The European Marine Strategy - Goals and Objectives - Ben van de Wetering

1. The European Marine Strategy - Goals and Objectives - Ben van de Wetering European Commission – DG Environment Unit Protection of Water & Marine Environment 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

2. European Marine Strategy - Disclaimer - • This presentation reflects the preparatory material for the eventual proposals of the European Commission regarding the Thematic Strategy for the Protection and Conservation of the European Marine Environment. • It does not necessarily reflect the view of the European Commission and in no way anticipates the Commission’s future policy in this respect. 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

3. European Marine Strategy- Why a Strategy - • Threats on the marine environment require further action • Present institutional situation not adequate for integrated and coherent action • Complex legislative and policy situation within and outside EU: • IPPC, chemicals policy, nitrate directive, biodiversity/habitats legislation, air emissions policy, ICZM, CFP, CAP, etc, (most not specifically designed to protect the marine environment) • regional and global strategies, recommendations, binding agreements, guidelines etc. • Many institutions, bodies, conventions, and agreements: EC, EEA, OSPAR, HELCOM, BARCELONA, Black Sea, ASCOBANS, ACCOBAMS, NEAFC, NASCO, IMO, etc • Gaps in knowledge • Assessment and monitoring programmes not integrated and not complete. Weak link between research needs and research priorities. 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

4. European Marine Strategy- Challenges - Challenges of any strategy covering European Seas • A common approach for different regions • EU is / will be covering parts of all regional seas around Europe • there are many problems shared in these seas • transboundary nature of several threats and human activities • A regionalised ecosystem approach • holistic and integrated instead of a sector by sector • addressing regional specificities • using as much as possible existing (regional) institutional instruments 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

5. European Marine Strategy- Scope - • Represents the environmental component of an overall policy required to achieve sustainable use of the seas and conservation of marine ecosystems • No concrete measures to reach its goals as the strategy will have to be implementation at regional level • Geographic scope: • EU countries bordering European Seas (Arctic Sea, North East Atlantic, Baltic Sea, Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea) • non-EU countries bordering these seas • international organisations in which both EU and non-EU countries cooperate • through these organisations, adjacent seas outside national jurisdictions and especially the conservation and use of the deep waters • the EU footprint in marine areas in other parts of the world 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

6. European Marine Strategy- Vision - Vision both we and future generations can enjoy and benefit from biologically diverse and dynamic oceans and seas that are safe, clean, healthy and productive 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

7. European Marine Strategy- Principles of an ecosystem approach - • Integrated, strategic, adaptive and trans-sectoral. Planning and management with a long-term perspective • Geographic span of management should reflect ecological characteristics ( eco-regions) • Objectives should address the desired quality status of the structure and dynamic functions of the ecosystem • Objectives should be consistent with the requirements of sustainable development and reflect a societal choice • Action based upon the precautionary principle, the polluter-pays principle and the prevention principle 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

8. European Marine Strategy- Strategic Goals - • To protect, allow recovery and, where practicable, restore the function and structure of marine biodiversity and ecosystems in order to achieve and maintain good ecological status of these ecosystems • To phase out pollution in the marine environment so as to ensure that there are no significant impacts or risk to human and/or on ecosystem health and/or on uses of the sea • To contain the use of marine services and goods and other activities in marine areas to levels that are sustainable and that do not compromise uses and activities of future generations nor the capacity of marine ecosystem to respond to changes • To apply the principles of good governance, both within Europe and globally 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

9. European Marine Strategy- Objectives Goal A - • By 2010 to implement an ecosystem approach in accordance with the guidance to implement this approach • By 2010 to halt the decline of biodiversity • By 2012 to establish an effective system of representative networks of marine and coastal protected areas covering also the high seas • To reduce the risk of accidental and to prevent intentional introduction of alien and invasive species 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

10. European Marine Strategy- Objectives Goal B - • To progressively reduce discharges, emissions and losses of substances hazardous to the marine environment with the ultimate aim to reach concentrations of such substances in the marine environment near background values for naturally occurring substances and close to zero for man-made synthetic substances • To prevent pollution from ionizing radiation through progressive and substantial reductions of discharges, emissions and losses of radioactive substances, with the ultimate aim to reach concentrations in the marine environment near background values for naturally occurring radioactive substances and close to zero for artificial radioactive substances • To put in place by 2010 measures to control all sources of nutrients required to reduce human induced eutrophication to acceptable levels. Where these measure address agriculture within the EU, they will be considered in the forthcoming review of the Common Agricultural Policy 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

