Role of Oceans in Sustainable Development, Climate Regulation

ICP-12. photo source:iisd

If you take the time to read the report by the International Programme on State of the Oceans (IPSO)--it would scare you. I am presuming that you aren't already aware that changes in the oceans are being driven at an extraordinary pace, entailing a dramatic rise in the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. But even if you were, it will still scare you!

plenary session.photo source:iisd

The UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process (ICP) on Oceans and the Law of the Sea meeting (20-24 June 2011) on the theme “contributing to the assessment, in the context of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), of progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development and addressing new and emerging challenges” ended.

But what concerned me about it was that everyone talked about how Rio +20 presents an opportunity for governments to protect and conserve the wealth of life that inhabited the world’s international waters. But I personally feel that too many hopes, and objectives are being placed on the UN Conference on Sustainable Development and the pragmatic side of me has decided that the event is doomed to fail. Recent negotiations (such as UNFCCC and UNCSD-19) have failed to reach agreements. Why do we think Rio+20 will succeed? Civil Society seem to be placing unrealistically high expectations on this three day event. The hopeful part of me wishes that I could do the same.

High Seas Alliance reception. photo source:iisd/

Experts highlighted "the combination of stressors on the ocean are creating the conditions associated with every previous mass extinction of species in history; the speed and rate of ocean degeneration is far greater than predicted; many of the negative impacts previously identified are greater than the worst predictions; and, though difficult to assess due to the unprecedented rate of change, the first steps towards a global extinction may have begun with a rise in the extinction threat to marine species such as reef-forming corals".

Global extinction is a huge concept to consider. We already know we are the only species who are destroying our own habitat. Daily animals, plants and languages are becoming extinct.

It was a necessary event that highlighted the existing challenges (the impacts of bottom trawling, ballast water and marine noise), new and emerging challenges (whether there is a need for an implementing agreement to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); changes in fish migratory patterns in the tropics and respective consequences for tropical developing countries; the importance of marine spatial planning for climate change adaptation; the need for inclusion of ocean-related discussions in the Durban Climate Change Conference in December 2011; linkages between harmful subsidies and overfishing; and the role of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)). I think it is clear that we need implementation more than hollow agreements. We need action rather than discussions about solutions.

Everyone discusses "renewing" or "creating" political will but I think we need to energize public participation and act as a catalyst for change by somehow creating a plan to kick start the public into putting the necessary pressure on their governments to change things.

What is becoming increasingly clear is that this needs to be done now!