what states want from rio+20: the oceans

8/3/2019 What States Want From Rio+20: The Oceans

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What States Want r m Ri +20:

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PoLICYSTATEMENT


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The Ocean as a PriOriTy

Sustainable use the cean and precauti nary, science-based management marine res urcesand bi diversity are essential r achieving sustainable devel pment. During the preparat rypr cess r the United Nati ns C n erence n Sustainable Devel pment (UNCSD r Ri +20),rest ring the health and ec n mic viability cean ec systems ar se as pr minent issues am ng allstakeh lders. P litical gr ups, States and n n-g vernmental rganizati ns identi ied cean issues ascritical in submissi ns t the c mpilati n d cument. Additi nally, the UNCSD Bureau has indicatedthat management the cean will be ne the seven pri rity areas addressed. M mentum ism unting r leaders t agree t a str ng cean utc me as a critical part meeting the bjectives

UNCSD and ul illing the pr mise sustainable devel pment.

ThreaTs TO The Ocean

overexpl itati n ish st cks, destructi n marine ec systems and a steady trend bi diversityl ss threaten d security, ec n mic stability and the livelih ds milli ns. Many threats t the

cean are c nsequences harm ul anthr p genic activities including, in particular, industrial ishing.In their submissi ns t the c mpilati n d cument, p litical gr ups and States pr vide speci icre erence t cean threats which sh uld be addressed in the utc me d cument UNCSD 1.

What ll ws is an analysis submissi ns r m p litical gr ups and States n threats t the ceanand the rami icati ns r sustainable devel pment. The Pew Envir nment Gr up has attempted thighlight c mm nalities and t er rec mmendati ns t address these threats t ensure a healthy

cean r uture generati ns.

1 F r the c mpilati n d cument, UNCSD received and p sted alm st 700 submissi ns. In additi n t submissi ns r m p litical gr ups andStates, submissi ns came r m regi nal preparat ry meetings, UN entities, Interg vernmental organizati ns (IGos), and N n-g vernmen-tal organizati ns (NGos). We rec gnize and value these submissi ns, many which als highlighted the imp rtance the cean.

Industrial fishing nets, Shutterstock


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The ull submissi n the Pew Envir nment Gr up t UNCSD can be und at:http://www.uncsd2012. rg/ri 20/c ntent/d cuments/239Pew%20Envir nment%20Gr up%20zer %20dra t%20submissi n_FINAL.pd

F r additi nal backgr und and analysis regarding cean issues and Ri +20, please see ursupp rting materials, Ocean Earth: How Rio+20 Can and Must Turn the Tide 2; and Rio+20: Time toTurn Back the Tide , an analysis the gaps in the implementati n the cean-related utc mes the maj r summits n sustainable devel pment. 3

Submissi ns p litical gr ups and States relied n in this paper can be und at:http://www.uncsd2012. rg/ri 20/index.php?menu=115

illegal, UnrePOrTed and UnregUlaTed Fishing (iUU Fishing)

Numer us submissi ns identi y illegal 4, unrep rted and unregulated ishing (IUU ishing) as asigni icant threat. 5 IUU ishing undermines e rts t sustainably manage gl bal isheries 6 andseveral submissi ns emphasize that IUU ishing deprives many States a crucial natural res urce. 7 The activities distant water ishing nati ns (DWFNs) are n ted particularly. 8 The Eur pean Uni n(EU) and M nac p int ut that IUU ishing in e ect penalizes th se ishermen wh d ll winternati nal maritime laws. Several submissi ns re er t the J hannesburg Plan Implementati n(JPoI) target n IUU t implement the FAo Internati nal Plan Acti n t Prevent, Deterand Eliminate IUU ishing (IPoA-IUU) by 2004. Submissi ns als call r DWFNs9 r the greaterinternati nal c mmunity t strengthen and renew their c mmitment t this target and/ r therexisting measures t prevent and c mbat IUU ishing. 10

