Restricted Distribution IOC/EC-XXXVII/2 Annex 8 Paris, 22 April 2004 Original: English INTERGOVERNMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMISSION (of UNESCO) Thirty-seventh Session of the Executive Council Paris, 23 29 June 2004 Agenda Item: 4.2.1 TOWARDS A NEW GESAMP: DEVELOPMENTS, STRATEGY AND FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS This document provides summary information on the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP), the developments leading to an improved mechanism called the NEW GESAMP, the executive summary of the strategic vision (IOC/INF-1196) and the financial implications for IOC. The Executive Council is invited to consider GESAMP s new strategy and instruct the Executive Secretary to ensure establishment of an Inter-Agency Memorandum of Understanding between the existing GESAMP sponsors, consistent with the strategic document titled The new GESAMP, Science for Sustainable Oceans. (SC-2004/CONF.201/CLD.6)
What is GESAMP and Why a NEW GESAMP? 1 The Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution (GESAMP), is a joint interagency advisory scientific body on marine pollution and marine environmental protection, sponsored by IMO, FAO, UNESCO/IOC, WMO, WHO, IAEA, UNEP and UN DOALOS. GESAMP was established in 1969 in response to a request by the United Nations Administrative Committee on Co-ordination (ACC). ACC noted that organizations within the United Nations system should, in order to avoid duplication of efforts, together develop a mechanism for interdisciplinary consideration of marine pollution problems. 2 The group provides scientific advice in five areas: Assessment of the potential effects of marine pollutants; Scientific basis for research and monitoring programmes; International exchange of scientific information relevant to assessment and control of marine pollution; Scientific principles for control and management of anthropogenic effects on the marine environment; and The scientific basis and criteria relating to legal instruments and other measures for prevention, control and abatement of marine pollution (IOC/INF-1197). In recent years, it has expanded its responsibility to include key topics related to marine environmental protection and integrated coastal management. Members are natural and social scientists, coastal managers and resource economists nominated by the sponsoring agencies but working in their individual capacity as marine specialists. Problems are technically reviewed and assessed through working groups composed of members and other specialists, drawing upon the world-wide oceanographic, marine science and coastal management communities. Members and working group specialists have come from over 50 countries. 3 Over 31 years, GESAMP has produced 48 reports on technical topics related to marine pollution, protection and conservation. The Group has produced four global State of the Marine Environment reports. Over its history, GESAMP has contributed to the landmark Stockholm Conference (1972), MARPOL 73/78, the UN Convention on Law of the Sea, the Bruntland Commission s report on sustainable development (1987), the Rio Conference (UNCED) and Agenda 21 (1992), and the Washington Protocol on LBA - land-based activities (1995). 4 At its seventh session in April 1999, the UN Commission on Sustainable Development called upon the sponsoring organizations of GESAMP to review its methods of work with a view to improving its effectiveness and inclusiveness, whilst maintaining its status as a source of agreed independent advice. 5 Since 1992 the sponsoring organizations have reviewed the memorandum on GESAMP including its functions and operational procedures several times; the last comprehensive review took place in August 1999. 6 In March 2000, the Executive Director of UNEP, Mr K. Topfer, recommended that an evaluation of the productivity and efficiency of GESAMP together with its operational procedures be carried out by at least two experts, one representing governments and one representing the scientific community.