11. European Marine Strategy- Objectives Goal B - • By 2010 at the latest to improve compliance with all existing discharge regulations for ships and with existing regulations on the protection of marine environment from pollution derived from shipping and maritime transport and to further reduce the environmental impact of shipping, inter alia, by developing and applying the concept of the “Clean Ship” and further promote “safe shipping” • To progressively reduce discharges, releases and losses of marine debris to the marine environment by improving enforcement of waste legislation and to developing a more effective waste management, including campaigns to increase public awareness about the environmental problem of litter and ship generated waste or cargo residues 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

12. European Marine Strategy- Objectives Goal C - • To carry out environmental assessments of human activities, even in cases where the EC Directives regarding Environmental Impact Assessment or Strategic Environmental Assessment do not apply. Such assessments should in particular take account of interactions between projects and plans or programmes and of long term cumulative effects thereof on the marine environment so as not to compromise Strategic Goals A, B and C • To implement as soon as possible, the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries and the 1995 New York Agreement inter alia, with a view to achieving sustainable fisheries and reducing the impact on fishing activities on the marine environment • In accordance with the commitments taken at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, to reverse the decline in fished stocks by reducing fishing pressure to ensure sustainable fisheries and contribute to healthy ecosystems, both in EU and globally with the aim of restoring or maintaining stocks to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yields by 2015 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

13. European Marine Strategy- Objectives Goal C - • To reduce the environmental impact of the exploitation of non-renewable marine resources • To promote the application and wider use of management toolssuch as adaptive management, ICZM, risk assessment and spatial planning to contribute to sustainable development and achieving the strategic goals • With a view to promote the conservation and sustainable tourism activities in marine and coastal ecosystems and habitats, to implement the Guidelines on Biodiversity and Tourism Developmentas adopted by the 2004 Conference of the Convention on Biological Diversity 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

14. European Marine Strategy- Objectives Goal D - • To promote coherence of sectoral policieswith the aim of reducing the impact of all human activities on the marine environment • To promote compliance and enforcementof legislation dealing with the protection and conservation of the marine environment • To promote more effective coordination and cooperationbetween different institutions and regional and global conventions and action plans • To promote increased awareness and wide stakeholder participation 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

15. European Marine Strategy- Objectives Goal D - • To promote improved communication between research, management and other end-users • To improve the knowledge baserequired to fully implementing an ecosystem approach, especially promote development of risk-based and spatial management tools, economic and socio-economic evaluation methods • To promote the development of coordinated and strategic research programmeswith the view to support scientific advice at regional sea scale. 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

16. European Marine Strategy- Implementation - • Development of “Implementation Plans” at regional scale following ecosystem approach and involving all stakeholders • Identification of ‘eco-regions’ within European seas will be finalised by mid 2005 on the basis of proposal made by ICES • Implementation plans should, inter alia, include: • Regional Ecosystem Objectives (EO) to achieve the Strategic Goals • Selection of a suite of indicators, limits and reference points –translation of EQ in operational terms • Strategic Impact Assessment of human activities that has an influence on the marine environment • Review and adjustment of monitoring • Periodic assessments 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

17. European Marine Strategy - Rotterdam Stakeholder Conference - • Marine Strategy Stakeholder Conference (Rotterdam, 10-12 November 2004) confirmed and endorsed e.g.: • Need for long term political commitment • Implementation without neighbours will fail • Need for better vertical and horizontal integration of policy issues at stake required to achieve coherence at all levels of governance (international, EU, regional and national) • Need to work out synergies between different policies and stakeholders • Vision, Strategic Goals and Objectives • Ecosystem approach as basic way forward (guidance document will be published by ICES) 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

18. European Marine Strategy - Rotterdam Stakeholder Conference - • Identified issues that require more attention such as: • Potential impact of climate change (e.g. acidification) • Impact of underwater noise • Impact of land-based pollution • Innovative thinking about solutions, such as ‘Clean Ship Approach’ • Availability and sharing of data and information • Review of monitoring programmes to make them fit the requirements of the ecosystem approach 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach

19. European Marine Strategy - Final - • Two target audiences for final proposal (mid 2005) • The EU • Beyond the EU • EU element: main question: • Is there a need to propose to Council and Parliament a legal framework which would: • establish goals for EU Member States to be pursued in regional and global fora; • set common objectives, approaches for monitoring and assessment, management plans and programmes of measures; and • integrate different policy areas • Beyond the EU: main challenge: • how to invite regional organisations and via them non-EU countries: • to endorse the overall policy • to jointly develop regional implementation and action plans to implement the strategy 6th European Conference on Coastal Zone Research - the ELOISE Approach