30X30 a BLUEPRINT for OCEAN PROTECTION How We Can Protect 30% of Our Oceans by 2030
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A BLUEPRINT FOR 30X30 OCEAN PROTECTION How we can protect 30% of our oceans by 2030 CONTENTS 3 KEY FINDINGS 43 PRESENT STATUS OF THREATS ON THE HIGH SEAS 43 Fishing on the high seas 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 47 Deep seabed mining 6 Why the high seas matter 50 Bioprospecting 8 High seas under threat 50 Climate change 9 Global Ocean Treaty 52 Climate change case study: The Arctic 9 Importance of ocean sanctuaries 52 Climate change impacts on ice-dependent 10 The study marine mammals 10 Methods 53 Fish populations on the move 10 Significant features of the networks 55 Oxygen minimum zones 12 Accommodating exploitation 55 Ocean acidification 12 A composite approach to network design 57 Pollutants 13 Conclusion 57 Oil pollution and shipping 58 Marine debris and ocean plastics 16 PART 1: BACKGROUND 58 Noise pollution 59 Geoengineering 17 TOWARDS PROTECTION 59 The impacts of multiple stressors 17 Roadmap to Recovery 17 Political and historical context 61 OCEAN SANCTUARIES – A KEY TOOL IN 18 A Global Ocean Treaty to protect SECURING OCEAN HEALTH the biodiversity of the high seas 62 MPAs – differences between 18 The long path towards the new levels of protection Global Ocean Treaty 63 Fisheries benefits 19 Key steps towards an international legally 64 Climate change mitigation binding instrument on marine biodiversity in and resilience areas beyond national jurisdiction 65 The importance of large-scale protection 20 Targets for marine protection 20 The ‘Half-Earth’ proposal 66 PART 2: DESIGNING A MARINE PROTECTED 21 Coverage of marine protection AREA NETWORK FOR THE HIGH SEAS 22 Southern Ocean 30x30: A Blueprint for Ocean Protection Acknowledgements 23 The high seas of the Mediterranean Sea – 67 AIMS AND OVERVIEW a special case for protection Executive summary We acknowledge the sharing of data from Atlas of Marine 25 Ecologically and Biologically Significant Areas 67 METHODS Callum M. Roberts Protection, Global Fishing Watch, Birdlife International, (EBSA) process 67 Study area Flanders Marine Institute and L. Watling, and thank K. 25 Other area-based assessments to identify areas 67 Procedure used for computer-assisted design of PART 1: Background Boerder for her assistance with accessing and interpreting of high ecological importance in the high seas a network of marine protected areas Richard W. Page data. We would also like to thank all the sources who made their data freely available. 27 LIFE ON THE HIGH SEAS 69 DATA PART 2: Designing a marine protected area network 27 A new age of ocean exploration for the high seas Additional thanks must be given to all who gave invaluable 28 Ocean zones 71 RESULTS Bethan C. O’Leary,1† Harriet L. Allen,1† Katherine L. Yates,2 input and helped with editing the background text and 28 Epipelagic 72 Areas of importance for meeting conservation Richard W. Page,3 Alexander W. Tudhope,4 Colin McClean,1 especially Julie Hawkins, Callum Roberts, Bethan O’Leary, 29 Mesopelagic targets Alex D. Rogers,5 Julie P. Hawkins,1 Callum M. Roberts1 Alex Rogers, Will McCallum, Sandra Schöttner, David 30 Bathypelagic 73 Key areas selected by Marxan Santillo, Kirsten Young, Frida Bengtsson, Sebastian Losada 30 Seafloor/benthic habitats and their conservation features and Sofia Tsenikli. 30 Continental slope 78 The high seas network design 1 Department of Environment and Geography, University of York, York, 30 Submarine canyons 79 Selecting and implementing YO10 5NG, UK This study was financially supported by the 32 Abyssal plains high seas MPAs 2 School of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Salford, ‘Umweltstiftung Greenpeace’ (Environment Foundation 33 Mid-Ocean Ridge system Manchester, M5 4WX, UK Greenpeace), Germany, which promotes the protection of 33 Seamounts 81 CONCLUSIONS 3 Greenpeace UK, Canonbury Villas, London, N1 2PN, UK the environment and nature, as well as peace research. It 35 Hydrothermal vents 4 School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH9 3FE, UK supports Greenpeace campaigns and other conservation 82 References 5 REV Ocean, Somerville College, University of Oxford, Woodstock Road, projects all over the world. 