Page 2 7 The intersecretariat coordinating group for GESAMP, comprising the Administrative Secretary provided by IMO and the Technical Secretaries from the sponsoring organizations, as well as its Chairman and Vice-Chairman, met on 21 and 22 May 2000 to consider in detail the UNEP proposal, taking into account a further note from UNEP submitted to this Intersecretariat Meeting requesting that: all the sponsoring organizations of GESAMP agree in principle that an independent and thorough evaluation was necessary; and that all the necessary arrangements for this evaluation should be done by the Administrative Secretariat of GESAMP (i.e. IMO). 8 IOC agreed with the proposal from UNEP and gave its consent in early 2000. 9 An evaluation team of four experts was established at the GESAMP Intersecretariat Meeting in May 2000 1. It consisted of: two scientists (one from a developed country and one from a developing county) that were identified by the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR); two governmental experts (also one from a developed country and one from a developing county) that were recommended by the Co-chairpersons of the United Nations Openended Informal Consultative Process on Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (ICP); and an additional expert who has been an ex-member or ex-chairperson of GESAMP. 10 The Team was asked to carry out an independent and in-depth evaluation of the achievements of GESAMP, its impact, scope, working methods and future role. 11 The GESAMP Evaluation Team concluded that the United Nations, its member States and other organizations require an effective, efficient and independent group to provide advice on issues relating to marine environmental protection and management and sustainable development of marine resources and amenities based on sound scientific principles. 12 Furthermore, the GESAMP Evaluation Team strongly recommended that GESAMP be continued to play that role. However, major changes will be necessary in the structure of GESAMP, its operational procedures and products. These changes will be necessary for GESAMP to set priorities, examine issues more effectively, provide appropriate and timely advice, and to enhance its profile, visibility and responsiveness towards those requesting its advice and thus contribute to capacity building activities. In detailed recommendations, the GESAMP Evaluation Team provided the building blocks for a new structure for GESAMP. 13 Following the evaluation, the discussions and consultations among GESAMP experts, its sponsoring organizations, and a variety of interested external parties have led to a strategic vision for a "New GESAMP" that will: Maintain and strengthen GESAMP's established credibility; Strengthen engagement both with the broader scientific community through a robust and re-enforced peer-review process and through a transparent and periodical selection and replacement of its members and with governments and other major user groups to enhance the relevance and legitimacy of GESAMP's advice; and Ensure professionalism in work methods, management, and product delivery. 14 The strategic vision is described in detail in a document called The New GESAMP, Science for Sustainable Oceans. The Executive Summary of the strategic document for the NEW GESAMP is provided at the end if this document. 1 Keith Bradley (UK) Chair, Julie Hall (NZ), Swami Krishnaswami (India), Herbert Windom (USA)
Page 3 Financial Considerations for IOC 15 The strategic document (IOC/INF-1196) indicates that GESAMP's core activities will be financed from a Trust Fund, an initial budget estimate for which is US$600,000 annually. Individual project activities will be financed from separate project accounts, which will vary according to project requirements. 16 With its limited funds, IOC can support one scientist as a core member of GESAMP experts. Considering the additional expenses associated with the activities of the GESAMP Intersecretariat, the annual costs are estimated to be US$6,000. If IOC co-sponsors a GESAMP Working Group with three experts the estimated cost is US$20,000 per annum. 17 The new GESAMP mechanism and an accompanying Memorandum of Understanding between the cosponsors are subjected to the approval of all of the each sponsoring agency. THE NEW GESAMP (Executive Summary) GESAMP is a group of experts that advises the United Nations (UN) system on the scientific aspects of marine environmental protection. GESAMP is needed first because of the international policy requirement for a cross-sectoral, interdisciplinary, and science-based approach to marine environmental affairs, and second to meet the practical requirement coordination and cooperation among UN agencies with relevant responsibilities through a joint advisory mechanism. GESAMP consists of 25-30 experts in a wide range of disciplines relevant to marine environmental protection, including socio-economic ones. Experts act in their individual capacity, not as representatives of their governments or institutions, ensuring the independence of GESAMP's advice. Individual studies and assessments are usually carried out by specialist working groups that also include experts who are not current members of GESAMP. This broadens the network of experts involved in GESAMP activities and provides for the tailoring of expertise to specific projects. From its establishment in 1969 to June 2003 GESAMP produced 43 in-depth technical studies and four broad assessments of the state of the global marine environment. GESAMP's mission is: "To provide authoritative, independent, interdisciplinary scientific advice to organizations and governments to support the protection and sustainable use of the marine environment." To fulfil its mission GESAMP will, in response to requests: 1. Integrate and synthesize the results of regional and thematic assessments and scientific studies to support global assessments of the marine environment; 2. Provide scientific and technical guidance on the design and execution of marine environmental assessments;