T address IUU ishing, the EU urges States t ad pt and implement e ective t ls includingrati icati n the FAo Agreement n P rt State Measures t Prevent, Deter and Eliminate Illegal,Unrep rted and Unregulated Fishing (PSMA) which w uld c ntribute t str nger lag State c ntr land m nit ring. 11 M nac and New Zealand j in the EU in this call r rati icati n. M nac als calls rimpr ved lag State c ntr l vessels and nati nals including b th individuals and c mpanies andenc urages impr ved m nit ring, c ntr l, surveillance and en rcement. M nac als enc uragesmeth ds t d cument catch and trade and supp rts capacity building t implement the ab vesuggesti ns. New Zealand urges the internati nal c mmunity t implement increased m nit ring,c ntr l and surveillance measures and enhance lag and p rt State measures, including ull c mpliancewith rep rting bligati ns and implementati n clear and equitable market measures.

2 http://www.pewenvir nment. rg/news-r m/rep rts/ cean-earth-h w-ri 20-can-and-must-turn-the-tide-858993652

3 http://www.pewenvir nment. rg/news-r m/ ther-res urces/ri 20-time-t -turn-back-the-tide-85899361026

4 Jamaica

5 G77 & China, EU, PSIDS, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, N rway, United States, Chile

6 M nac

7 G77 & China, PSIDS

8 G77 & China, PSIDS, Chile

9 G77 & China, Chile

10 G77 and China, Australia, Chile, Jamaica,

11 As this writing, nly three parties have ratifed the Agreement. The Agreement requires 25 parties in rder r it t enter int rce.


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New Zealand, rec gnizing the c nnecti n between IUU ishing activities and lags c nvenience,calls n the Internati nal Maritime organizati n (IMo) and the F d and Agriculture organizati n(FAo) t c ntinue c rdinati n n this issue. New Zealand als calls r devel pment appr priatecatch certi icati n schemes, internati nal standards r isheries pr duct certi icati n, Regi nalFisheries Management organizati n (RFMo) blacklists and enc urages States t take acti n againstth se resp nsible r IUU ishing activities.

on IUU, the Gr up 77 & China (G77 & China) call r c rdinated e rts between lag and p rtStates, and request capacity building and enhanced supp rt r m nit ring, c ntr l, surveillance,c mpliance and en rcement systems. The c nnecti n between isheries subsidies which c ntributet ver-capacity and the ccurrence IUU ishing is emphasized by the G77 & China wh call r theeliminati n such subsidies.

The Pew Envir nment Gr up supp rts the call r States t immediately implement the IPoA-IUUishing, which was t have been c mpleted by 2004. Pew als supp rts e rts t strengthen lag

State, p rt State, nati nal and market measures, particularly by enc uraging States t bec meparties t the PSMA. Pew applauds the calls t implement e ective m nit ring, c ntr l andsurveillance measures and additi nally urges States t implement e ective c mpliance anden rcement measures t ensure that c nservati n and management measures are implementedand en rced. Pew als urges acti n at all levels t rec gnize that illegal ishing is a criminal activityand ten linked t rganized crime; and ensure that appr priate res urces are depl yed t c mbatthis rm crime.

Trawler surrounded by seagulls under covered sky, Shutterstock


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desTrUcTive Fishing PracTices

Several submissi ns highlight the need t address destructive ishing practices 12 including b tt m

ishing13, and b tt m trawling. 14 The submissi n r m the Paci ic Small Island Devel ping States

