GLOBAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE MARINE
World Water Week Series
21st August 2006
ENVIRONMENT FROM LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES
Issue 1
WELCOME
Welcome to the first edition of the World Water Week
Special Series of GPA Outreach newsletter. GPA
Outreach is a monthly newsletter designed to keep you
up-to-date on the planning and preparatory events of the
Second Intergovernmental Review Meeting (IGR-2) of the
UNEP Global Programme of Action for the Protection of
the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA),
which will take place in Beijing from 16 20 October 2006.
The Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the
The theme for the World Water Week is Beyond the River Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA),
Sharing Benefits and Responsibilities. Human activities, adopted by 108 Governments and the European
policies and natural systems form a complex web and the Commission in 1995, is one important response to these
theme reflects that what happens in society and through problems. Furthermore, it is the only global mechanism
policy has implications far beyond the river, the people and explicitly addressing linkages among coastal, marine and
the sector with which political decisions and activities are freshwater environments. The GPA has catalysed many
associated.
Similarly,
links
between
land,
water, governments around the world to build institutional
ecosystems
and
other
natural
resources
provide capacities, and review legislative frameworks and
opportunities and challenges for appraising collaboration, environmental policies for the sustainable management of
technological
improvement,
development
and the marine and coastal environment. The GPA has raised
management.¹
international awareness and facilitated action to address
the environmental dimension of urban sanitation and
In our efforts to approach water management in an municipal wastewater, and the physical alteration and
integrated and holistic manner, we must remember the destruction of habitats. It is also recognised as a valuable
intrinsic links that exist between freshwater and oceans. tool for achieving internationally agreed goals and targets,
Oceans have become the final destination for municipal including those associated with the Millennium Declaration
sewage and solid waste, litter, chemical discharges from and the Mauritius Strategy on Small Island Developing
factories, fertilizer run-off and other pollution, much of States. This was reaffirmed in Paragraph 33 of the
which is transported to oceans by streams and rivers. The Johannesburg Plan of Implementation which, in addition to
effects of this pollution are detrimental for the biodiversity endorsing the GPA, calls upon States to: "Make every
and productivity of estuaries and near-shore coastal effort to achieve substantial progress by the next GPA
waters. The health, well-being, and in some cases the very conference in 2006 to protect the marine environment from
survival of coastal populations depend largely upon the land-based activities."
health and maintenance of the coastal ecosystems.
This Special Series of GPA Outreach, produced daily at
World Water Week in Stockholm aims to spread the
message of the importance of linking coastal, marine and
Facts About the GPA:
freshwater environments and to raise awareness about the
· The GPA was adopted by 108 Governments and the
important role of the Global Programme of Action. Over
European Commission in 1995.
the week, this newsletter will provide information about the
· It targets major threats to the health, productivity and
GPA and upcoming IGR-2, details of GPA-related
biodiversity of the marine and coastal environment resulting
activities taking place at the World Water Week, brief
from human activities on land.
profiles of partnerships developed to implement the GPA,
· The GPA proposes an integrated, multi-sectoral approach
and related articles of interest.
based on commitment to action at local, national, regional
and global levels.
We hope this newsletter will not only inform you, but also
· It is an important global mechanism that explicitly addresses inspire you to become involved in GPA events at the
the linkages between freshwater, coastal and marine
World Water Week and beyond.
environments.
¹ www.worldwaterweek.org
GPA Outreach supports the preparatory work for the Second Intergovernmental Review Meeting (IGR-2) of the
Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities (GPA)
This World Water Week Series of GPA Outreach is produced by
Stakeholder Forum and the Global Forum on Oceans Coasts and
Islands, in collaboration with the UNEP/GPA Coordination Office and
the Stockholm Intern G
ati P
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e. h · World Water Week Series
1
GLOBAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE MARINE
World Water Week Series
21st August 2006
ENVIRONMENT FROM LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES
Issue 1
LINKING THE MANAGEMENT OF FRESHWATER AND OCEANS
Human activities and their impacts on river basins are Freshwater to Oceans Linkages Highlighted at the 4th
intrinsically linked to problems in the marine environment. World Water Forum
Pollution discharges, increased freshwater use, land use Two sessions at the 4th World Water Forum highlighted
practices, river regulation works and water resource the inextricable connection between freshwater and
development projects all have a crucial impact on coastal oceans and made specific recommendations for creating
and ocean resources and may place the viability of coastal linkages among management regimes for watersheds,
economic activities at risk. Increased demands for food by river basins, coasts, and oceans.
an expanding global population have necessitated a rapid
growth of the agricultural sector in recent decades. The Strengthening Crosscutting Schemes Toward the
widespread and heavy use of fertilizers employed by Integrated Management of Rivers and Coasts, hosted
modern agriculture hundreds of kilometres from the coast by Mexico's Ministry of Environment and Natural
is making nutrient over-enrichment and eutrophication an Resources (SEMARNAT) and the Global Environmental
increasingly hot issue in coastal waters. Oxygen depleted Facility (GEF), addressed the need for: crosscutting
"dead zones" have been a rapidly expanding problem interventions along the watershed to protect coastal areas
during the last decades in, for example, the Gulf of Mexico from land-based sources of pollution; raising awareness
adjacent to the Mississippi River delta, the Baltic Sea and that solutions to coastal pollution problems often must be
South China Sea. On the other hand, freshwater flows are internalized by freshwater basin managers as part of the
critical to the health and productivity of estuaries and IWRM and ICM (integrated coastal management)
coastal waters. Increased demand of freshwater, mainly processes; encouraging integrated and shared policies for
for irrigated agriculture (80% of water use) and urban freshwater and coastal zones users; sharing practical
development are depleting freshwater flows and damaging experiences and best management practices on linking
coastal
watershed, river basin, and coastal management.
ecosystems
Continued on Page 3
and
their
vital
Coastal Area Management) expert group to promote and
functions as guide the management link. The Global Forum on Oceans,
spawning
Coasts and Islands established the Task Force on Linking
and nursery Freshwater to Oceans and organized the Lisbon and Paris
grounds for conferences in 2005/06 to promote linkages between
coastal
freshwater and oceans.
fisheries.
Forthcoming Publications
The GPA and its partners will issue two publications on
River basins and the marine environment share common linking the management of freshwaters to oceans in the
problems and therefore require common solutions. The next few months as a preparation for the IGR-2 meeting in
separate
efforts
of
ocean
management,
coastal October. The ICARM Casebook will capture the lessons
management and river basin management are not able to learned from practical cases on linking the management of
achieve their shared objectives. An integrated, ecosystem- rivers and coasts. Case studies for some 20 river-coast
based approach is needed, linking the management of systems will be analyzed to assess the need for and
river basins, coasts and oceans. The required scale of the benefits of linking management. Measures taken and
area of integrated management is defined by the extent of constraints and challenges encountered in establishing a
the priority problems themselves, their driving forces, the management link will be examined. An ICARM Progress
extension of their impacts and anticipated societal Marker report will give guidance on assessing progress
responses. Defining the management area in such a way- towards linking the management of catchments and
as a `problem-shed'- may easily allow for the inclusion of coasts. The specific objectives are to sketch a roadmap,
groundwaters, air deposition, and river catchments in to identify subsequent phases and outcomes, and to set
marine management approaches.
adequate markers to guide and provide a yardstick for
assessing progress.
Activities
The Global Programme of Action and freshwater-coast Martin Adriaanse
partners established at the WSSD in 2002 the FreshCo UNEP/GPA Coordination Office
partnership and developed a series of activities, such as m.adriaanse@unep.nl
workshops, pilot projects, and an ICARM (Integrated
GPA Outreach · World Water Week Series
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GLOBAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE MARINE
World Water Week Series
21st August 2006
ENVIRONMENT FROM LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES
Issue 1
LINKING THE MANAGEMENT OF FRESHWATER AND OCEANS cont.