Page 4 3. Provide scientific reviews, analyses, and advice on specific topics relevant to the condition of the marine environment, its investigation, protection, and/or management. In addition GESAMP will regularly: 4. Provide an overview of the marine environmental monitoring, assessment, and related activities of UN agencies and advise on how these activities might be improved and better integrated and coordinated; 5. Identify new and emerging issues regarding the degradation of the marine environment that are of relevance to governments and sponsoring organizations. In 2001 GESAMP's eight sponsoring organizations commissioned an independent review that concluded that GESAMP should be continued as an agreed source of independent scientific advice on marine environmental protection to the UN system, but with changes to its organization, work methods, and management. The resulting discussions among GESAMP experts, its sponsoring organizations, and a variety of interested external parties have led to a strategic vision for a "New GESAMP" that will: Maintain and strengthen GESAMP's established credibility; Strengthen engagement both with the broader scientific community and with governments and other major user groups to enhance the relevance and legitimacy of GESAMP's advice; and Ensure professionalism in work methods, management, and product delivery. A key feature of the strategy is the establishment of a pool of experts from which members of GESAMP and its working groups will be selected. Governments, intergovernmental and regional organizations, scientific bodies, international NGOs, and other major groups will be encouraged to nominate experts to the pool. Access to this large pool of expertise will ensure GESAMP's inclusiveness and multidisciplinarity, thereby maintaining its scientific credibility. Perhaps more importantly, the pool provides a vital mechanism to engage the broader scientific community. Pool experts who are not current members of GESAMP and its working groups will be kept up to date on GESAMP's activities and products, and have opportunities to participate through, for example, peer review, issue identification, and contributing to ad hoc task teams. This will not only raise GESAMP's profile but also build capacity to participate, not just in GESAMP but in scientific advisory processes generally. GESAMP will proactively seek partnerships for its projects and activities. Governments, intergovernmental and regional organizations, scientific bodies, and international NGOs may, for example, propose and/or sponsor GESAMP projects. In addition, GESAMP will regularly report its findings and advice directly to intergovernmental fora including the United Nations Open- Ended Informal Consultative Process (ICP), Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), and the governing bodies of its sponsoring organizations. To ensure the relevance, or saliency, of GESAMP's advice, members of important user groups such as scientists, environmental management practitioners, and policy-makers will be explicitly engaged at all phases of GESAMP projects, including their design and execution and the peer review of results. GESAMP products will be professionally edited and produced in appropriate
Page 5 formats to ensure their relevance and user-friendliness, and promoted and distributed so as to maximize their visibility and availability, and therefore their impact. The results of GESAMP's major reviews, analyses, and assessments will continue to be published in the long-standing GESAMP Reports and Studies series, with improved production standards to make the reports more visible and user-friendly. Other GESAMP products will include: An Annual Report of the Chair on GESAMP's activities, conclusions, and recommendations; consensus statements on new and emerging issues and major events related to marine environmental protection; Biennial overviews of the marine environmental assessment activities of the UN sponsoring organizations and other organizations; and An annual business report. GESAMP's strategic plan provides concrete mechanisms to ensure its professionalism, including its effectiveness, efficiency, transparency, and accountability. A GESAMP Office is being established to provide centralized management and a central focal point for GESAMP's interactions with governments and other major groups. All GESAMP activities will be managed on the basis of a two-year rolling work plan, updated annually. Projects will be executed according to a design brief that details the agreed budget, efficient and effective work methods including deadlines and milestones, and plans for the publication, distribution, and promotion of outputs. The annual business report will include performance auditing of GESAMP activities against the work plan and project briefs. GESAMP's core activities will be financed from a Trust Fund, an initial budget estimate for which is US$600,000 annually. Individual project activities will be financed from separate project accounts, which will vary according to project requirements. Of particular interest to GESAMP's sponsoring organizations, their member governments, and other stakeholders is GESAMP's role in marine environmental assessment, particularly in the establishment of the regular Global Marine Assessment (GMA) process called for in UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/57/141. GESAMP has considerable experience in assessing the state of the global marine environment, and is the only established mechanism for inter-agency scientific cooperation and coordination among UN organizations with responsibilities in marine environmental protection. GESAMP is therefore well suited for a leading role in a global scientific panel that designs the scientific component of the GMA and synthesises regional results. GESAMP also believes that, to provide the necessary linkages with the overall process, it should be involved at other levels of the GMA, for example in regional assessments, capacity building, and policy review, but in an information exchange and support role rather than a leadership role.