(PSIDS) describes high seas b tt m trawling as ec l gically unsustainable. States c mmittedt the eliminati n destructive ishing practices thr ugh the JPoI, and while s me pr gress has

been made, the ccurrence b tt m ishing c ntinues t have signi icant adverse impacts n

bi diversity in deep sea ec systems. 15 Thr ugh their zer dra t submissi ns it is clear that States

are calling n the internati nal c mmunity t reduce signi icant adverse impacts 16 n vulnerable

ec systems and t tackle b tt m ishing 17 and end b tt m trawling. 18

The PSIDS adv cate r a rec mmitment t ending destructive ishing practices by ad pting the

principle that bi diversity in areas bey nd nati nal jurisdicti n sh uld be managed t minimize

adverse impacts r m human activities. This c uld be d ne by requiring pri r envir nmental

impact assessments (EIAs), including cumulative assessments, r human activities which may

cause a signi icant adverse impact n deep sea bi diversity n the high seas. N ting the special

needs devel ping c untries, Chile calls r enhanced capacity building r the establishment

and implementati n mechanisms r versight and c ntr l ishing practices, including

eliminati n b tt m trawling and ther destructive ishing practices. M nac calls r the

eliminati n by 2015 destructive ishing practices, including b tt m trawling, in sensitive areas.

The Pew Envir nment Gr up is supp rtive the submissi ns detailed ab ve and j ins the call t

renew c mmitment t achieve the JPoI target t eliminate destructive ishing practices. Pew als

str ngly supp rts the call t eliminate, by 2015, destructive ishing practices, including b tt mtrawling in sensitive areas. Indeed, rec gnizing that deep sea b tt m trawling is the single m st

destructive ishing meth d n the high seas, Pew calls up n States t agree t phase ut this

practice by 2015. Pew als calls n the internati nal c mmunity t implement its c mmitments

under Principle 15 the Ri declarati n t ensure that precauti nary management is utilized t

av id signi icant damage t the envir nment be re it takes place. Additi nally, Pew urges States

t take acti n at all levels t end destructive ishing practices which damage vulnerable marine

ec systems and rec gnize that b tt m ishing in vi lati n previ us UNGA res luti ns is IUU

ishing and sh uld cease immediately.

12 United States

13 G77 & China

14 PSIDS, Chile, M nac


16 EU

17 G77 & China

18 PSIDS, Chile, M nac


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science-Based, PrecaUTiOnary ManageMenT

There is rec gniti n that healthy ish st cks are essential r maintaining balance in the marineec system, r d security, ec n mic pr sperity and the s cial and cultural well being manyStates. 19 Despite nati nal, regi nal and internati nal e rts, the current internati nal isheriesmanagement system has ailed t s tem the alarming decline in gl bal ish s t cks. M nac ssubmissi n rec gnizes that current rates expl itati n are unsustainable; thers a irm thatrest ring st cks t sustainable levels and implementing science based 20 appr aches are essential.In additi n t science-based management, the Eur pean Uni n enc urages the applicati n ec system based and precauti nary appr aches as well. Brazil n tes that in rder t pr m tesustainable d pr ducti n and inc me creati n, the maintenance and rec very ish st cks tsustainable levels is critical. A number States call n the internati nal c mmunity t implementthe JPoI target t maintain r rest re ish st cks t maximum sustainable yield (MSY) by 2015and t c mmit t implementing science-based management plans r rebuilding st cks by 2015,including reducing r suspending ishing catch and e rt r all st cks being ver ished r at risk

ver ishing.21

Japan n tes that achieving sustainable use and e ective management gl bal ish st cks is aninternati nal bjective, whether acc mplished thr ugh d mestic acti n r acti n at the RFMo level.In rder t achieve this g al, res urce management sh uld be based n scienti ic data. The UnitedStates is supp rtive maintaining r rest ring ish st ck harvest t levels that d n t exceed MSYand supp rts integrated, ec system-based, and science-based c nservati n and management.

The EU calls r States t step up their acti ns t achieve sustainable isheries including thr ughuniversal ad pti n the United Nati ns Agreement r the Implementati n the Pr visi ns theUnited Nati ns C nventi n n the Law the Sea 10 December 1982, relating t the C nservati n

and Management Straddling Fish St cks and Highly Migrat ry Fish St cks (UNFSA). M nac alsurges States t bec me parties t the UNFSA. Rec gnizing the gl bal gr wing demand r d andthe depleted state ish st cks, Brazil requests that Ri +20 er guidance n sustainable harvestpractices r isheries.

