Green Economy in a Blue World-Full Report

conversion are driven by growing populations and the growing economic output these populations demand. These pressures have led to dramatic declines in the ecological state of our coasts and oceans. We are in the throes of an epoch of unprecedented species-loss, the emergence of coastal waters which are no longer safe for swimming or fishing, the loss of shoreline protection by coastal habitats and coral reefs, and anunprecedenteddecline inthevalueofecosystem goods and services. In turn the loss of ecological integrity in our oceans and coasts has impacted directly on poverty levels and development, especially in communities traditionally dependent on ecosystem-based economic activities including fishing, tourism, and harvesting. Lotze, et al., 2006 and Halpern, et al., (2008) found that human activities have impacted nearly every ocean and coast on Earth. Over time, over 90 per cent of those species formerly important to humans have been lost in coastal seas and estuaries due to human impacts. During the last decades of the 20th century, human impacts on coasts and oceans destroyed 35 per cent of mangroves; 20 per cent of all coral reefs were destroyed and another 20 per cent were seriously degraded (MEC, 2005). Current rates of annual loss for mangroves, sea grasses and Assessments (SEAs) consist of high-level, participatory, decision-making tools used to promote sustainable development by ensuring that one group of development activities (and actors) does not undermine others. SEAs are implemented at the earliest stages of decision making, to analyze both the environmental impacts of a policy, programme or plan (PPP), and tohelp adjust them accordingly. They help decision- makers to broaden strategic planning from single-sectoral approaches (individually assessing oil and gas, mining, fisheries, tourism, etc.) to include multiple sectors for example identifying how offshore oil and gas development, coastal tourism, agriculture and fisheries together impact on each other andmarine ecosystems. SEAs look particularly at combined or cumulative impacts on people and the environment. They should present alternatives options for implementing PPPs. SEAs can ensure that sectoral development is aligned with Strategic Environmental

salt marshes may be as high as 2 per cent (Duke, et al., 2007), (FAO, 2007) & (Duarte, et al., 2008). Today, more than 30 per cent of the world’s fish stocks are overexploited, depleted or recovering from depletion, and over 400 oxygen-poor ‘dead zones’ exist in the world (Diaz & Rosenberg, 2008). While thecurrent valueof our ocean is enormous, it is clear that the ecological and economic productivity of the ocean we know today is only a fraction of what it could be. Sumaila & Suatoni, (2005) estimate that the present value of the fisheries of the United States would be $374 million greater if only 17 seriously depleted fish stocks were at their ecologically optimal levels. AWorld Bank report finds that worldwide the lost economic value of overfished stocks is about $50 billion annually (World Bank, 2009). It is likely that other sectors of the ocean economy would enjoy similar improvements in economic value if marine ecosystems were made more ecologically healthy, robust and resilient.

in a Blue World

New opportunities for a green economy in a blue world

The decline in the ecological health and economic productivity of the world’s oceans

Strategic Environmental Assessments

national strategies for poverty reduction and sustainable development. In a transboundary context they can be used to strengthen and support cooperation between countries in this respect. facilitate project-level Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) by focusing primarily on the underlying framework of strategies, plans or programmes. SEA and ESIA go hand in hand: SEAs establish limits of acceptable change, and a platform for exchange among different parties, while ESIAs guide the implementation of specific activities. SEAs can help secure environmental capital by achieving more effective and efficient strategic decision- making; avoiding costly mistakes and incompatibility of plans and strengthening public participation and support of policy-making. SEAs complement and

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