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Role of Science in Marine and Coastal Policy in the Western Indian Ocean

GEF/UN Environment Western Indian Ocean Land-Based Sources

By IW:LEARN

October 31^st, 2018

The Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region encompasses diverse tropical and subtropical stretches of coastal and marine ecosystems which have been identified as global biodiversity hotspots. Scientific assessments indicate that the WIO region is one of the most pristine regions in the world providing home to range of biodiversity in addition to providing an array of ecosystem services. Economically, the ‘ocean asset base’ of the region is estimated at US$333.8 billion supporting over 60 million people who live within 100 km off the coastline.

The productivity of the WIO region is rapidly declining due to impacts of local and transboundary anthropogenic activities, ocean acidification and global warming. Proper science-based policies are key for improved conservation and management of coastal and marine ecosystems in the region.

The region undertakes period reviews on the state of the coast to support science-based decision making. The Regional State of the Coast Report (2015), is a comprehensive regional synthesis providing insights on the enormous economic potential of WIO region, based on extensive science and key recommendations packaged into appropriate policy recommendations. The report highlights the main opportunities, successes and challenges, while identifying capacity building needs, knowledge and policy gaps.

In recognizing the need for adaptive management and science-based policy making, the Nairobi Convention[1] established a science-policy platform to facilitate dialogue between policy makers from the Contacting Parties[2] on one hand and experts drawn from the Forum for Academic and Research Institutions which is hosted by Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA). The platform explores innovative policy options and adaptive management strategies required in science-based decision-making for topical issues ranging from the contribution of critical habitats to the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs); sustainable ports development, to innovative approaches for dealing with land-based pollution, noise pollution, to biodiversity offsets in large scale developments among others. Options and recommendations recommended by the science/policy platform are then presented to the Contracting Parties of the Nairobi Convention for decisions and follow-up.

The GEF funded WIOSAP[3] project, is currently supporting these science-policy dialogues through a component that enhances stakeholder’s collaboration. To this end, the project has organized four science-policy forums with the most recent being the science-policy forum in Durban from 9th to 11th July 2018 during which experts discussed various topical subjects including: No Net Loss and Mitigation Hierarchy; Anthropogenic Ocean Noise and Ship Strikes; contribution of Blue Carbon to NDCs, which countries submitted under the Paris agreement, innovations in managing marine litter among others.

Experts and Policy Makers at the Science to Policy Forum in Durban, South Africa

As a result, Contracting parties took a number of Decisions at COP 9 held in August 2018 on: Management of marine litter and municipal wastewater in the Western Indian Ocean; Climate change adaptation and mitigation; Marine spatial planning for the blue and ocean economy; Development of marine protected areas and critical habitats outlooks and the impact of anthropogenic underwater noise and shipping activities on marine animals and the prioritization of projects relating thereto.

Delegates at the Technical Meeting of the COP 9 held in August 2018 in Mombasa, Kenya

The science to policy platform is envisaged to catalyse action for current and emerging issues; as well as sharing experiences to foster high level political awareness and consensus on priority policy decisions at national and regional fora related to the protection of the WIO region.

For more information, please contact Jared Bosire on jared.bosire@un.org and visit iwlearn.net/iw-projects/4940.

[1] Convention for the Development, Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Western Indian Ocean (in this article shortened to the Nairobi Convention)

[2] Convention’s contacting parties include: Comoros, France, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania and South Africa.