The Project
Over the next few years, concerted analysis of relevant conventions and outreach are needed to achieve the synergistic integration of marine and coastal ecosystems into international policy processes.
With the support of international experts in the area of environmental policy, finance, project implementation, and other relevant fields, the goals of the project are:
To identify opportunities for continued advocacy in favour of coastal and marine habitats as Nature-based Solutions (NbS) within and across existing international conventions
To develop an overarching framework outlining the big picture of opportunities and needs for achieving enhanced coastal and marine conservation via international policy processes
To provide governments and other stakeholders detailed, regularly updated recommendations related to the specific processes and priority opportunities, aligned with the overarching framework
To highlight recommendations from related work and partners, which complement the framework and its implementation
To support champion countries in their efforts to implement conservation efforts on the ground;
To advocate for champion countries to support and promote socialization and implementation of the framework through strategic speaking engagements and supportive negotiating positions that are widely influential and accepted among key negotiating blocks.
The Context
Coastal and marine ecosystems are broadly recognized for their capacity to sequester and store carbon, support climate adaptation and provide other critical services such as livelihoods, food security and cultural values. Therefore, these ecosystems often rank highly in national biodiversity and climate strategies. Globally, however, coastal and marine ecosystems continue to be destroyed and degraded, while protection and restoration activities are slow and remain underfunded.
Healthy coastal and marine habitats provide many valuable ecosystem services, including:
A considerable number of international policy agreements have the mandate to request action and provide frameworks to guide and direct resources for coastal and marine ecosystem protection, restoration and sustainable use by governments and other stakeholders.
However, strategic and coordinated efforts to align policies, targets, funding and other resources for coastal and marine ecosystems within these agreements have been lacking, resulting in implementation gaps, competition over the allocation of resources, and ultimately suboptimal conservation outcomes for these ecosystems.
Partners
IUCN and CI, along with their many members and partners, have collaborated on coastal blue carbon and other coastal policy issues for over ten years. IUCN and CI will continue to be engaged in different policy fora and discussion settings. We are particularly grateful for the technical content and strategic input from the following colleagues and experts:
(in alphabetic order)
Julika Tribukait (WWF Germany)
Lisa Murray Schindler (Rare)
Partners
IUCN and CI, along with their many members and partners, have collaborated on coastal blue carbon and other coastal policy issues for over ten years. IUCN and CI will continue to be engaged in different policy fora and discussion settings. We are particularly grateful for the technical content and strategic input from the following colleagues and experts:
(in alphabetic order)
Julika Tribukait (WWF Germany)
Lisa Murray Schindler (Rare)
Lorely Picourt (Ocean and Climate Platform)
Moritz von Unger (Silvestrum)
Pauli Merriman (WWF)
Magie Comstock (CI)
Kristina Gerde (IUCN)
Moritz von Unger (Silvestrum)
James Kairo (KMFRI)
Steve Corrks (Silverstrum)
Jessie Turner
Emily Goodwin
Pauli Meriman
Minna Epps (IUCN)
Ariane Steinsmeiner (Rare)
Ayana Jhonson
Emily Pidgeon
Lina Barrera
Jace Rice
Serge Garcia
Julien Rochette
Tim Packeiser
David Obura
Ghislaine Llewywlln
Nathalie Ray
Mary-May Muzungaile (Seychelleys gov)
Gabriel Grimditch
Joseph Appiott
Janine Felson
Ronny Jemeu
Karen Sack
Tirsten Thiele
More to be added
As part of this project, specific country support is given to:
Colombia
Costa Rica
Kenya
Liberia
Philippines