4th Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts, Islands Hanoi, Vietnam

1. 4th Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts, Islands Hanoi, Vietnam Toward a Global Assessment of Marine Ecosystems: Status and Prospects The Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, including socio-economic aspects

2. What do we know about the oceans?

3. So why do we need a global marine assessment? - Need to understand the ocean system as a whole • Build on existing regional and global assessments and provide a framework for the integration of sectoral and specialized assessments • Organize, analyze and communicate information to policymakers and other stakeholders, can make informed choices to reduce human impacts on the oceans and preserve future options. • Better monitoring and observing practices and the use of indicators, including identification of hot and cold spots • Advice, networking support and capacity building to strengthen ongoing thematic, regional and national assessments • Improve the cost efficiency of assessments

4. The World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 as part of the the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, to establish a Regular Process under the United Nations for global reporting and assessment of the state of the marine environment, including socio-economic aspects, both current and foreseeable, building on existing regional assessments. • UNGA resolutions, in 2005 Res/A/60/30 decided to launch the start-up phase of the regular process : - invited UNEP AND IOC OF UNESCO to jointly undertake the role of lead agencies - investigating the potential establishment of a "regular" marine environmental assessment process that would provides accurate information to decision markers on the state of the marine environment

5. The Assessment of Assessments (AoA) The “Assessment of Assessments", forms the first step in the Regular Process for the global reporting and assessment of the state of the marine Environment, it is to be completed in two years. Objectives of the “Assessment of Assessments" (i) to assemble information on, and carry out a constructive appraisal of, past and ongoing assessments relevant to the marine environment; (ii) to identify gaps and uncertainties in scientific knowledge and current assessment practices and assess how these assessments have been communicated to policy-makers at the national, regional and global levels; (iii) to produce a framework and options for the Regular Process itself.

6. Organization of the Assessment of assessments UNGA at its 60th session (2005), adopted resolution 60/30 on oceans andthe law of the sea which decided to establish: 1. Ad Hoc Steering Group (AHSG) to oversee the execution of the “Assessment of Assessments” (composed of MS representatives appointed by UNGA Chair, + UN agencies ie. FAO, IMO, WMO, ISA, DOALOS, GESAMP) 2. Two United Nations agencies, IOC of UNESCO and UNEP to co-lead the process; and 3. A group of experts to carry out the “Assessment of Assessments” to be completed in two years.

7. Assessment of assessments • “Assessment of Assessments" Outputs • A report that will provide a critical analysis of exiting assessments: • Scientific credibility, policy relevance, legitimacy and usefulness by identifying: • Best practices and approaches; • Thematic and geographic assessment gaps and needs; • Uncertainties in scientific knowledge, data gaps and research needs; • Networking and capacity-building needs in developing countries and countries with economies in transition; • A framework and options for the regular process keeping in mind existing internationally goal • A summary report for decision makers

8. 2007 Survey Report commissioned by UNEP & IOC Summary and Conclusions • Summarizes key considerations for establishing an assessment process • Provides starting pointfor conducting the "assessment of assessments" • Tool to available essential background assessment information • Interactive online databasesearch through existing marine assessments • Findings • Highlights patchiness of data available to assess different ocean processes • Analysis of gaps and emerging issues • Recommends • New ways to address capacity-building • Need to systematic efforts to fill the information and knowledge gaps Survey Report peer reviewed by GESAMP Supporting Database: www.unep-wcmc/GRAMED 130 entries

9. Assessment of Assessments GROUP OF EXPERTS • 20 high level independent experts selected and proposed by UNEP& IOC • - Experts nomination endorsed by Ad Hoc Steering Group • - All UN regions represented • Expertise in : Environmental assessments • Oceanography • Marine Ecology /Biology/Geology • Fisheries • Law/ Policy • Social sciences • So far three expert meetings organized since March 2007

10. Outline of the AoA Part 1:Regional overview of on-going and past Assessments (conducted in 21 regions, for each 1 or 2 experts are assigned) Whatassessments are being conducted ? integrated ecosystem assessments? Sector specific assessments? What informationis available for use in each assessment (data, traditional knowledge, expert opinion etc); What practicesare applied in conducting each assessment (models, data analyses methods, gaps in information and knowledge; institutional arrangements; orientation (objectives and scope); process and methods employed;Communication & outreach Supra-regional Issues : Ocean Temperature, Sea Levels, Supra-Regional Oceanographic Features; Marine Fauna with Supra-Regional Ranges, Maritime Transport, Sea-Bed Mining

11. Outline of the AoA Part 2: Drawing on reviewed assessments in Part I, best practices will defined looking at the following criteria: - Scientific credibility - Policy relevance - Communication - Legitimacy - Usefulness Part 3: Framework and options for the Regular process - Institutional arrangements - Scaling up and down - Capacity building requirements - Cost estimate of the process - Investment/Benefit in relation to current expenditures for marine sectors

12. Regions for the purpose of the AoA • Regional groupings taking into account as much as possible: • Existing regional mechanismssuch as recognised ocean biomes and ecosystems, as well as regional seas groupings that have permanent, government-recognised structures; • Anecologically sensible delineationconducive to an ecosystem approach, for example LME or groupings of linked LMEs; • Ready accommodation ofpast or existingmonitoring and assessment programmes; • An administrativelymanageablenumber of regional units; and • The need to ensure coverage of areas within andbeyond national jurisdiction, including all ocean basins.

13. AoA Regionsadopted by the Group of Experts 01 Antarctic Ocean 12 North-West Pacific Ocean 02 Arctic Ocean 13 Red Sea & Gulf of Aden 03 Baltic Sea 14 ROPME/RECOFI Area 04 Black Sea 15 South Asian Seas 05 East Asian Seas 16 South-East Pacific Ocean 06 Eastern African Seas 17 Southern Indian Ocean 07 Mediterranean 18 Southern Pacific Ocean 08 North Central Pacific Ocean 19 South-West Atlantic Ocean 09 North-East Atlantic Ocean 20 Western African Seas 10 North-East Pacific Ocean 21 Wider Caribbean Sea 11 North-West Atlantic Ocean

14. Timeline 1st PEER 2nd PEER Part I: Check List & Template COMMISSION REVIEW REVIEW (secreatariat.) + int. review STUDIES (6 weeks) (6 weeks) 0 Dr aft 0.1 Draft 0.1 Draft 2nd SIGN 1st DEVELOP Part II & III Draft FINAL OFF Part III Part 0 Part I Draft 0.2 Draft + & & Draft Part I SDM PUBLISH SDM EG 1 EG 2 EG 3 EG 5 EG 4 outline 07: 08: 09: A M J J A S O A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M SG 2 SG 3 SG 4 (ICP) (ICP) (ICP) UNGA 64 Timeline for the "assessment of assessments"

15. Please check the new AoA website: http://www.unga-regular-process.org

16. http://www.unga-regular-process.org

17. Thank you