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Large Marine Ecosystem Approach: Getting ready for an upgrade

GEF/UNDP/IOC-UNESCO LME:LEARN

By IW:LEARN

November 5^th, 2019

21st Annual Large Marine Ecosystem Consultation Meeting

Marine and coastal practitioners representing GEF and non-GEF funded projects, international and national organizations, and institutions met in Cartagena, Colombia on 18-20 September 2019 for the 21st Annual Large Marine Ecosystem Consultation (LME21).

LME21 Participants group photo. Photo credit: Maria Carillo

"Stress reduction and enhanced ecosystem quality achieved in selected LME regions can make a huge contribution to SDG14, the most ambitious SDG of them all" - Andrew Hudson, UNDP

A number of existing and potential future partners in LME partnerships were brought together and informed of the benefits of their cooperation and collaboration and exchanged good practices and lessons learnt for establishing and maintaining partnerships. Under the banner “The Large Marine Ecosystems are everyone’s business”, several interactive sessions were organised where participants had the opportunity to exchange views, experiences, lessons learned and ideas for future collaboration. The highlights of these sessions included the following:

● Long term relationship among partners is key;

● While discussions often focus on large private sector entities, small and medium enterprises should also be engaged in sustainable initiatives;

● Promote smart (small scale, local markets, philanthropic partnerships, insurance, etc.) and purpose-oriented partnerships;

● Engage the private sector in the early stage of the partnership establishment and/or a project initiative;

Finally, the meeting advised on the transformation of the TDA-SAP process from an almost exclusively “problem-solving” mechanism towards a “leveraging-opportunities” investment framework. The participants agreed that the TDA-SAP process needs to be revised and its scope significantly expanded towards widening of its socio-economic aspect.

"The TDA-SAP process needs to be redefined to take in consideration not just what is happening in the natural ecosystems, but also in the accompanying socioeconomic systems, which could open the way for the investments and blue economy"- Aimee Gonzales, PEMSEA

An interactive session during the LME21. Photo credit: Maria Carillo

The 21st Annual LME Consultation Meeting (LME21) was attended by more than 80 participants. The LME Annual meetings contribute to sharing experiences and lessons and forging alliances and collaboration for ecosystem-based ocean governance and management, in pursuance of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular the SDG14. They are also meant to contribute to the development of LME-centred partnerships by engaging marine, coastal management, biodiversity and coastal climate change adaptation project leaders in meeting SDG14 targets.

"The LME movement has reached an age of maturity" - Julian Barbiere, IOC-UNESCO

The LME21 meeting attracted a wide range of professionals from the marine community

GEF LME:LEARN seeks to strengthen the GEF marine and coastal porfolio

Why the LME Approach?

Prompt and large scale action is still needed to overcome the downward trend of losses of LME goods and services; to mitigate the degradation of LMEs in the face of the accelerating effects of climate change; and to achieve the integrated adaptive Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) of LMEs. That is why the LME Approach has provided a rallying point for countries to cooperate in dealing with problems relating to the utilization of transboundary marine resources. Also, as a regional framework and science-informed process, it can be an engine for achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially Sustainable Development Goal 14 - Conserve and Sustainably Use the Oceans, Seas and Marine Resources for Sustainable Development.

The LME Approach aims at operationalizing the EBM concept in the oceans realm within the context of the Large Marine Ecosystems. Already identified 66 LMEs are: regions of ocean space encompassing 200,000 km2 or more; characterised by distinct natural and socio-economic features; transboundary in nature; harbouring biodiversity and providing important ecosystems services; and, taken together, providing direct services approaching US$3 trillion annually. EBM involves a paradigm shift from single species or single sector management to entire ecosystem management, and integrates a science to policy process. The LME Approach provides a five-module strategy for assessing and monitoring LMEs and for taking remedial actions toward the recovery and sustainability of degraded goods and services in LMEs. The modules are focused on the application of suites of indicators for measuring LME socioeconomics, productivity, governance, pollution & ecosystem health, and fish & fisheries, which are incorporated into a multi-country LME strategic planning process through development of a Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDA) and a Strategic Action Programme (SAP).

Large Marine Ecosystem Approach: Getting ready for an upgrade

With generous sponsorship and support from SUEZ and its local subsidiary, Aguas de Cartagenas, a provider of water supply and sanitation, participants undertook technical site visits to the Cartagena wastewater treatment plant and La Boquilla mangrove restoration area.

"If you want to start “selling” ecosystem services you need to show what is their value, hence we have to show why the ecosystem management approach is beneficial to the countries and why they want to change business as usual" - David Vousden, OFMP and new GESAMP Chair

The next LME Annual Consultation Meeting (LME22) will be held in Paris, France in early July 2020.

For more information on the LME21 please visit the meeting’s website.

Additional information on the GEF LME:LEARN project can be found on the website, or please contact the project manager, Mish Hamid (mish(at)iwlearn.org).