37 ECOSYSTEM SERVICES Oxford, OX2 6HD, UK 38 Summary of High Seas Ecosystem Services 39 Natural carbon sinks – † These authors contributed equally a vital ecosystem service © Paul Hilton/Greenpeace 1 ACRONYMS ABMT Area-Based Management Tool ABNJ Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction KEY FINDINGS AIS Automatic Identification System BBNJ Ad Hoc Open-Ended Informal Working Group to study issues relating to the conservation and sustainable use of the marine biological diversity beyond areas of national jurisdiction → The high seas encompass 43% of the Earth’s surface, and 70% of the living CBD Convention on Biological Diversity space on the planet including land and sea. These huge spaces are home to CMS Convention on Migratory Species a complex marine world, with richness and diversity of life to rival coastal CoML Census of Marine Life waters and land. DSCC Deep Sea Conservation Coalition DSM Deep Seabed Mining → High seas marine life drives the ocean’s biological pump, capturing carbon EBSA Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area at the surface and storing it deep below – without this essential service, our EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone atmosphere would contain 50% more carbon dioxide and the world would be EIA Environmental Impact Assessment uninhabitably hot. FAD Fish Aggregating Device FAO Food and Agriculture Organisation → The high seas face growing exploitation from a handful of mainly rich nations: FSA Fish Stocks Agreement fishing and the emerging deep seabed mining industry join wider threats from GDAC Global Data Assembly Centre climate change, acidification, plastic and other pollution and more. GIS Geographic Information System GTOPP Global Tagging of Pelagic Predators → Ocean sanctuaries are a key tool for protecting habitats and species, HSA High Seas Alliance rebuilding ocean biodiversity, helping ocean ecosystems recover and IMO International Maritime Organisation maintaining vital ecosystem services. IMR Institute of Marine Research ISA International Seabed Authority → By initiating an international legally binding instrument to enable the IUCN International Union for the Conservation of Nature protection of marine life and habitats outside national jurisdiction, the United IUU Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing Nations has an opportunity to put in place robust structures to create and IWC International Whaling Commission govern ocean sanctuaries on the high seas. MiCO Migratory Connectivity in the Ocean MGR Marine Genetic Resources → Scientists are calling for at least 30% of the world’s oceans to be protected MPA Marine Protected Area as ocean sanctuaries, and this study charts how this 30% figure could be achieved to protect the full spectrum of marine life on the high seas. → The study is based on biological, oceanographic, biogeographical and socio- economic data, such as the distributions of sharks, whales, seamounts, trenches, hydrothermal vents, oceanic fronts, upwellings, biogeographic zones, commercial fishing pressure, mining claims etc. → The protected area network design process builds in resilience to wider environmental change and uncertainty with a bet hedging approach to habitat selection, large coverage to promote connectivity and refuges of last resort, and the use of sea surface temperature data to identify places likely to OMZ Oxygen Minimum Zone change more slowly or adapt more readily under rising temperature stress. PCB Polychlorinated Biphenyl POP Persistent Organic Pollutant → Areas intensively used by high seas fishing fleets were avoided to reduce REE Rare Earth Elements possible disruption to fishing activity. An interim moratorium on seabed RFMO Regional Fisheries Management Organisation mining is proposed to ensure that options are left open as a network of ROV Remotely Operated Vehicle protection is built. SBSTTA Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (of the CBD) → The findings in this report show that it is entirely feasible to design an SDG Sustainable Development Goal ecologically representative, planet-wide network of high seas protected SMS Seafloor massive sulphide areas to address the crisis facing our oceans and enable their recovery. TOPP Tagging of Pacific Predators The need is immediate and the means readily available. All that is required UNCLOS United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea is the political will. UNFSA UN Fish Stocks Agreement VME Vulnerable Marine Ecosystem Giant Pacific octopus © Brandon Cole/Greenpeace WDPA World Database on Protected Areas WSSD World Summit on Sustainable Development Key findings 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Humpback whale, Indian Ocean FAR BEYOND THE EDGE OF OUR LAND-BOUND © Paul Hilton/Greenpeace WORLD LIE AREAS BEYOND NATIONAL JURISDICTION, COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE HIGH SEAS.* FOR MOST PEOPLE, FOR MOST OF HISTORY, THE HIGH SEAS HAVE BEEN INVISIBLE, POPULATED BY THE IMAGINATION WITH MONSTROUS FISH, WRATHFUL GODS OR PRECIPITOUS PLUMMETS INTO THE IMMENSITY OF SPACE. OVER CENTURIES OF EXPLORATION BY ADVENTURERS, HUNTERS, TRADERS AND SCIENTISTS, THAT IMAGINED REALM OF FEAR AND DANGER HAS BEEN EXPLOITED, MAPPED AND PROBED, YIELDING UP SECRETS AND BANISHING TERRORS. The high seas form a vast global commons that covers 61% of the area of the ocean and 73% of its volume. They encompass an astonishing 43% of the Earth’s surface and occupy 70% of the living space on our planet, including land and sea. These international waters are home to a stunning