keynote presentation: chris o’brien, regional coordinator, bay of bengal lme project, fao
TRANSCRIPT
GEF International Waters Science Conference 2012 Bangkok, Thailand – 24 to 26 September 2012
Open oceans science in the GEFChris O’Brien FAO
5
Open ocean
10,000 m
200 m
Wikipedia
Open ocean: a history of open access
Overfishing of highly migratory species
Ocean fertilization
Extraction of hydrocarbons and mineral exploration
Maritime shipping Plastics in the
food chain
Marine debris and pollution
Physical and chemical changes in ocean waters
IUU Fishing
and multiple threats
ISA
UNGAIOC-UNESCO
IMO
FAO, UNEP, U
NDP UNDOALOS
ICP
IUCN
UN-Oceans
Rachael Koch
ISA
UNGAIOC-UNESCO
IMO
FAO, UNEP, U
NDP UNDOALOS
ICP
PERSGA, OSPAR, C
TI
Seascapes RFB / RFMOsLMEs
Regional SeasIU
CN
UN-Oceans
ISA
IOC-UNESCO
IMO
FAO, UNEP, U
NDP UNDOALOS
ICP
PERSGA, OSPAR, C
TI
Seascapes RFB / RFMOsLMEs
Regional Seas
CBD
CCRF
MARPOLCMS
UNCLOS
CITESGESAMP
IUCN. WW
F
IUCN
UNGAUN-Oceans
Open ocean science
NOAA
Open ocean science
• Oceanography• Climate• Fisheries• Seabed mining• Biodiversity• Ecosystem research
NOAA
The GEF open ocean science activities: • are few• answer governance questions• support other initiatives
GEF open ocean science activities: • species inventories• modelling ecosystems• oceanography• productivity
The open ocean science activities: Global sustainable fisheries management and biodiversity conservation in the areas beyond national jurisdiction
• basic ecological and biological data collection (incl bycatch)
• risk assessments of critical habitats
• technological development of electronic compliance techniques and bycatch mitigation
• social and economic analyses
The open ocean science activities:
Nothing is ‘off the table’
(if it answers a management question)
The open ocean science activities:
Nothing is ‘off the table’
(if it answers a management question)
but high cost of ocean research and long term commitments may limit GEF participation
IW Science Instructions:
• Give a synthesis of the science• Best practice examples• Reflect on portfolio performance and highlight
key persistent and emerging issues
IW Science Instructions:
key persistent and emerging issues
• climate change, acidification and atmospheric change
• life history, ecology and conservation of transboundary stocks
• multiple stressors, tipping points and resilience of coupled social ecological systems.
Emerging issuesIts not about the type of the science !Its about dry issues:• ensure the ProDoc and TDAs science is comprehensive
and interpreted correctly (scientific rigour)
• better coordinate and integrate the scientific activities of the different agencies involved
• improve the communication of scientific outputs to policymakers and managers
• Ensure essential information is collected analysed and used (ocean indicators)
Emerging issues• Adjust administration to encourage:
focal area funds to be combined
Contracts with ‘other’ bodies
support to agencies that undertake the required/desired programmes of work
beneficiaries to fund indicators science as part of
their cofinancing
Major science needs:
• improving understanding of critical natural processes
• effective governance
ISA
IOC-UNESCO
IMO
FAO, UNEP, U
NDP UNDOALOS
ICP
PERSGA, OSPAR, C
TI
Seascapes RFB / RFMOsLMEs
Regional Seas
CBD
CCRF
MARPOLCMS
UNCLOS
CITESGESAMP
IUCN. WW
F
IUCN
UNGAUN-Oceans
Rachael Koch