The International Workshop on Freshwater-Coastal- "hydro-solidarity" between "upstream" and "downstream"
Marine Management Interlinkages was held on January stakeholders. Finding models for how these interests can
10-11, 2006 in Mexico City, organized by the Consejo be reconciled is an urgent and challenging task.
Consultivo del Agua - Mexico, The Mexican Ministry of
Environment and Natural Resources, Centro EPOMEX, Challenges and constraints
the Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands, UNEP/ Workshop participants identified several challenges and
GPA and other collaborating organizations. Thirty-nine constraints to achieving commitment, coordination and
(39) experts from 29 countries participated in the even
communication
on
linked
management
of
workshop.
catchments
and
coasts/oceans.
These
included:
institutional inadequacies; lack of awareness; limited
Background
information and analysis of linked issues; and that river
The World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), basin
management/integrated
water
resources
in 2002, called for all countries to develop Integrated management and coastal/ocean management policies
Water Management Strategies by the end of 2005. These represent two different traditions, with different disciplines
strategies are intended to build national and regional and networks, with little communication between them.
efforts to tackle specific water challenges. Similarly, the
WSSD, as well as the MDGs, called for all countries to Management options - What could be done?
create systems for integrated coastal and ocean Participants noted the obvious benefits of linked
management to address downstream issues in coastal management, namely the scope it provides to ensure that
areas, in oceans, and in Small Island Developing States.
development activities upstream are planned and
implemented with full knowledge of the potential impacts
Today, it is important to address the challenge of linking on the ecosystems and economic activities and livelihoods
freshwater to coasts and oceans from a new collaborative in the coastal and marine areas. In light of this, they
perspective that examines how decision-making and proposed numerous recommendations on how to advance
institutional arrangements can be aligned to achieve a true integrated management approaches:
At the global scale:
Continued from Page 2
· Link the coastal/ocean and freshwater communities at
Progress made in Mexico connecting freshwater and
important events by creating shared agendas, such as
oceans institutions at the national level and in the
Yucatan Peninsula was highlighted. Presenters focused
the World Water Week in Stockholm
on the role of the GEF in supporting freshwater to oceans · Develop a program of collaboration between global
projects worldwide, enabling progress to be made
oceans organizations and global water organizations
through institutionalization of watershed/river basin/
· Operationalize the intended management link in the
coastal management linkages at local and regional levels.
concrete support of such initiatives/targets like IWRM
2005 through, e.g., the IWRM InfoForum; in updating
Management Link for Freshwater and Coasts
the definition of ICM, broadening the scope from the
Progress in Local Actions, hosted by UNEP/GPA,
terrestrial zone to watersheds and oceans;
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/
· Enforce the development of capabilities and common
National Ocean Service (NOAA/NOS); the Global Forum
standards, methodologies, and indicators in linking
on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands, in collaboration with
SEMARNAT, Instituto Politecnico National, Mexico,
freshwater to coasts to oceans.
Centro de Ecología, Pesquerías y Oceanografía del Golfo At the regional/national scale:
de México (EPOMEX), Mexico, and the UNEP Regional · Focus not only on assessing interlinkages but take
Office for the Latin America and the Caribbean focused
concrete next steps to establish multi-sectoral policies,
on lessons learned from specific case studies of
institutional frameworks, stakeholder participation in
freshwater-to-oceans linkages, including the example of
policy making and planning across the freshwater-
Chilika
Lagoon,
India,
which
highlights
specific
coastal interface.
socioeconomic improvements derived from linking · Promote GPA National Programmes of Action in the
watershed/river basin/coastal management. The GPA
context of IWRM and Water Efficiency plans and Large
was highlighted as the major global program linking
Marine Ecosystem initiatives.
freshwater to oceans, and several cases of developing
GPA National Programmes of Action in the Wider · Consider and respond to the difficulties that national
Caribbean were presented. Participants also discussed
authorities face in implementing multiple mandates.
the opportunity for further developing specific programs of
work for linking freshwater to oceans at global, national, The full workshop report is available at
and subnational levels.
www.globaloceans.org/freshwater/index.html
GPA Outreach · World Water Week Series
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GLOBAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE MARINE
World Water Week Series
21st August 2006
ENVIRONMENT FROM LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES
Issue 1
IGR-2 UPDATE
About the IGR-2
IGR-2 Update aims to provide
key information about the
Second
Intergovernmental
Review Meeting of the Global
Programme of Action for the
Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based address the GPA's contribution to key international goals
Activities. Articles in this World Water Week Series of and targets such as: The International Decade for Action:
GPA Outreach will include details on the IGR-2 `Water is Life', 2005-2015; ecosystem approach as per the
preparatory process, agenda, and supporting documents.