Pew supp rts acti n n the issues detailed ab ve and j ins States in their call t maintainc mmitment t the JPoI target t rest re gl bal ish st cks t levels which can pr duce MSY aminimum standard sustainability by 2015. Pew als supp rts the calls r reducing rsuspending ishing catch and e rt r all st cks being ver ished r at risk ver ishing.Additi nally, Pew enc urages acti n n all levels t pr hibit ishing in a given area r n a givenst ck i the ishery is n t ully in acc rdance with relevant internati nal c mmitments and res luti ns

and i precauti nary, science-based management measures are n t in place. These measuressh uld include adequate bycatch mitigati n measures. Pew als rec mmends leaders make str ngc mmitments t shark c nservati n, including by pr hibiting the take threatened r endangeredspecies sharks, acc rding t the Internati nal Uni n r the C nservati n Nature (IUCN) rnati nal legislati n.

19 G77 & China




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rFMO accOUnTaBiliTy and TransParency

There is rec gniti n that m re must be d ne t impr ve the e ectiveness Regi nal FisheriesManagement organizati ns and Arrangements (RFMo/As) managing gl bal ish st cks. 22 The G77& China and the PSIDS applaud the e rts s me RFMos t undertake independent per rmancereviews, but ackn wledge that these sh uld be expanded and insist that m re must be d ne timpr ve transparency and acc untability. other submissi ns call r strengthening RFMos byenc uraging sustainable isheries and ec system based management appr aches 23 and impr vedc perati n between States. 24 M re br adly, Brazil calls r increased transparency in isheriesregulati n and management; the US supp rts increased transparency in en rcement. Australian tes impr vements in RFMo per rmance thr ugh enhanced management practices c uld deliverimpr ved ec n mic bene its t devel ping c untries.

Pew is enc uraged by States calls r increased transparency and acc untability RFMos. Tbuild n the ab ve suggesti ns and urther pr m te the c nservati n and l ng-term sustainablemanagement marine res urces, States sh uld take acti n t ensure transparency andacc untability RFMo/As thr ugh UNGA versight.

Marine BiOdiversiTy cOnservaTiOn

Marine bi diversity l ss driven by anthr p genic activities is increasingly harming the ceans abilityt pr vide vital ec system services t humanity. The rate marine bi diversity l ss c ntinuest increase. A widely end rsed t l t address this pr blem is the establishment marinepr tected areas (MPAs). A number submissi ns identi y this t l as an imp rtant instrument

r c nservati n.25 others re erence the C nventi n n Bi diversity (CBD) target which includes

c nservati n 10% c astal and marine areas thr ugh the establishment MPAs26

and end rseng ing w rk t pr tect and identi y vulnerable marine ec systems. 27 M nac n tes that wellmanaged MPAs have yielded ec n mic returns r l cal c mmunities, particularly in Small IslandDevel ping States.

H wever, despite widespread rec gniti n that MPAs are a c nstructive t l r marine c nservati n,existing legal ramew rks are inadequate t ensure MPAs can be established and managed n thehigh seas. Several submissi ns ackn wledge this crucial cean g vernance gap and enc urage theinternati nal c mmunity t initiate the neg tiati n a new implementing agreement under theUnited Nati ns C nventi n n the Law the Sea (UNCLoS) r the c nservati n and sustainableuse marine bi l gical diversity, with a particular mandate t addressing high seas MPAs, EIAs, and

bene its arising r m marine genetic res urces riginating r m areas bey nd nati nal jurisdicti n.28

