Valuing and Conserving the Benefits of Marine Biodiversity in the South Pacific

Valuing and conserving the benefits of marine biodiversity in the South Pacific

Five years of support for integrated ocean governance in Pacific Island Countries 2 We are the sea, we are the ocean – we must wake up to this ancient truth.

Epeli Hau’ofa Tongan writer and anthropologist (1939 – 2009)

3 A secure future for Pacific Island Countries and Territories based on sustainable development, management and conservation of our Ocean.

The Pacific Oceanscape Vision

4 5 Blue Economy & Governance

the ocean was a state of its shrinking. The answer to this is own, it would be the seventh holistic, integrated ocean governance. If largest economy in the world The vision of a Blue Economy can only – with a “gross marine product” of at be successfully implemented and least US$ 2.5 trillion per year. This managed with cross-sectoral, trans- Blue Economy is underpinned by di- boundary and participatory approach- verse ecosystems that provide valua- es. Uses, conflicts and management ble services to the world, be it fish- can only be harmonized using new ing, tourism or shipping. complementary tools and strategies. A core tool for this is Marine Spatial On the one hand, the ocean is un- Planning. doubtedly an important part of the world economy. On the other hand, As part of this effort, global commit- its asset base, that is to say its capital, ments such as the Aichi Biodiversity is steadily declining. This is because Objectives 1 and the Sustainable Devel- the sea is a commons. A large number opment Goals need to be integrated of countries and stakeholders have a into regional and national approaches. share in the Blue Economy and bene- For the South Pacific this means trans- fit from the dividend. But without lating strategies such as the Pacific sustainable management, the “capital Oceanscape Framework and regional stock” is sooner or later exhausted. ocean policies into national approaches, which in turn holistically encompass To address this, there are a multitude not just coastal regions but also the of policies and regulations governing exclusive economic zones of each Pa- the different uses of the ocean. How- cific Island nation. This way, the “blue ever, at present these are mostly capital” can be preserved and in- limited to certain sectors, such as creased for future generations, maxi- fishing, tourism or shipping. This mizing the profit and benefit from the one-dimensional approach often Blue Economy for all Pacific Islanders. leads to conflicts between the different uses, sectors and stakeholders. The bottom line is that everyone is losing – and the marine capital is

1 Named after the Japanese prefecture of Aichi, where these goals for the implementation of the UN Convention on Biodiversity were formulated in 2010.

6 Mining and forestry Sediment and nutrient discharge Climate change from agriculture and rising sea levels

Increasing Waste Fishery Invasive species New uses coastal zone management development 7 Sustainable use of the marine capital

he Pacific Island states are of- and governance of marine resources. ten referred to as “Small Island This can bring significant economic, TStates”. However, 98 percent social and conservation benefits. of the territory of the five MACBIO project countries is sea. This makes Against this backdrop, the MACBIO them “Big Ocean States”. Their com- project supported the implementa- bined exclusive economic zone cov- tion of national biodiversity strate- ers 7.5 million km 2 – 21 times the gies and targets of five pacific part- area of Germany. ner countries (highlighted in the map, below) within the framework of the And here, underwater, is also where United Nations Convention on Biodi- the majority of the resources and versity’s Strategic Plan for Biodiversi- biodiversity of these countries can be ty 2011 – 2020, as well as the Sustain- found, including its cultural, social able Development Goals (SDGs) and and economic value. Yet, until re- the Pacific Oceanscape Framework. cently, national development and conservation planning in these mari- In this context, GIZ cooperates close- time nations has largely focused on ly with the International Union for land, and was narrowly focused on Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and individual sectors. An alternative con- the Secretariat of the Pacific Region- cept is the integrated management al Environment Programme (SPREP).

Guam N o r t h P a c i f i c O c epublic of the e a n Federated States Marshall slands of Micronesia Palau

Nauru Tarawa KBAT Papua KBAT New Guinea

SAOMON Tuvalu Tokelau KBAT Honiara SANDS Wallis & futuna Samoa VANUATU Cook Suva Niue Port Vila slands French FJ Polynesia New Nukualofa Caledonia TONGA

Australia

e a n S o u t h P a c i f i c O c 8 New ealand Valuing Planning Managing

MARINE ECOSYSTEM MARINE SPATIAL EFFECTIVE Guam SERVICE VALUATION PLANNING MANAGEMENT N o r t h P a c i f i c O c epublic of the e a n The valuation of marine and coastal An improved national awareness of The documentation of approaches of Federated States Marshall slands of Micronesia ecosystem services enables the inte- the value of marine resources moti- sustainable management and conser- Palau gration of results into national de- vates the partner countries to vation of marine resources supports a velopment planning and promotes variety of stakeholders such as village intersectoral planning approaches. collect and analyse spatial data communities, NGOs and universities Tarawa → Nauru on the use of marine resources, in disseminating and replicating best KBAT Papua KBAT → build capacities for national sus- practices and tools in partner coun- New Guinea tainable development planning, tries and throughout Oceania.

SAOMON Tuvalu Tokelau KBAT Honiara SANDS for partner countries to benefit Wallis & sustainably from their marine and futuna Samoa coastal ecosystems. VANUATU Cook Suva Niue Port Vila slands French FJ Polynesia New Nukualofa Caledonia TONGA

Australia

e a n S o u t h P a c i f i c O c New ealand 9 Valuing

MILESTONES KEY MESSAGES

→ Five national marine ecosystem Marine ecosystem services service valuation studies & reports → are often initially not fully visible – Short summaries or are not recognised, – White papers – Infographics → can reach the level of national – Interactive and GDP values and audiovisual tools

→ must be sustainably used, Fact sheets on marine ecosystem → managed and conserved. service valuation

→ Manual on marine ecosystem More at service valuation, tailored to http://macbio-pacific.info/marine- the SW Pacific ecosystem-service-valuation/

→ Regional networks and expert register

Five national marine ecosystem service valuation studies & reports

Infographic on the results of the marine ecosystem services valuation in Fiji

10 Planning

MILESTONES KEY MESSAGES

→ Compilation of global, regional With technical and financial support, and national marine data for the implementation partners of the improved national access regional MACBIO project have initiat- → Five national policy reviews ed effective processes for national on marine biodiversity Marine Spatial Planning. → Four national reviews of the relevant legal situations Marine Spatial Planning is an → Four national inventories of special and unique marine areas → integrated and participatory planning tool → National frameworks for protected area planning → that seeks to balance ecological, → National Marine Atlas series economic and social objectives → National and regional communication material → aiming for sustainable marine resource use and promoting the → Support and training of national users in licence-free Geographic vision of an environmentally- Information Systems friendly Blue Economy.

→ Description of marine bioregions to identify ecologically representative More at networks of Marine Protected Areas http://macbio-pacific.info/ (MPAs) at national scales marine-spatial-planning/

The national Marine Atlas illustrates the value of marine biodiversity and the great benefit of Marine Spatial The QBook is a regional online Planning for Fiji in a vivid and inter- training platform for open-source active way. spatial planning software.

11 Managing

MILESTONES AND EXAMPLES KEY MESSAGES

→ Regional level MACBIO has helped various stakehold- – Support for the Pacific Islands ers to independently document and Roundtable for Nature Conser- disseminate their successes and vation and Protected Areas experiences. – Support for the SPREP Pacific Climate Change Portal As an alternative to traditional pilot → Country level projects, the project helped countries – Country-wide, participatory share and adopt existing successful Ocean Policy consultations in examples of marine management – Vanuatu – Lessons Learned Conference on and be an inspiration for the region. Special Managed Areas in Tonga – Support for the use of smart- More at phone apps in marine resource http://macbio-pacific.info/ management in Kiribati effective-management/ → Province level – Mapping of multi-level governance structures and identifica- tion of existing bottlenecks in Kadavu, Fiji

→ Local level – Review of the Arnavon Community Marine Conserva- Support for the use of smart- tion Area in the Solomon Islands phone apps in marine resource – Lessons learned from the management management of the Fijian Great Sea Reef – Macuata, Fiji – Success stories of local marine management from Navakavu, Fiji

Analysis of the Arnavon Community Marine Conservation Area in the Solomon Islands and communication of the results

12 Assisting island countries

MACBIO set out to assist Big Ocean But more importantly: They have States to meet their international, embarked on a journey to more sus- regional and national biodiversity tainably manage their valuable ma- targets. Since 2013, the five coun- rine resources. tries have achieved and shared many successes in marine management. In this way they commenced continu- ing national processes to plan the uses of their marine resources, to avoid conflicts and to maximize their benefits.

13 Fiji

2014 – 2016

2005 and 2014 2015

Fiji committed to Typology for 2015 designate 30 percent of 130 marine spatial data sets Vision and objectives for Fiji’s 30 % its Exclusive Economic Marine Protected Areas collected and made of the EEZ network of Marine Zone (EEZ) as Marine drafted accessible Protected Areas defined Protected Areas by 2020

2016

National Marine 2016 Ecosystem Service Valuation report 2016 2016 Analysis of 85 legal launched instruments as a basis Regional and national description Biophysically for Marine Protected of marine environment through Areas published marine bioregions developed Special and Unique Marine Areas identified 2017

At the UN Ocean Conference, Fiji 2018

2018 Report on Fiji’s Biophysically Special, Unique Marine Areas with Guidelines for the placement voluntary17 commitments over 80 sites published of Marine Protected Areas towards marine protection developed and sustainable management, including a national network of marine managed areas 2018

Typology for Marine 2018

Report on an ocean-wide description Managed Areas of Fiji’s marine environment ( into 27 marine bioregions) published published

2018 First round of national public 2019 2020 consultations to identify Second round of National Public Adoption and establishment candidate sites for Marine consultations to review candidate of the national Marine Protected Areas initiated – MPA sites, including candidate sites Protected Areas network – Government process for national MPA network – Government process Government process

14 Solomon Islands

2014 – 2016

2015 2015 Through the Prime Minister’s 65 Marine Ecosystem Service spatial data sets Office and Cabinet, the collected and made Solomon Islands government Valuation launched accessible hosted the inaugural Ocean Summit, attended by 12 Ministries ( Ocean12)

2016

2016 The Cabinet 2016 2016 Analysis of the legal decided to establish Technical working group Ocean12 Steering Committee basis for Marine the Oceans 12. established, to carry out tasks under established, with the Permanent Protected Areas the leadership of the Ocean12 Secretaries of the 12 Ministries published

2017

Technical Working Group defined a national approach for Integrated Ocean Govern- 2017 ance with five priorities: Analysis of the national ocean policy, → Arnavon Community → Marine Spatial Planning, 2017 adaptation of national Marine Conservation → Special and Unique Marine legislation, Area published Areas identified and mapped → supportive capacity building and → sustainable funding

2017 2017 National consultation The Ocean12 working group supports the delegation strategy defined of the UN Ocean Conference in the submission of voluntary commitments to a national ocean policy and Marine Spatial Planning by 2020

2018

Marine bioregions drafted 2018

Ocean12 Chairs committed to formulate and launch a National Ocean Policy by the end of the 2018

15 Kiribati

2014

Introduction of the 2014 Marine Spatial Planning 2015 Country-wide workshop on process and discussion marine ecosystem services with government Analysis of existing area- valuation with key stake- based marine management holders conducted representatives tools completed

2015 2015 over Follow-up discus- sions on the Marine Spatial Planning process held 2015 open100 marine spatial data sets and Training conducted on open customized maps made available and distributed source software for Geographic to key stakeholders and ministries Information Systems (GIS)

2016 2017

Marine ecosystem services valuation published Dialogue between government agencies on ocean governance, 2016 Marine Spatial Planning and voluntary Introduction of the commitments ahead of the UN Ocean concept of a nationwide Marine Atlas Conference conducted

2017

Government endorsed atoll scale Marine 2017 Spatial Planning to be formulated for Tarawa and Kiritimati Island First Marine Spatial Planning workshop and GIS capacity training for key government officials in Tarawa carried out as a basis for Marine Spatial Planning in Tarawa 2017

Marine ecosystem services valuation officially presented by the Ministry 2018 of the Environment and published Initiation of 2017 on the front page in the local newspaper “Uekera” the spatial Cabinet memorandum on officiating planning process the Marine Spatial Planning process for Tarawa and Kiritimati submitted in Kiritimati and approved by the Cabinet

16 Tonga

2015 – 2017

2015 Collection and processing of over

Cabinet decides to introduce cross-sectoral, national 2015 Marine Spatial Planning In its first meeting, the technical working group Ocean7 spatial140 datasets, including environmental, agrees on terms of reference, a vision and goals for Tonga’s usage and risk data Marine Spatial Planning and a work plan until 2020 2016

Analysis of

2017 2016 91 Typology of ocean management Marine ecosystem services instruments for assessing the legal areas for Tonga is defined valuation published basis of Marine Spatial Planning

HOW VALUABLE IS OUR OCEAN? TAL EXP TO OR ’S T (2 A 0 G 1 4 N TOP M ) O T 28 2017

Tongaʼs voluntary commitments to the UN Ocean Conference include Marine Spatial Planning and a network 2017 *World Bank (2014) http://data.worldbank.org/country/tonga The size of the bubbles proportionally represents the respective net value per annum, based on of 30 percent of the EEZ 2014 data (upper value used in case of range of values). The goods and services provided by Tonga’s marine ecosystems are huge. They are as Marine Protected Areas Deputy Prime Minister larger than the country’s total export. by 2020 presented Report, defining 38 biophysically Special and Unique Marine Areas

2018

Report on the 25 marine bioregions, which describe Tonga’s entire marine environment, published

2018

Placement guidelines for ocean management areas drafted 2018 Communication material for national consultations on Marine Spatial Planning drafted

17 Vanuatu

vi ANAT NATIONAL MARINE ECOSYSTEM SERVICE VALUATION

2014 – 2016

2012 2014 – 2015 Government hosted a The Minister of Foreign Affairs national workshop on Ocean established the Subcommittee Governance, recommending 127 on Ocean Policy in order to spatial data sets the development of a deliver on an Ocean Policy and collected and made national Ocean Policy and national Marine Spatial Marine Spatial Planning accessible Planning

2015 National consultations on the proposed Ocean Policy held in 32 locations with more than 2015 2015 Analysis of the legal Proposed Ocean Policy was basis for Ocean Policy fundamentally revised on the and Marine Spatial basis of contributions from Planning national consultations 1,000participants

2016

Council of Ministers HOW VALUABLE IS OUR OCEAN? 2017 approved the revised Ocean Policy At the UN Ocean Conference, Vanuatu announces 2017 its intentions to have in place, by 2020, a national Marine ecosystem services Marine Spatial Plan including a national ecologically- valuation published representative network of Marine Protected Areas and a National Oceans Office

*World Bank (2014) http://data.worldbank.org/country/vanuatu

The size of the bubbles proportionally represents the respective net value per annum, based on 2014 data (upper value used in case of range of values). The goods and services provided by Vanuatu’s marine ecosystems are huge. They are comparable to the country’s total budget.

2017

2017 Acting Prime Minister Start of the launched the Ocean 2017 implementation of the Policy at the first Workshop on the description National Ocean Policy national ocean summit of the ocean zones to be used in the and Marine Spatial process of Marine Spatial Planning Planning

2017 2018 National experts described Marine specialists defined marine bioregions for the entire marine 109 environment of Vanuatu biophysically Special and Unique Marine Areas for Vanuatu

18 19 Output stats Selected examples, as of 03/2018

DATA

marine spatial data sets 354 collected and made accessible EVENTS

scientific studies and reports 4,839 documented and explored

different Marine Economic 150 Values identified >70 legal documents analysed technical workshops 532 and made available carried out or substantially contributed to

presentations, attendances > 200 or sponsorship of partners’ SERVICES attendance at national, regional and international publications produced and conferences and workshops 105 strategically disseminated technical support, training 2,946,736,754 $ > 150 and planning missions done total value of marine ecosystem by MACBIO staff service value described (2013 US $ equivalent) stakeholders in 34 locations Special and Unique 1,165 consulted for the Vanuatu > 160 Marine Areas identified Ocean Policy

reef-associated bioregions in the 102 Southwest Pacific Ocean described by analysing species data from 6,500 sites

deep-sea bioregions in the Southwest 262 Pacific Ocean described by analysing data allocated to over 140,000 grid cells of 20 × 20 km

marine atlas maps 165 and narratives created

20 Impact stats Selected examples, as of 03/2018

MAINSTREAMING

mentions of the project results in > 50 national and international press, policy papers and scientific publications

regional and international visits to > 17,000 the MACBIO website, with 15 percent mobile users

PROVIDING A FRAMEWORK

SUSTAINABILITY 5 nationwide Marine Spatial Planning processes initiated Active network with and supported

partner 5 countries

implementation partners 3 and

partner organisations in marine > 46 management established and institutionally supported

views, over 300 active users and seven > 2,000 involved partner organisations of the open-source GIS training platform QBook from across the region

GENDER 42% female participants in MACBIO workshops and trainings

21 Working together

International team

Implementing partners

Further partners

22 Legal notice

All MACBIO project partners, includ- in this publication do not necessarily ing the Secretariat of the Pacific reflect the views of SPREP, IUCN, Regional Environment Programme GIZ, or the Federal Ministry for the (SPREP), the International Union Environment, Nature Conservation, for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Nuclear Safety (BMU), including and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für the legal status of a country, terri- Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) tory, area, authorities or with regard are the copyright holders of this to national borders. publication. This document has been funded by Reproduction of this publication for the International Climate Initiative educational or other non-commercial (IKI). The BMU supports this initiative purposes is permitted without prior on the basis of a resolution of the written consent of the copyright German Bundestag. However, the holders, provided the source is content does not necessarily reflect stated in full. Reproduction of this the official opinion of the German publication for resale or other com- Federal Government. MACBIO mercial use is prohibited. retains the copyright of all photo- graphs, unless indicated otherwise. The presentation of any content and the designation of geographic units © MACBIO 2018

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Project director: Jan Henning Steffen