JPOI 2010 target; and sanitation target of the JPOI 2015.
The Ministerial/High-level Segment is expected to endorse
On 16-20 October 2006, the Second Intergovernmental the Beijing Declaration on furthering the implementation of
Review Meeting (IGR-2) of the UNEP Global Programme the GPA. The Declaration is expected to focus on
of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment improving the implementation of the GPA through
from Land-based Activities (GPA) will be held in Beijing, mainstreaming and integrating the GPA into international
China. The Intergovernmental Review Meetings are a and national development planning, improving coastal and
forum where Governments and other stakeholders meet to ocean governance, building partnerships and ensuring
review the status of the implementation of the Global adequate financing.
Programme of Action and decide on action to be taken to
strengthen the implementation of the GPA.
The preparatory process for the IGR-2 is well underway.
An informal preparatory meeting was held in Paris from
The First Intergovernmental Review Meeting (IGR-1) was 27-28 June at the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable
held in Montreal, Canada in November 2001. More than Development of the Government of France. Over 45
300 participants from over 80 countries took part in the representatives participated and provided substantive and
meeting. IGR-1 was instrumental in furthering the technical comments on various draft IGR-2 official
implementation of the GPA such that it is now recognised documents. In addition, a series of consultations have
as a valuable tool for furthering ecosystem approaches to been organised by the UNEP/GPA Coordination Office to
coasts, oceans and island management.
gather feedback on various agenda items of IGR-2. A
number of partners and organisations have offered their
Building on the outcomes of the IGR-1, representatives support to this process. To this end, Stakeholder Forum
from
governments,
intergovernmental
organisations, for a Sustainable Future is partnering with UNEP/GPA to
NGOs and other groups are expected to participate in conduct stakeholder consultations in preparation for the
IGR-2 in a results-oriented meeting. The objectives of the IGR-2. The purpose of these dialogues is to enable a
Second Intergovernmental Review Meeting of the GPA broad range of local, national, and regional stakeholders
(IGR-2) are to:
(including those who are unable to attend the IGR-2 in
· Strengthen the implementation of the Global
China) to share their positions and experiences on
Programme of Action at national, regional and global
protection of the marine environment in advance of the
levels.
IGR-2.
· Contribute to the achievement of specific targets of the
Johannesburg Plan of Implementation (JPOI) as they
An IGR-2 High Level Steering Committee has also been
relate to the Global Programme of Action, ecosystem
formed. This important Committee will provide strategic
approach, and sanitation.
policy guidance to UNEP/GPA Coordination Office during
· Provide guidance on the Programme of Work for the
the preparations for IGR-2 and assist UNEP/GPA
UNEP/GPA Coordination Office for the period 2007-
Coordination Office in the meeting itself.
2011.
For more information on the IGR-2, please visit
The expected outcomes of IGR-2 will include approval of www.gpa.unep.org
the UNEP/GPA Coordination Office Programme of Work
for the period 2007- 2011, which includes activities to
GPA Outreach · World Water Week Series
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GLOBAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE MARINE
World Water Week Series
21st August 2006
ENVIRONMENT FROM LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES
Issue 1
New Report on Meeting Global Commitments on Oceans, Coasts, Freshwater, and Islands
The world's political leaders made significant progress at · Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Oceans,
the global level at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable
with the goal to undertake a comprehensive review of
Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa, by
the implementation of the 1994 Barbados Programme of
agreeing to a common set of goals and targets (many with
Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island
specific timeframes) related to oceans, coasts, freshwater,
Developing States.
and small island developing States. Similarly, in the · Sustainable Development of Fisheries, including:
Millennium Development Goals, most recently affirmed in
implementing the FAO International Plan of Action to
2005, the world's political leaders agreed on a specific set
Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal, Unreported, and
of goals with targets and timetables emphasizing
Unregulated (IUU) Fishing by 2004; implementing the
measures to lift the world's poor out of poverty and to
FAO International Plan of Action for the Management of
achieve healthful conditions for all.
