blue economy and environmental objectives/policies€¦ · blue economy and environmental...

This project is financed by the European Union

A project implemented by the consortium of: WS Atkins International (lead), Pescares Italia Srl., GIZ, SML.

The European Union and Neighbours ENI – The European Neighbourhood Instrument

Blue economy and environmental objectives/policies

How to manage human activities in order to limit impacts to acceptable level for the

marine environment?

This project is financed by the European Union 2

Facility for Regional Policy Dialogue on Integrated Maritime Policy / Climate Change

•  Socio-economic policies (e.g. BE) and environmental policies should be consistent at all levels

•  Environmental policies

- use a mix of approaches - define an « acceptable level » of impact on the environment Ø « Good Environmental Status » Ø Obviously different depending on areas

–  Areas of particular interest (ecosystems, habitats…): Marine Protected Areas

•  Regulate human activities:

Ø Individually Ø Collectively Ø According to areas

Policy approach



Assessment of maritime activities

3

Potential for Future Development

Employment, added value

Expected evolutions

Innovations

Pic

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Activity

Perform Functions

Provide Jobs &

Added Value

Must be Sustainable

Current Status

International, regional and national trends

Maturity

Relation to maritime capital

Value Chain

Synergies



Limit negative impacts of activities on the marine environment. Several aspects:

•  Impacts of land-based activities (main impacts on marine environment) Ø Still major overall impact on marine environment, e.g. by agriculture Ø Addressed (or should be addressed) through relevant policies/regulations (e.g.

River Basin Management) •  Individual impact of maritime activities

Ø Addressed through sectoral regulations –  e.g. emissions, quotas…

Ø Assessed through –  EIA Environmental Impact Assessment (projects) –  SEA Strategic Environmental Assessment (plans, programmes)

•  Cumulative impacts (all activities) Ø  « integrated » objective : achieving Good Environmental Status

Environmental objectives in IMP/BE



Limit negative impacts of activities on the marine environment. Several aspects:

•  Impacts of land-based activities Ø Still major overall impact on marine environment, e.g. by agriculture Ø Addressed (or should be addressed) through relevant policies/regulations (e.g.

River Basin Management)

•  Impacts of sea-based activities like marine litter (30% sea-based), overfishing..

Environmental objectives in IMP/BE



Overfishing



Climate Change



Coral reef degradation



Some approaches to conserve marine environment

Typical approaches



The main integrated objective of environmental policies is to achieve GES •  EU: MSFD •  MED (Barcelona Convention UNEP/MAP): EcAp

Achieving Good Environmental Status

The environmental status of marine waters where these provide ecologically diverse and dynamic oceans and seas which are clean, healthy and productive

EU (MSFD)

GES definition

11 GES descriptors

A healthy Mediterranean with marine and coastal ecosystems that are productive and biologically diverse for the benefit of present and future generations

UNEP/MAP (EcAp)

Vision

11 Ecological Objectives (EO)



The MSFD is the environmental pillar of the EU IMP The MSFD establishes an integrated approach to maritime activities needed for the IMP

•  Based on coordinated actions of all EU Member States •  Which must develop marine strategies implemented through ecosystem

based management •  ..and national Programme of Measures (PoMs), includig spatial protection

measures, MPAs, socio-economic and communication measures •  Reporting where targets cannot be achieved by 2020 -> EIONET Reporting

obligations database (ROD) The MSFD is implemented through all IMP instruments

•  Including Blue Economy instruments… •  E.g. MSP, SEA, etc.

The EU MSFD in a nutshell (1)



The EU MSFD in a nutshell (2)

A set of descriptors GES defined for each one

« Cyclic » implementation



Other environmental policies: Ecosytem Approach

Ecosystem Approach

Ecosystem-based Management

Marine Spatial Planning

IUCN, 2004 UNEP, 2011 UNESCO/IOC 2009



The EcAp is •  the guiding principle to the Mediterranean Action Programme

(MAP) of Work and •  all policy implementation and development undertaken under

the auspices of UNEP/MAP Barcelona Convention, with the ultimate objective of achieving the Good Environmental Status (GES) of the Mediterranean Sea and Coast

•  11 objectives like: 1. Biodiversity is maintained or enhanced 2. Non-indigenous species do not adversely alter the ecosystem. 3. Populations of commercially exploited fish and shellfish are within biologically safe limits.

Mediterranean: UNEP/MAP Ecosystem Approach



Other environmental policies: EAFM



•  Rights based on three main critieria 1. Sustainability of the resource 2. Economic efficiency 3. Equitable distribution among users

•  Ensure adequate knowledge of fish stocks and ecosystem before rights are allocated

•  Rights are subject to reduction through adaptive and precautionary management regime

Other environmental policies: Fishing Rights Regimes



•  Six IUCN Protected Areas Categories •  One of the most tangible tools to ecosystem-level conservation to date •  Short-term costs of MPAs to Fishing can be offset by other, long-term

benefits to society •  Support of stock management including

- Protection of specific life stages (e.g. nursery grounds) - Protection of critical functions (feeding grounds, spawning grounds) - Spillover of mature adults - Seed bank for larvae dispersal - Increase of biomass - Improved socio-economic outcomes to local communities

Other environmental policies: MPAs



Difference between EIA and SEA

Environmental assessment: SEA and EIA



THANK YOU

blue economy and environmental objectives/policies€¦ · blue economy and environmental...

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