Towards a Blue Society, Oceans of opportunity

1. Towards a Blue Society, Oceans of opportunity Oceans Day, 3 December 2011 Session 4: Progress on Major Oceans and Climate Issues Philippe VALLETTE Co-President, World Ocean Network General Manager, Nausicaa

2. OUR OCEAN PLANET : Current Situation FINITE RESOURCES OVER EXPLOITATION OF MARINE RESSOURCES 80 % of fish stock over exploited or fully exploited Some stocks – like the North Atlantic Cod – will not recover FINITE SPACE POLLUTION WITHOUT BORDERS Everything winds up in the sea 80 % of marine pollution comes from the land Dead zones can drift away far from the coasts UPSETTING THE OVERALL BALANCE OCEAN AND CLIMATE CHANGE Global ocean has warmed up to a depth of 3 000 m Sea level is rising 1,8 mm/year threatening coasts and islands Absorbing more CO2, ocean is becoming more acid

3. OUR SYSTEMS OF SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT Current Situation • Humankind consumes many resources and produces much waste - some economists estimate that we could produce the same quantity by using 80% less energy • Resource access and consumption modes - 20% population use 80% ressources. Our ecological footprint is extremely different according to the country we live in. Effects of environmental disturbance and loss of natural ressources are stronger on the population in poor countries. • Inadequate governance and management modes • Population explosion of our species leading to growing needs to ensure our survival

4. OCEANS OF OPPORTUNITY … A life-support system on Earth • 80% of Earth’s mineral resources are estimated to be in the sea • 50% of pharmaceutical anti-cancer arsenal is from marine organisms • 97% of the Earth’s water is in the seas • 98% of the living space on Earth is in the sea • 80% of Earth’s living organisms are in the sea • 60% of the food of tropical developing countries comes from the sea • 90 million metric tonnes of protein from the sea is consumed by humans every year • Over 1 billion people rely on fish and other seafood as their primary energy source of animal protein • 1-50 million undiscovered life forms are thought to be in the sea • Ocean resources have been valued at $21 trillion (terrestrial $12 tr)

5. OCEANS OF OPPORTUNITY … Every second breath we take comes from the ocean • 50% of the oxygen we breath is produced by ocean plankton, which is more than all the tropical forests in the world

6. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY 200 years ago, at the beginning of the industrial revolution, we could not imagine that we were able, by our activities, to change the great balance of our planet. We can see today the difficulties in the negotiations about climate change. This means that what we have to do is to think out of the box. We are in a very exciting moment of the story of humankind: we need to reinvent a world, taking into account the fact that our planet is a limited world, with limited resources. And we, the ocean community, are pursued that an important part of the solution will come from the sea.

7. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY Developing a new ambitious vision in a spirit of well-being and equity for mankind in harmony with the world's ocean, its fundamental element The “Blue Society” concept is based on the premise that there are two imperatives that society should integrate : • Satisfying the growing needs of our planet’s inhabitants today • Preserving the means of subsistence for the generations to come, especially the resources and services provided by the ocean in preserving the balance of marine ecosytems

8. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY • The concept of “Blue Society” • takes into account aspects of the “Green Economy” applied to the sustainable exploitation of marine resources • integrates social and cultural dimensions • encourages political leaders, decision makers and citizens to take an active role in stewardship • includes all stakeholders in implementing solutions to critical issues affecting the world’s oceans and coasts • centrally incorporates the role of humankind into the fundamental questions related to the ocean

9. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY • The concept of Blue Society takes into account the entirety of demands related to sustainability from: • A social point of view: • equitable access to resources to ensure the adequate provisioning of resources to the world’s populations and to encourage and promote sustainable livelihoods • An economic point of view: • the sustainable exploitation of marine resources, taking into account the economic value of biodiversity and ecosystem services • An ecological point of view: • ensuring that marine ecosystems are resilient to change and capable of continuing to provide valuable resources and fulfill their major biological, chemical, and physical functions (e.g. oxygen production, climate regulation, nutrient cycling, etc.) • A cultural point of view: • preservation and respect for traditional cultures and knowledge linked to the sea • A political point of view: • effective governance of the ocean

10. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY Components Economy Investing in new opportunities, innovation & sustainableactivities Society Promotingwell-being & equalaccess to services & resources Environment Preservingecosystems and theirpotential Culture Developingcommonunderstanding & an integrated vision Spaceequity Developinggeographical balance in access & use of marine resources Time equity Managing the means of subsistence for inhabitants of today & generations to come Policy making Fostering good oceangovernance BLUE SOCIETY Oceans of new opportunities for all

11. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY Oceans of action Shrimp farming and fishing in Madagascar - source of food, income and jobs • Organized at a national level • Commercial and traditional fishing authorities work together • Complies with strict ecological conditions (preserving stocks, appropriate fishing gear, biological quality of farmed shrimp ) • Shrimp producers lead social initiatives • Environmental preservation and replanting of mangroves. • Financing building schools, free clinics, drinking water facilities, etc. • Alternative sources of income for fishermen in the off-season

12. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY Oceans of action The Fiji Island Resort – an environment friendly tourist resort of JM Cousteau • Partnershipbetween a scientificinstitute and a local community • First recycling programme on Savusavu • Organic garden providing vegetables and fruit for guests • New waste water system • Sustainable fishing • Protecting the Namena Marine Reserve • Awareness raising activities for tourists

13. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY Oceans of action Communities planting mangrove in Samoa to help mitigate the impacts of climate change • The benefits for the village: • Protection of the coast from damage caused by waves, big tides and storms • Breeding ground for fish and crabs, source of food & income • Extract from mangrove trees used as medicine and sarong dye • Handicrafts done with the shells collected in the mangrove and sold to the tourists • Income provided by ecotourism on the coast

14. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY Oceans of action Island stories, a multimedia project to provide a voice to Small Island States A co-production of Nausicaa, Mare Nostrum and World Ocean Network in partnership with AOSIS • To raise awareness of : • environmental, social and economic challenges that islands face, and which concern us all • the actions implemented by islanders to address their main challenges: climate change, natural resources management, pollution, safety • solutions that will inspire mainland citizens who will be facing the same challenges tomorrow • Two temporary exhibits in two aquarium facilities • Books, 3D & TV films • Conferences, media events • Educative activities • Communication tools for AOSIS • Interactive activity platforms to allow the public to exchange with islanders around the world

15. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY Some conditions to succeed • Developknowledge base: • Foster pertinent research and innovation • e.g. research on CO2 capture • Raise public awareness and buildcapacity • e.g. integration of oceanliteracy in school curricula

16. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY Some conditions to succeed • Implement good governancemechanisms: • Mobilise all relevant stakeholders • e.g. Oceans Day eventtoday, • Sea for Society, aEuropeanparticipatoryprocess to decidewhichResearch for tomorrow • Ensure public participation in decision-making processes • e.g. Youth Parliaments for the ocean by World Ocean Network, • Sea for Society European Citizen and Youth mobilisation

17. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY Mobilising Global Ocean Forum & partners Advisory & Research work Political Mobilisation Standard bearer Encouraging individual commitment Informing, Educating & Training Using events and experience to communicate 17

18. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY A cooperation-based approach bringing together organisations in the Blue Society Alliance Advisory and research work • Advising DG Research/ Sea for Society • Participation in applied research projects: Nouvelle Vague, COPEFish, Urban food • Participation in the Campus de la mer Political Mobilisation • Global Ocean Forum • GOF – Channel and North Sea approach • Consulting citizens in the decison-making process/ WON • Youth Parliament / WON Informing, Educating & Training Standard bearer SeaOrbiter Encouraging individual commitment • Nausicaa: Extension • Exchange platform for positive initiatives / WON • Training relays: Ocean Academy, Ocean Info Pack • Education programmes SeaOrbiter / WON • Mr GoodFish / WON Europe • « Ms CleanWater » / regional WON • Islands Programme Using events & experience to communicate • Extension of Nausicaa : communication platform linking WON sites • The World Festival of Underwater Pictures • BS Awards • World Ocean Day / WON 18

19. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY The ocean is one of the main solutions to get out of the global crisis that we currently live. Let us not waste this chance, leaving climate change destroy it

20. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY Oceans of opportunities… Oceans of new ideas… Oceans of partnerships… Oceans of actions… Please join!

21. Thank you World Ocean Network c/o Nausicaá, Centre National de la Mer Boulevard Sainte Beuve – BP 189 – 62203 Boulogne-sur-Mer Cedex France Tel.: +33 (0) 3 21 30 99 93 – Fax: +33 (0) 3 21 30 93 94 www.worldoceannetwork.org info@worldoceannetwork.org