Fishing Capacity by 2005; eliminating subsidies that
contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing
Meeting the Commitments on
and to overcapacity; and maintaining or restoring
Oceans,
Coasts,
and
Small
depleted fish stocks no later than 2015.
Island Developing States Made at
· Integrated Water Resource Management, developing
the 2002 World Summit on
integrated water resource management plans by 2005.
Sustainable Development: How
· A Global Marine Assessment, to establish a regular
Well Are We Doing? Released by
process under the United Nations for global reporting
the Global Forum on Oceans,
and assessment of the state of the marine environment,
Coasts, and Islands in June 2006, it
including socioeconomic aspects, by 2004.
considers the activities undertaken
· Coordination of UN Activities on Oceans, with the
to date, and assesses how well we
goal to establish an effective, transparent and regular
are doing on implementing these
inter-agency coordination mechanism on ocean and
commitments. The report (funded
coastal issues within the United Nations system.
by the GEF and many other
partners) builds on discussions held by experts from 78 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Related to
countries at the Third Global Conference on Oceans, Oceans, Coasts, and Islands
Coasts, and Islands, Moving the Global Oceans Agenda · Goal 1: Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Forward, held at UNESCO, Paris, January 23-28, 2006. · Goal 7: Ensure environmental sustainability
The report reviews the available information and provides · Goal 8: Develop a global partnership for
a bottom line of progress achieved so far on each of the
development, to address the special needs of
following goals:
landlocked countries and small island developing
States.
WSSD Goals Related to Oceans, Coasts, Freshwater, Also addressed is the commitment made by world leaders
and Small Island States
·
in 2005 to improve cooperation and coordination at all
The
Ecosystem
Approach
and
Integrated levels in order to address issues related to oceans and
Management, including encouraging the application of seas in an integrated manner and promote integrated
the ecosystem approach by 2010, promotion of management and sustainable development of the oceans
integrated coastal and ocean management, and and seas.
assistance to developing countries in coordinating
policies and programs at the regional and sub-regional The UN Commission on Sustainable Development is not
levels.
·
scheduled to review progress on the ocean and coastal
Protection of the Marine Environment from Land- related goals until 2014, so this type of periodic informal
based Activities, advancing implementation of the assessment is especially important. By 2014 many of the
Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the target dates will have already passed and it may be too
Marine Environment from Land-based Activities and the late to refocus attention on the problems that need
Montreal Declaration on the Protection of the Marine attention now.
Environment from Land-based Activities.
· Biodiversity and Marine Protected Areas, including The Bottom Line
achieving a significant reduction in the current rate of · There is considerable experience with coastal
biodiversity
loss
by
2010,
and
establishing
management, covering land and nearshore waters,
representative networks of marine protected areas by
with about 100 countries having established such
2012.
programs.
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GLOBAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE MARINE
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ENVIRONMENT FROM LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES
Issue 1
Continued from Page 5
promising developments. In some areas, such as
· Progress is being made on the key goal of securing integrated coastal and ocean management, GPA,
water for all, while being responsive to environmental protection of marine biodiversity, integrated water
and societal considerations. About 70 countries have resources management, and UN coherence, some very
developed or are developing IWRM plans.
tangible progress is being made, often with specific efforts
· Over 60 countries are in the process of developing, or underway in a growing number of countries. In other areas
have finalized National Programmes of Action (for such as fisheries and global marine assessment, the
control of land-based activities), with support from progress has been slower, but especially in fisheries, the
UNEP/GPA and the international community.
groundwork seems to have been established for enhanced
· Important initiatives to protect marine biodiversity are progress in the next phase. On SIDS and oceans, while
underway at both national and regional levels. In the the 2005 Mauritius International Strategy has been
national reports to the Convention on Biological adopted, its implementation is in doubt if financial
Diversity, 51 out of 72 reporting countries note that resources and institutional capacity are not enhanced.
they have designated Marine Protected Areas SIDS need assistance and collaboration from the
(MPAs) and/or have plans to improve existing MPAs; 37 international community to enhance their capacity to
countries report that development of an MPA system or delimit, manage, and enforce their ocean areas. The least
network is underway, while 21 countries report that an progress appears to be taking place in meeting the MDGs.
