Ocean Acidification: The Other CO 2 Problem What can we do about it?

1. Ocean Acidification: The Other CO2 ProblemWhat can we do about it? Tariq Banuri Director, Division for Sustainable Development United Nations COP15

2. Policy options • International Action on Mitigating CO2 Emissions • Information Generation and Dissemination • Improving Capacities in Developing Countries • Raising Awareness

3. UN -- Intergovernmental Decisions • UNFCCC – COP15 — urgent need for binding agreement that will bend the curve • CBD – Bonn 2008 • UNCLOS – General Assembly • Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea • Regular Process for global reporting and assessment of the state of the marine environment, including socio-economic aspects. • Commission on Sustainable Development

4. UN General Assembly 64th SessionOceans and the Law of the Sea • Expressed serious concern over ability of coral reefs to withstand ocean acidification • Urgent call for further research on ocean acidification, especially programmes for observation and measurement • Encouraged States and international organizations to improve efforts to address coral bleaching

5. CSD • UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD), Brazil 2012 • Objectives: revive commitment, assess progress, address emerging challenges • Themes Include: Green Economy, Institutional Arrangements

6. CSD • CSD to consider oceans and seas, marine resources and small island developing States in 2015 and 2016 • 2015: CSD will review and assess progress made on prior commitments to identify barriers and constraints impeding progress • 2016: CSD will take policy decisions aimed at overcoming barriers and constraints.

7. UN – Raising Awareness/ Information Dissemination • DESA Policy Brief on Ocean Acidification (forthcoming) • CBD Scientific Synthesis on Ocean Acidification – media event on Dec 16th • IOC/UNESCO , 2nd International Symposium on Ocean in a High-CO2 World • UNEP – Climate Change Science Compendium • IPCC – 4th assessment report