22 EU, Australia

23 Australia

24 EU

25 G77 & China, EU, PSIDS, Canada, Japan, Liechtenstein, New Zealand

26 Japan

27 PSIDS, New Zealand

28 G77 & China, EU


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Pew str ngly supp rts calls r establishing MPAs and enc urages States t implement agreedc mmitments under the JPoI and CBD targets t establish MPAs, including marine reserves.Renewed c mmitment t implementing Principle 17 the Ri Declarati n t undertake EIAs andthe JPoI and Millennium Devel pment G al (MDG) targets t reduce gl bal bi diversity l ss isals urgently needed. Pew str ngly end rses calls t initiate the neg tiati n a new implementingagreement under UNCLoS r the c nservati n and sustainable use marine bi l gical diversityand urges leaders t ad pt language t this e ect. 29 Gaps which c uld be addressed thr ugh animplementing agreement include:

Strategic envir nmental assessments (SEAs) in additi n t EIAs, and ng ing m nit ring the marine envir nment;

Identi icati n, designati n and management a gl bal netw rk high seas MPAs,including in particular n -take reserves;

Implementati n the precauti nary principle and ec system appr ach in decisi n

making and isheries management; Re rm RFMos t inc rp rate a br ader ec system c nservati n cus;

Pr visi n access t and disseminati n in rmati n and transparency in decisi nmaking pr cesses; and

A regime r access t and sharing bene its derived r m marine genetic res urces inareas bey nd nati nal jurisdicti n.

29 In A/66/119, the Ad H c open-ended In rmal W rking Gr up rec mmended that a pr cess be initiated by the General Assembly, witha view t ensuring that the legal ramew rk r the c nservati n and sustainable use marine bi diversity in areas bey nd nati nal

jurisdicti n e ectively addresses th se issue by identi ying gaps and ways rward, including thr ugh the implementati n existinggaps and the p ssible devel pment a multilateral agreement under the United Nati ns C nventi n n the Law the Sea.A/66/199 went n t say that this pr cess w uld address the c nservati n and sustainable use marine bi diversity in areas bey ndnati nal jurisdicti n, in particular, t gether and as a wh le, marine genetic res urces, including the sharing benefts, measures suchas area based management t ls, including marine pr tected areas, and envir nmental impact assessments, capacity-building and thetrans er marine techn l gy.The Pew Envir nment Gr up ully supp rts these rec mmendati ns and l ks rward t c ntinued engagement in this pr cess.

Underwater with light rays, iStockphoto


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sUBsidies

As n ted ab ve, harm ul subsidies, including th se that c ntribute t vercapacity, ver ishing andthe prevalence IUU ishing, pr vide a c nsiderable bstacle r sustainable isheries management.The existence subsidized ishing leets c upled with unsustainable ishing capacity p se an un airchallenge t devel ping States and undercut c nservati n e rts. 30 New Zealand supp rts theneed t eliminate marine capture isheries which c ntribute t vercapacity and ver ishing and trec gnize the needs devel ping and least devel ped States. Additi nally, isheries subsidies cancreate perverse ec n mic incentives which impact the l ng term sustainability gl bal isheries,and add pressure n the last remaining, n t ully expl ited isheries. 31 A signi icant number submissi ns identi y harm ul subsidies as inc mpatible with sustainable devel pment bjectives andrec gnize the existence envir nmentally harm ul subsidies as an issue that needs t be urgentlyaddressed. 32 Particular emphasis is placed n the imp rtance tackling this issue t achievedevel pment pri rities, p verty reducti n and t address livelih d 33 and d security c ncerns. 34

The G77 & China al ng with the PSIDS urge States t rein rce their D ha and H ng K ng 35 c mmitments t pr hibit subsidies that c ntribute t vercapacity and ver ishing and t strengthendiscipline in the isheries sect r. The EU calls n States t implement previ us c mmitments teliminate subsidies that harm the envir nment including the C nventi n n Bi l gical Diversity(CBD) Aichi bi diversity target t eliminate harm ul subsidies that c ntribute t vercapacityand ver ishing by 2020. M nac calls n States t increase acti n t wards achieving the JPoIc mmitment t eliminate subsidies that c ntribute t IUU ishing and ver-capacity and timplement W rld Trade organizati n (WTo) appr aches t clari y and impr ve disciplines n

isheries subsidies. In additi n t calling r the eliminati n harm ul isheries subsidies, the UnitedStates supp rts the reducti n excess ishing capacity. New Zealand urges the internati nalc mmunity t use Ri +20 as a plat rm t build n the ng ing WTo neg tiati ns and t re-c mmit

t the eliminati n harm ul ishing subsidies. Furtherm re, New Zealand calls up n internati nalleaders t c mmit t impr ving the transparency subsidy pr grammes and t c nsider greateracc untability mechanisms r n n-n ti icati n.

