International Ocean Governance: -an Agenda for the future of our oceans. Stefanie Schmidt MARE B1 Ocean Governance, Law of the sea and Arctic Policy

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1 International Ocean Governance: -an Agenda for the future of our oceans Stefanie Schmidt MARE B1 Ocean Governance, Law of the sea and Arctic Policy

2 Overview What do we mean with ocean governance? Why and how does the EU take initiative on (international) ocean governance? Our Ocean 2017 Our Ocean 2017 committments and OCTs

3 What do we mean with ocean governance? Ocean Governance: The processes, agreements, rules, institutions, etc. developed to organise, manage and structure human interaction with oceans, seas and marine resources International Ocean Governance Agenda: An EU policy initiative to improve the framework through a coherent cross-sectorial and rules based approach to ensure oceans are healthy, productive, safe, secure and resilient.

4 Why does the EU take initiative on ocean governance? Halpern et al 2012 WOC 2015 Oceans and marine ressoures are essential for human wellbeing and sustainable development Despite their importance more threatened than ever"

5 Governance today not fully fit for purpose Boyes & Elliott, 2014

6 Why does the EU take initiative on international ocean governance? CFP EMFF, TACs, MAPs IMP Blue Growth, Sea Strategies, MSP MSFD N2K, Circular Economy The EU's ocean & coast policies

7 Why does the EU take initiative on international ocean governance? 2/3 of the world's ocean are outside national jurisdiction The EU is a big global ocean actor/player The EU is member of many ocean governance bodies Oceans are of strategic importance

8 We need to keep our oceans safe, secure, clean & sustainably managed Economic opportunity while protecting our shared future Plentiful resources for current and future generations Reducing the impacts of climate change by preserving the oceans' natural 'blue carbon' function Within a global strategy

9 Agenda for the future of our oceans Improve the international ocean governance framework Reduce pressures and develop the blue economy sustainably Strengthen international ocean research and data

10 1. Improve the international framework The waters under international jurisdiction are larger than all of the world's countries combined Fill the governance gaps Support capacity building Advance regional ocean governance Ensure safety and security of seas and oceans

11 2. Reduce ocean pressures and develop a sustainable blue economy Implement COP21 Agreement Fight IUU and strengthen sustainable fisheries and aquaculture Banning harmful subsidies Fight marine litter and the "sea of plastic" Promote maritime spatial planning (MSP) at global level Achieve global target of conserving 10% of marine and coastal areas and promote effective MPA area management

12 3. Strengthening International Ocean Research and Data It took less time to find the crash site of a space craft on Mars than to find a crashed airliner in the ocean. A CERN for the oceans (G7) An Atlantic ocean research alliance Map the ocean floor Sharing of data

13 Our Ocean Conference 2017: An ocean for life Follows from previous editions in 2014 (US), 2015 (Chile) and 2016 (US) "Separate the walkers from the talkers" 6 theme sessions 437 commitments worth more than 7 billion 1200 representatives from 123 countries

14 OOC 2017 Commitments directly applicable to OCTs Fostering action, including through the BEST initiative to climate change adaptation and mitigation in the ORs and OCTs. EUR 60 million to support the management of protected areas, including Marine Protected Areas, in ACP Countries EUR 8.5 million for a call for proposals focused on conservation and sustainable use of marine and coastal biodiversity in the Caribbean Sea Basin.

15 OOC 2017 Commitments potentially relevant to OCTs EUR 6 million in 2017 to improve governance, science and capacity building, as well as increase compliance in RFMOs in which the EU participates. EUR 400,000 was provided to UNEP Regional Seas Programme to deliver a report on institutional cooperation and policy-interactions EUR 1 million to launch twinned MPAS in Europe and Africa, North America, and South America by 2017.

16 OOC 2017 Commitments potentially relevant to OCTs Cooperation with IOC-UNESCO on accelerating Maritime/Marine Spatial Planning processes Fully deploy the European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet) by Work towards an All Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance. Series of studies on biodiversity conservation in Africa, Asia and Latin America as part of the "Larger Than. " series

17 Thank you!