efforts associated with the 2009 World Ocean Conference and the UNFCCC negotiations. A series of public-oriented briefings focused on the oceans/climate priority areas to be covered at WOC2009 will be prepared and widely disseminated in print form as well as in other media.