MPA system or network is already in place.
In this regard, it is imperative that, increasingly, ocean and
· With regard to integrated management of ocean waters coastal management programs address poverty reduction
further offshore encompassing the 200-mile Exclusive as central goals. It is imperative, as well, that the welfare
Economic Zones (EEZs), a growing number of of coastal populations--their health, food security, quality
countries--about
40--are
developing
or
are of life, and the benefits they derive from the coastal and
implementing
integrated
national
ocean
policies marine resources they own be periodically measured to
covering the EEZ areas.
assess the extent to which any of the MDGs and WSSD
· Many Small Island Developing States lack specific goals are making the needed difference on the ground.
institutions or administrative processes to implement
cross-cutting approaches to planning and management Thinking about the next phase of further evolution in
of oceans and coasts. No SIDS has delimited its implementation of the WSSD and MDG goals, it is
Exclusive Economic Zone, only 8 SIDS (20%) have important, as well, to establish for each WSSD/MDG goal
dedicated coastal management institutions; and intermediate
and readily measurable
targets and
only 3 (7%) have enacted coastal legislation.
timetables at the national level, as some countries have
· With regard to goals of controlling Illegal, Unregulated done. The issue of coordinating the local implementation
and Unreported (IUU) fishing, controlling overcapacity of various international mandates should be addressed.
and eliminating subsidies that contribute to IUU fishing With the WSSD and MDG mandates, nations are being
and to overcapacity, only 17 countries (or regional asked to implement a variety of programs related to the
entities) have prepared or are preparing national action ocean, coastal, and freshwater environments-- integrated
plans to address IUU fishing.
coastal and ocean management, ecosystem-management,
·
integrated water resources management, GPA and control
Implementation of the process for establishing a regular of land-based activities, biodiversity protection and
process for Global Marine Assessment (GMA) was networks of marine protected areas. On-the-ground, these
delayed significantly, but now planning for the GMA is efforts, address similar issues and cover, to some extent,
underway. The requisite funding, however, has not yet similar areas. As further implementation of these efforts
been secured.
·
gets underway, it will be important to assist nations in
A UN inter-agency coordination mechanism on rationalizing and bringing synergy among these efforts.
oceans--UN-Oceans--has been established and is
meeting regularly. Whether this mechanism will have
A companion publication, Reports from the Third
the capacity to achieve greater UN coherence on
Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts, and
oceans is not yet clear. Issues related to small island
Islands: Moving the Global Oceans Agenda
developing States are not yet part of this UN
Forward, is also available and brings together
coordination.
highlights from the global oceans conference as
well
as
summaries
of
discussions
and
How Well Are We Doing in Meeting the WSSD and
recommendations on next steps towards meeting
MDG Commitments?
the WSSD commitments and the MDGs.
Is the glass "half-full" or "half-empty"? Participants at the
Global Oceans Conference agreed that progress toward The reports are available at www.globaloceans.org, and
implementation of the global targets related to oceans, may also be ordered from Ms. Shelby Hockenberry at
coasts, and islands has been slow, but there are many smhocken@udel.edu.
