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It has been almost a decade since many important new agreements on oceans and coasts were adopted at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro (United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED)), including Chapter 17 of Agenda 21, and the oceans-related aspects of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Since that time, too, the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea has come into force, and several modifications to the convention--related to straddling stocks and to deepseabed mining --have been adopted. There has been much investment in the management of coastal and marine areas by national and international donors, and the number of nations undertaking coastal and ocean management has increased significantly. International entities have done extensive work in providing guidance for sustainable development of coastal and marine resources, and national governments and communities are increasingly experimenting with models of management emphasizing sustainable development, integration, and the precautionary approach. Many efforts at building capacity in ocean and coastal management have been undertaken, and the scientific basis for management has improved substantially during this period.
The Global Conference on Oceans and Coasts at Rio+10: Assessing Progress, Addressing Continuing and New Challenges, to be held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on December 3 through 7, 2001, is intended to provide an overall assessment of progress achieved on oceans and coasts since the Earth Summit and to provide input to the discussions by governments which will take place in Septemeber 2002 when nations around the world will converge at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio+10) in Johannesburg, South Africa, to assess progress made in the implementation of all aspects of the world agenda on environment and development agreed to at the 1992 Earth Summit.
The conference will:
- Provide an assessment of progress achieved in all aspects of the post-UNCED agenda on oceans and coasts;
- Identify continuing, persisting challenges that need to be addressed with renewed commitment;
- Identify new challenges that are arising and need to be addressed;
- Examine cross-cutting issues among various ocean and coastal sectors;
- Consider options for concerted action on outstanding cross-sectoral issues;
- Provide input to the oceans and coasts agenda of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Rio+10) planned for September 2002.
- Implementation and harmonization of the major ocean-related agreements (e.g., Law of the Sea, Biodiversity, Climate Change)
- Implementation of the Rio Principles on Environment and Development
- Implementation of the oceans and coasts chapter of Agenda 21 (Chapter 17), especially:
- Integrated coastal management and management of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs)
-Global plan of action for the control of land-based sources of marine pollution
- Management of marine living resources (in EEZs, in high seas; special problems such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing)
- Management of marine protected areas
- Status of marine biodiversity, critical habitats, and species at risk
- Climate change effects in coastal areas
- Small island issues
- Cross-cutting issues and institutional framework for ocean governance
- Capacity building in ocean and coastal science
and management
- Global governance framework (including regional level)
- mechanisms for intersectoral discussion on oceans
at global level
- Addressing persistent challenges with renewed commitment
- Emerging issues in coastal and ocean management
- Addressing new challenges
- Issues for the global agenda on oceans and coasts in the next decade
On all of these topics, implementation has occurred at the international, national, and subnational levels. The conference encourages papers that provide a synthetic overview of the effectiveness of implementation activities and initiatives at each of these levels.
The conference has been stimulated by the NGO (nongovern- mental organization) community and is organized in collaboration with intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), especially the agencies represented on the UN Administrative Committee on Coordination, Subcommittee on Oceans and Coastal Areas (ACC-SOCA), and with governmental personnel from countries with a special interest in the oceans (see Conference Organizing Committee in box). Conference panels feature speakers from these three communities: NGOs, IGOs, and Governments.
The conference will be held on December 3-7, 2001, in order to insure that conference outputs may be taken into consideration at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (September 2002, in Johannesburg, South Africa). The conference will be held at UNESCO headquarters and is hosted by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission IOC, UNESCO.
Conference support (financial and in-kind) is kindly provided by governments, private foundations, NGOs, and intergovernmental organizations. Funding contributions are noted, with sincere appreciation, in the Conference financial suppport box.
Two major conference outputs are planned:
The publication of a Conference Findings volume that will summarize the findings and recommendations for each major conference topic, and which will be distributed to all government delegations involved in the World Summit for Sustainable Development and to other relevant parties.
The publication of a book, and special issues in several international journals (such as Ocean & Coastal Management, Coastal Management, Marine Policy, and the International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law) bringing together various clusters of papers and commentaries presented at the conference.
Invited Speakers
Presentation of papers and commentaries at the conference is by invitation. Invited speakers are requested to provide synthetic and critical analyses and recommendations on selected issues in sustainable development of oceans and coasts at the global, regional, and national levels. We kindly ask that participants don't spend time describing their own programs but instead focus on drawing lessons with broad relevance to other cases. Papers and commentaries should fulfill the following objectives:
- Assess the status of the selected issue since UNCED 1992 in terms of accomplishments and constraints;
- Present the major trends and patterns in the area, particularly in terms of policy changes;
- Identify major new developments and outstanding problems needing further attention in the field;
- Provide concrete examples of governmental, intergovernmental, and nongovernmental successful or promising efforts; and
- Provide concrete recommendations to the international community for the next ten years.
- Papers (up to 20 pages in length) must be submitted by September 1, 2001.
For each major topic, a working group will be organized to assess the information presented at the conference and to prepare a report on the resulting findings and the recommendations. The nine working groups are:
- Harmonizing International Agreements;
- Targeting Donor Aid;
- Assessing and Managing the Marine Environment;
- Marine Biodiversity and Protected Areas;
- Integrated Ocean and Coastal Management;
- Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture;
- Regional and Small Island Perspectives;
- Capacity Building; and
- Emerging Issues and Governance Improvements.
The report will be included in the Conference Findings volume that will be presented to the World Summit on Sustainable Development to be held in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 2002. To facilitate the work of the working groups, a Steering Committee has been appointed for each working group, representing the governmental, intergovernmental, and nongovernmental sectors and the different regions. Before the conference, the working groups will work in cooperation with the chairs and the participants of relevant panels to share existing information, collect additional information, address key questions, and provide recommendations to the conference. During the conference, the working group chair will lead working group sessions to further refine the report and provide additional inputs to the conference (conference time for the working groups has been set aside in the evenings).
For further information, please review the Working Group Terms of Reference, available in PDF format.
Presentation of papers and commentaries at the conference is by invitation. The participation in the conference of representatives of ocean and coastal NGOs, IGOs, and governments relevant to the Rio+10 assessment of oceans and coasts are kindly invited. Individuals and institutions wishing to participate in the conference are requested to fill out and send in the Conference Application Form.
Groups and individuals not involved in the presentation of papers and commentaries may present information on their views relevant to the Rio+10 assessment to the Secretariats for possible distribution at the conference. This information should be presented in summary form (no longer than 3 pages) by September 1, 2001.
For Accommodations and Local Information please click here
There is a conference registration fee of $250 USD (Due to the recent tragedy, the early registration fee has been extended to November 15, 2001) and a late registration fee of $400.00 USD after November 15, 2001 (until December 1, 2001) to cover Conference materials, receptions, and refreshments.
Pre-registration is required. No registration will be taken at the Conference
For questions please contact:
Catherine Johnston
Center for the Study of Marine Policy, University of Delaware
Robinson Hall 301
Newark, DE, 19716, USA
Tel: 1-302-831-8086
Fax: 1-302-831-3668
e-mail: johnston@udel.edu
Two Conference Secretariats will collaborate in the organization and conduct of the conference.
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) hosts the meeting and oversees all arrangements related to the conduct of the conference at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, including facilitating the travel and housing of conference participants.
The Center for the Study of Marine Policy (CSMP) at the University of Delaware, USA, serves as the organizer of the conference program in collaboration with IOC and the organizing committee, and handles the organization of working groups, proceedings, and publications.
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