Transcript Slide 1
©Hoegh-Guldberg Taking action on Ocean Acidification Policy Opportunities ©freefotouk – flickr.com Global Platform on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainable Energy 8 December 2010 ©IUCN/Tamelander Dorothée Herr Marine Programme Officer IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme ©Herr INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE Ocean acidification and climate change A common root problem: anthropogenic CO2 emissions Common solutions for mitigation and adaptation Need to be explored ways to include ocean acidification into climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. ©freefotouk – flickr.com ©Herr INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE Policy-related activities on ocean acidification IPCC • IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) in 2007 • IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) and workshop Ocean Acidification and the UNFCCC to Date • Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) Research Dialogue • One reference in negotiation text National Actions on Ocean Acidification • Research activities • Reference to ocean acidification in some national climate change plans and strategies ©Herr INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE Example U.S. – Clean Water Act • Environmental Protection Agency has recommended that states begin identifying coastal waters impaired by ocean acidification. ©Herr INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE What is needed? A comprehensive, international action-oriented approach to address ocean acidification. ©Herr INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE Policy Opportunities under the UNFCCC • Inclusion of ocean acidification as a priority theme to be addressed at the workshop organized in conjunction with the SBSTA research dialogue at SBSTA 34 in June 2011; • Recognition of the opportunity to address ocean acidification in conjunction with climate change, for example: - through inclusion of relevant text into a post-2012 Agreement and/or a COP decision; • Request for follow-up activities, for example: - Invite Parties to strengthen and support research efforts on ocean acidification; - Encourage Parties to explore ways to address ocean acidification long-term under the UNFCCC; - Request SBSTA and other appropriate bodies within the UNFCCC to take up relevant work. ©Herr INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE Policy Opportunities to include Ocean Acidification into Mitigation Actions • An indicator for ocean acidification alongside temperature; • Targets effective in curtailing both climate change and ocean acidification; • Mitigation strategies that are effective in curtailing both climate change and ocean acidification; • Avoiding mitigation strategies that may exacerbate ocean acidification, e.g. certain geoengineering strategies. ©Herr INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE Policy Opportunities to include Ocean Acidification into Adaptation Actions • Enhanced action on adaptation to climate change and ocean acidification; • The development and revision of adaptation strategies that are effective in curtailing both climate change and ocean acidification. ©Herr INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE Other Adaptation Measures Include ocean acidification into conservation and natural resource management strategies • Increase ecosystem resilience, e.g. reduce other stressors • Prioritize protection of ecosystems likely to be more resistant to ocean acidification • Review management plans ©Herr INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE ©Hoegh-Guldberg Thank you very much! ©freefotouk – flickr.com Dorothée Herr [email protected] ©IUCN/Tamelander IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme www.iucn.org/marine ©Herr INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE