Stories and Solutions: GRID-Arendal Annual Report 2015

State of the Environment Reporting It is fundamental to marine environmental management that countries have the capacity to monitor the condition and trend of ecosystems in their marine jurisdictions. Undertaking integrated assessments can be expensive and time consuming, but sound information is critical to decision- making and maintaining healthy oceans. Experts from developing countries have identified the lack of capability to undertake State of the Marine Environment (SOME) reporting as a major challenge. While there are experts available with knowledge of their marine environments, there is a lack of reporting skills among the government agencies responsible for this task. GRID-Arendal’s State of the Environment Reporting programme was set up to help fill this gap.

“Raet” Coastal Archipelago Park. Photo: Peter Prokosch

Secretariat of the Abidjan Convention GRID-Arendal is working with UNEP helping the Abidjan Convention Secretariat to support member states to improve governance mechanisms, secure needed resources and create opportunities to improve the management of marine and coastal resources. This will be done in a number of ways using the latest coastal management and habitat protection techniques. It will also require a good understanding of the society and economies of the West African Coast and its marine and coastal communities. Finally, it will enable firsthand marine research by young marine scientists from the Abidjan Convention region. Marine Plastic is Everywhere In cooperation with UNEP-GPA (Global Programme of Action), GRID-Arendal is developing a “UNEP Vital Graphics” report on Marine Plastic Debris and Microplastics. The report is scheduled for completion in early 2016 and a large collection of graphics will be presented and used to prompt discussion at the second United Nations Environmental Assembly (UNEA 2) meeting to be held in Nairobi in late May 2016.

Developing this project required GRID-Arendal staff to take part in several international meetings, including the Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection (GESAMP) 7 Working Group on Microplastics in Rome in April and Guayaquil, Ecuador in November, the National Marine Litter Seminar in Oslo in January, the Norwegian Microplastics Workshop in April and Talking About Plastic Garbage in Zurich in October. GRID-Arendal was also involved in the preparation of several project proposals at European and national level, continued its local initiative on beach clean-ups and explored new local and international partnerships. Towards the end of 2015 GRID-Arendal was approached by the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment who requested support to prepare and implement a high-level side event onMarine Litter during the 2016UNEAmeeting. Formal cooperation was established with the Stockholm Resilience Centre through hosting a Master’s student from the University of Stockholm who is working on issues related to marine plastic pollution.

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