Submitted by
HerrD
on Mon, 01/28/2019 - 14:16
General Information
Resolution
46474
Period covered
Activities to implement this Resolution from Activity Reports
| Relevant operative para(s) of Res/Rec | Activities Overview | Description | Status | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convene stakeholders/Networking | ECO has included oceans in all our discussions of climate change effects and the dynamic processes and feedbacks of the climate-oceans-cryosphere systems destabilisation. We continue to report on and promote the IPBES work and report. | On-going | Full activity report | |
| Policy influencing/advocacy | ECO's is supporting and advising the Wellington Community Trust to deploy $2.1 million to regional community groups to work on climate change. ECO and its member groups are working with local communities and Local government on adaptation and coastal retreat and zoning as well a mitigation in response to climate induced sea level rise. ECO managed with many in the community and Royal Forest and Bird, to largely stop a local government bill (from two councils) which sought to allow widespread mangrove destruction in violation of NZ's coastal and marine plans and Resource Management and biodiversity protection. |
On-going | Full activity report | |
| Policy influencing/advocacy | In submissions and in policy discussions, we discourage people who think the oceans is a handy sink for CO2, we draw attention to the science and issue of ocean acidification, the potency of methane at raising temperatures and sea level rise and the disruption to ecosystems from shifting and freshening ocean currents as the Antarctic ice shelves mobilise and melt. We and many of our member bodies work to insert greenhouse gas emission effects consideration into New Zealand's Resource Management Act and the EEZ and Continental Shelf Act. So far our government has refused to remove the prohibitions in law on this consideration. That reflects the existence of vested interests and an unhealthy and unrealistic Ministerial view that NZ's emissions trading system will price emissions - even though it is manifestly inadequate at its current geographic settings and the exemption of many of the ocean activities. Under intense pressure from many in the community and with the good offices of ministers, New Zealand has halted the issue of all fresh block offers for new applications for oil and gas exploration except in the Taranaki region. This is a very significant advance, but it still allows those holding permits with a right of exploration to continue and to exercise rights of renewal, and to progress from exploration to mining for oil and gas. We are not permitted to consider either, greenhouse gas emissions from proposed seabed mining. We are working to change these prohibitions, and to achieve further restrictions on oil and gas exploration. |
On-going | Full activity report | |
| Policy influencing/advocacy | In the context of the Southern Ocean, the high seas, and New Zealand's territorial sea, EEZ and Continental shelf, ECO stresses the importance for biodiversity for human impacts to be avoided and regulated in the knowledge that we need to reduce the climate, fishing., disturbance and sedimentation of the ocean and other stresses on marine ecosystems and biodiversity. | On-going | Full activity report | |
| Convene stakeholders/Networking | The International Partnership for Blue Carbon (by Australia), as well as other efforts such as the Fiji Ocean Pathway as continuously convening policy-makers and other stakeholders in workshops/conferences to generate further action on climate and ocean issues. | On-going | Full activity report | |
| Policy influencing/advocacy | This work is a continuation of providing scientific and technical advice to policy-makers as well as amongst the ocean / climate community. Many members and partners have worked on different levels to raise the overall awareness of climate change impacts on the ocean, as well as on solutions provided from the ocean, primarily NbS. The ocean topic broadly is very well represent now at the relevant climate meetings, especially the UNFCCC COPs. Various ocean / climate themes, such as blue carbon are respectively discussed in the Paris Agreement and other UNFCCC relevant mechanism/documents. | On-going | Full activity report | |
| Scientific/technical activities | Efforts such as the Blue Carbon Initiative continue to provide technical guidance on e.g. carbon accounting from coastal ecosystems. Many partners in the academic field are continuing to publish relevant information in peer reviewed journals. | On-going | Full activity report | |
| Fundraising | Worked with GMA partners to influence the GEF 7 focus on mangroves | On-going | Full activity report | |
| Other (please specify) | Recognizing the important role of marine and coastal ecosystems in climate change, IUCN is a founding member of the Global Mangrove Alliance, working towards the goal of 20% increase in mangrove cover by 2030 for the purpose of climate mitigation and adaptation, as well as human well-being and biodiversity. | On-going | Full activity report | |
| Policy influencing/advocacy | Together with GMA and Save Our Mangroves Now, we are highlighting marine and coastal ecosystems at CBD and UNFCCC conferences. | On-going | Full activity report |
Actors involved from Activity Reports
| IUCN Members | IUCN Commissions | IUCN Secretariat | Other non-IUCN related organisations |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
Challenges / lessons learned from Activity Reports
Report status
Published
I. IUCN Constituencies implementing this Resolution
IUCN Members
Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water ( Australia )
WWF - Deutschland ( Germany )
9ECE514B-B8A3-E011-96D3-002655853524
Conservation International ( United States of America )
The Nature Conservancy ( United States of America )
World Resources Institute ( United States of America )
Fiji Department of Environment ( Fiji )
IUCN Commissions
F517E09E-5094-E611-97F4-005056BA6623
FB17E09E-5094-E611-97F4-005056BA6623
IUCN Secretariat
Yes
Other non-IUCN related organisations
IUCN France Committee; members of the Ocean and Climate Platform, UN agencies (including UN Environment, UN DESA, FAO); members of the International Partnership for Blue Carbon, experts involved in the Blue Carbon Initiative
II. Implementation
Activities carried out to implement this Resolution
Convene stakeholders/Networking
Policy influencing/advocacy
Scientific/technical activities
Describe the results/achievements of the activities
Climate policy-makers are well aware of "the ocean", and its connection to climate policy. Many IUCN members and partners have contributed to a growing awareness of the impacts from climate change on the ocean, and similarly the solutions "the ocean" can contribute in terms of climate adaptation and mitigation. In concrete policy terms, much that is available in terms of tools and mechanisms can be used by countries to enhance their engagement vàV ocean / climate issues.
Challenges/obstacles encountered in the implementation of this Resolution and measures taken
Tools and mechanisms might not always be visible in terms of the language used in the UNFCCC. Having the word "ocean" in a policy document should not be the end game, rather a more nuanced approach is needed to ensure ocean solutions, and primarily NbS from coastal and marine management, are facilitated, incentive and implemented. For that, a deep and technical understanding is needed amongst the ocean/climate stakeholders - something that is continuous growing, that to the IUCN Secretariat as well as many IUCN members and partners.
Future actions / activities needed for the implementation of this Resolution
Is a necessity for this work to go beyond 2020, and ensure a growing ocean / climate community, concerned with and being able to take action on this topic. Policy influencing work should be continued, and updated based on new technical insights and strategic directions. Is the underpinning to be able to develop the most accurate policy advice. Is indispensable, and needs to continue beyond 2020.
Are these actions/activities planned?
Yes
III. Status of implementation
Implementation status of this Resolution
Underway: implementation well-advanced