Several submissi ns als re erence the need t phase ut ssil uel subsidies that underminesustainable devel pment. 36 The United States highlights the need t rem ve market dist rti ns,including phasing ut ssil uel subsidies. Switzerland, n tes that ine icient ssil uel subsidiesenc urage waste ul c nsumpti n and undermine sustainable devel pment. Likewise, NewZealand n tes that perverse incentives that enc urage harm ul envir nmental practices and inhibitec n mic gr wth are a key bstacle t achieving a green ec n my. New Zealand urther n tes

30 G77 and China, PSIDS

31 New Zealand

32 G77 & China, EU, PSIDS, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Grenada, Israel, Liechtenstein, New Zealand, N rway, United States

33 New Zealand


35 W rld Trade organizati n F urth Ministerial Declarati n, D ha, 2001, and W rld Trade organizati n Sixth Ministerial Declarati n, H ngK ng, 2005.

36 New Zealand, Singap re, Switzerland, United States


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the G20 37 and Asia Paci ic Ec n mic C perati n (APEC) 38 c mmitments t phase ut ine icientssil uel subsidies that enc urage waste ul c nsumpti n and undercut sustainable devel pment,

while mitigating adverse impacts n vulnerable gr ups. They call up n Ri +20 t extend thesec mmitments t all UN members and Ri +20 Parties.

Pew supp rts the rec mmendati ns t tackle harm ul envir nmental and isheries subsidies set rthin the submissi ns ab ve. Pew als enc urages the internati nal c mmunity t rec mmit e rts timplement the JPoI and CBD targets t eliminate harm ul subsidies that c ntribute t vercapacityand ver ishing by 2020. T c mplement e rts n c mbating harm ul subsidies, Pew urges Statest immediately implement the FAo Internati nal Plan Acti n r the Management FishingCapacity which was t have been c mpleted by 2005.

37 G20 Members: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Eur pean Uni n, France, Germany, India, Ind nesia, Italy, Japan, Mexic ,Russia, Saudi Arabia, S uth A rica, Republic K rea, Turkey, United Kingd m, United States America.

38 APECs 21 member ec n mies are: Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Pe ples Republic China, H ng K ng, China,Ind nesia, Japan, Republic K rea, Malaysia, Mexic , New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, The Republic the Philippines, TheRussian Federati n, Singap re, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, United States America, and Viet Nam.

Kelp burst, Shutterstock


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cOnclUsiOn

Ri +20 will mark the 3rd Earth Summit, the third time leaders will c me t gether n the internati nal stage tdiscuss the uture sustainable devel pment and the uture the envir nment. With regard t the cean, it iscritical that g vernance mechanisms, including internati nal c nventi ns, and e ective instituti nal mechanisms,such as UN versight and review mechanisms be instituted. E ective g vernance and instituti nal mechanismsare particularly imp rtant r the high seas, where n State has jurisdicti n and where results depend heavily ninternati nal c perati n, and c mpliance and en rcement mechanisms. The internati nal c mmunity mustseize this critical pp rtunity t take meaning ul acti n t ensure the l ng term c nservati n and sustainableuse the cean and its res urces. The very uture the cean and the d security billi ns pe ple,dependant n a healthy cean cann t wait.

ContaCt: Pew Envir nment Gr up | internati nal@pewtrusts. rgF r additi nal res urces, visit us at www.P we o m t.o / p.

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what states want from rio+20: the oceans

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