The ocean has reached a critical tipping point

1. High Seas Conservation:Opportunities for progress at the global levelIUCN World Conservation Congress10 September, 2012Dr. Susan LiebermanDirector, International PolicyThe Pew Environment Group

2. The ocean has reached a critical tipping point

4. State of the World’s Fisheries • The combined estimates for fully exploited, over exploited, depleted or recovering from depletion is the highest ever (85%) • Over half of fish stocks (53%) are fully exploited with no room for further expansion • 32% areeitheroverexploited (28%), depleted (3%) or recovering from depletion (1 percent). Source: FAO, The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2010

5. Global Protected Area Coverage Source UNEP WCMC 2011

6. To conserve High Seas Biodiversity Actions need to be taken to: Establish marine protected areas and reserves on the high seas (legal framework needed) Require prior environmental impact assessments for activities in areas beyond national jurisdiction Improve monitoring, control and surveillance of high seas fishing vessels

7. Existing Legal Frameworks and High Seas Management Instruments • UNCLOS • constitution for the ocean • RFMOs and Regional Seas Conventions • different mandates, incomplete coverage • ISA • remit limited to the Area • IMO • narrow mandate, sectoral approach • CBD • EBSA process

8. International Oceans Governance UN General Assembly (UNGA ) Sustainable Fisheries Resolution Oceans Resolution Working Group on Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Informal Consultative Process (ICP) RFMOs, Regional Seas Conventions CBD IMO ISA

9. Governance gaps The sectoral nature of current high seas governance means that there is no mechanism for • Creating multi-sector marine protected areas • Coordinating environmental assessments, strategic environmental assessments • Managing impacts, including cumulative impacts, across sectors.

10. A new legal framework—such as an implementing agreement under UNCLOS—is essential for the Conservation of High Seas Biodiversity

11. Potential elements of a new agreement on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction Area-based management tools, including identification and establishment of MPAs and reserves Environmental Impact Assessments Technology transfer, information sharing Capacity building MGRs, including fair and equitable sharing of benefits

12. United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) June 2012

13. Rio+20 basics • Largest UN Conference ever held (45,381 participants) • Delegations from 188 countries • Over 100 Heads of State and Government • 500 official side events • 4,075 members of the media

14. Where did the ocean fit in?

15. How did oceans get on the agenda?18 months of preparatory work, including:

17. 10 Priority Issues Unemployment, Decent Work and Migration Economic and Financial Crisis Fighting Poverty Sustainable patterns of production and consumption Forests Food and Nutrition Security Sustainable Energy for All Water Sustainable Cities and Innovation

18. and…..Oceans!

19. Outcome document The Future We Want • 9 drafts • 20 ocean paragraphs

20. Oceans and Seas 162 – Address high seas conservation 168 – Commit to achieve sustainable fisheries 169 – Fully implement UNFSA, the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the FAO international plans of action and technical guidelines 170 – Eliminate Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported fishing 172 –Enhance transparency and accountability of RFMOs 173 - Eliminate subsidies that contribute to IUU and overcapacity 177 - Reaffirm the importance of area-based conservation measures including MPAs

21. Sustainable Development Dialogue Days

22. Media Coverage

23. Decide in 2 ½ years on the way forward— including new implementing agreement for the conservation and sustainable use of marine areas beyond national jurisdiction High seaS (162)

24. 162. We recognize the importance of the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction. We note the ongoing work under the General Assembly of an ad hoc open-ended informal working group to study issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction. Building on the work of the ad hoc working group and before the end of the sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly we commit to address, on an urgent basis, the issue of the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction, including by taking a decision on the development of an international instrument under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

25. Where do we go from here? • Sept 2012—IUCN World Conservation Congress • Oct 2012—CBD CoP, India • Oct and Nov 2012—UN Oceans Omnibus negotiations • Nov 2012—UN Sustainable Fisheries negotiations • Dec 2012—adoption of the UNGA resolutions • Early 2013—BBNJ workshops on high seas issues • Mid-2013—BBNJ meeting • Oct-Nov 2013—UN Oceans Omnibus negotiations

26. www.pewenvironment.org/ip slieberman@pewtrusts.org international@pewtrusts.org