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ENVIRONMENT FROM LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES
Issue 1
PARTNERSHIP SPOTLIGHT
Day 2 of the Second Intergovernmental Review Meeting
nations in implementing ecosystem-based programs
(IGR-2) of the Global Programme of Action is Partnerships
linking freshwater to oceans, and the lessons from
Day. The Partnerships Day is a forum where existing and
these interactions also need to be gleaned.
new partnerships that implement the GPA will meet and
interact with government representatives and other This partnership will undertake the following activities:
stakeholders participating in IGR-2. Partnership Spotlight 1. Preparation of a global report on the status and trends
aims to profile a selection of the more than twenty
in the implementation of policy initiatives in ecosystem
management, and integrated coastal and ocean
Partnerships that will be featured at the IGR-2.
management, based on collaboration with national
Advancing
the
WSSD
Targets
on
Ecosystem
authorities (on a voluntary basis), national experts,
Management and on Integrated Coastal and Ocean
regional organizations, UN organizations, and other
Management Through the GPA: Global Reporting and
expert entities. This report will be featured at the 2008
Case Studies
Fourth Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts, and
Islands to be held on March 24 to 28, 2008. The
conference will bring together experts from around the
The UNEP Global Programme of Action for the Protection
of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities
world to explicitly focus on progress being achieved and
(UNEP/GPA) is the only global mechanism explicitly
obstacles faced in the implementation of ecosystem
addressing the linkages among freshwater, coastal, and
management and integrated coastal and ocean
marine environments. A major purpose of the GPA is to
management. Following the Global Conference, the
report will be revised to incorporate additional data
explicitly link the National Programmes of Action under
gathered at the conference, and will be issued in early
GPA to other integrated coastal and ocean management
initiatives and to integrated water resources management
2010, as a summary report on the fulfilment of the JPOI
initiatives, and to forward the achievement of ecosystem
2010 goal of achieving ecosystem management, and
approaches to meet the 2010 Johannesburg Plan of
integrated coastal and ocean management.
2. This report will also include discussion of a
Implementation (JPOI) target.
parsimonious set of indicators which could be applied in
The 2006 report by the Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts,
subsequent global reports in the future.
and Islands on the extent of implementation of the WSSD/ 3. Carry out selected in-depth case studies in various
MDG targets related to oceans, coasts, freshwater, and
regions to understand the dynamics of on-the-ground
small island developing States Meeting the Commitments
linkages among efforts in: GPA National Programmes
of Action, integrated water resources management,
on Oceans, Coasts, and Small Island Developing States
Made at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable
integrated
coastal
management
(encompassing
Development: How Well are We Doing? (see pages 5-6)
nearshore issues), EEZ management (encompassing
notes that:
the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone), and networks
1. National progress in implementing the WSSD/MDG
of marine protected areas, and regional/national
goals on ecosystem management, and integrated
linkages through the LME and Regional Seas programs.
The studies will examine factors that facilitate and
coastal and ocean management is not being tracked
hinder on-the-ground implementation of an ecosystem
systematically by any international entity. Such
information is essential to assist nations in achieving the
approach to freshwater to oceans management, and
JPOI targets of applying ecosystem management by
suggest ways of overcoming obstacles and of fostering
2010 and in achieving integrated coastal and ocean
successful practices.
management, which will be considered by the CSD in 4. The global report and in-depth case studies will be
prepared in collaboration with national authorities and
2014-2015.
2. With the WSSD and MDG mandates, nations are being
experts from various regions of the world.
asked to implement a variety of programs related to the An important part of the GPA mandate is to assess the
ocean, coastal, and freshwater environments. On the status and trends of such initiatives at the global level, to
ground, these efforts address similar issues and cover, ascertain progress, obstacles, and possibly needed
to some extent, similar areas. An important challenge is changes in direction. The global-level reporting that will be
to assist nations in making explicit linkages among carried out through this Partnership will identify varying
these often separate efforts to achieve ecosystem patterns of implementation in different regions of the world,
management "from hilltops to oceans." Large Marine which will be useful in the further targeting of international
Ecosystem
programs
and
the
Regional
Seas assistance,
support,
and
technical
know-how
to
Programme often play important roles in assisting disseminate good practices in ecosystem-based integrated
GPA Outreach · World Water Week Series
7
GLOBAL PROGRAMME OF ACTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE MARINE
World Water Week Series
21st August 2006
ENVIRONMENT FROM LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES
Issue 1
GPA EVENTS AT WORLD WATER WEEK
Developing
Solutions
to
Protect
the
Marine
Agenda
Environment from Land-based Activities: Stakeholder ·
Consultation
Presentation on the Global Programme of Action and
IGR-2
Tuesday 22 August, 2006
· Presentation by representative of the Government of
Evening Session (17:15-18:45), Folkets Hus, Room 300,
China on the IGR-2 in China (to be confirmed)
World Water Week in Stockholm
· Presentation by Dr. Biliana Cicin-Sain, Co-Chair and
Head of Secretariat, Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts,
In preparation for the GPA's Second Intergovernmental
and Islands on the role of partnerships and Partnerships
Review Meeting (IGR-2), which will be held in Beijing,
Day at IGR-2
China from 16-20 October, this side event will bring ·
together stakeholders from around the world to discuss
Presentation by Felix Dodds, Executive Director of
issues threatening the marine environment. Stakeholders
Stakeholder Forum on stakeholder engagement in the
will have the opportunity to comment and prepare a
preparations for the IGR-2
position on the draft Beijing Declaration on furthering the · Question and Answer/discussion in response to the
implementation of the Global Programme of Action for the
presentations
Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based · Review of the advance copy of the Beijing Declaration
Activities, while discussing the roles of stakeholders and
on furthering the implementation of the Global
national governments in developing solutions to these
Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine
problems. The outcomes of this side-event will input into
Environment from Land-based Activities and preparation
the upcoming GPA's IGR-2.
of stakeholder position and input to the Declaration
Continued from Page 7
in 2005-2006, and other relevant sources, for presentation
coastal and ocean management. The in-depth case
at the IGR-2, during Partnerships Day, on October 17,
studies will reveal explicit factors which account for 2006.
successful
linkages
among
coastal,
marine,
and
freshwater environments, and suggest best practices for The Partnership will hold a workshop on "Advancing JPOI
consideration in other national contexts.
Targets on Ecosystem Management and in Integrated
Coastal and Ocean Management through the GPA:
The Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands will be Global Reporting and Case Studies" during Partnerships
collaborating with entities around the world in the Day at IGR-2.
preparation of these assessments, including: the UNEP/ For more information about this Partnership, please contact:
GPA
Coordination
Office;
the
Intergovernmental Dr. Biliana Cicin-Sain
Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO, the Global Tel: +1-302-831-8086; Email: bcs@udel.edu
Environment Facility, Convention on Biological Diversity,
UNEP Regional Seas Programme, the World Bank,
ABOUT UNEP/GPA
Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans, U.S.
National
Oceanic
and
Atmospheric
Administration;
The GPA was adopted in 1995 by 108
SEMARNAT Mexico; Ministry of Environment, Brazil;
Governments and the European Commission in
response to the increasing threat to the marine
PEMSEA (East Asia); NEPAD (Africa); SOPAC and the
environment from human activities on land. The
Secretariat of the Pacific Community (Pacific Islands).
GPA is designed to be a source of conceptual and
practical guidance for national and/or regional
The Partnership will prepare an initial report on the status authorities for devising and implementing sustained action to
of integrated coastal and ocean management and of prevent, reduce, control and/or eliminate marine degradation
networks of marine protected areas based on the national from land-based activities.
reports submitted to the Convention on Biological Diversity The United Nations Environment Programme acts as the
secretariat for the GPA. The UNEP/GPA Coordination Office,
located in The Hague, The Netherlands supports the
CONTACTS
implementation of the GPA by: promoting and facilitating the
· For general GPA enquiries, including information about IGR-2 implementation of the GPA at the national level and the regional
please email igr2@unep.nl or telephone +31 70 311 4460.
and sub-regional level and playing a catalytic role with other
· For information on this newsletter, contact Jennifer Peer at organisations and institutions in the implementation of the GPA at
jpeer@stakeholderforum.org
or
Miriam
Balgos
at the international level.
mbalgos@UDel.Edu
For more information please visit www.gpa.unep.org
GPA Outreach · World Water Week Series
8