WFC 2012 Future Policy Award.Pdf

A We believe humanity has to act now. One solution lies in identifying the best and most effective laws and policies from around the world, adapting them, and implementing them rapidly across the planet. Jakob von Uexkull, Chair, World Future Council The ocean world is in all our daily lives. Even for the many millions of people who may not think that they have a strong reliance on oceans, marine ecosystems and wildlife provide all kinds of benefits. The Future Policy Award provides the opportunity to raise awareness of the issue and increase practical action. Dr. Braulio Ferreira deSouza Dias, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity DEAR READERS, CELEBRATING THE BEST POLICIES How can we save the world’s oceans and This year thirty-one policies from 22 coun- coasts? This is the question the 2012 Future tries were nominated. Nominations include Here at the World Future Council we whilst tackling the loss of marine and Policy Award explores. policies from Australia, the Baltic Region, strive to bring the interests of future gener- coastal biodiversity. Belize, Canada, the East Asia Region, ations to the centre of policy making. The Each year the World Future Council Ecuador, the European Union, France Council consists of up to 50 respected Oceans cover 71 per cent of the earth’s chooses one topic on which policy prog- / French Overseas Territories, Kenya, personalities from all five continents, with surface and contain 90 per cent of the ress is particularly urgent. We then invite Kiribati, Iceland, India, Japan, Mexico, representatives from governments, parlia- earth’s biomass. The ocean still holds onto nominations and start a comprehensive Namibia, Norway, New Zealand, Palau, ments, civil society, academia, business and most of its secrets – large areas are still evaluation process involving experts and Philippines, Singapore, South Africa and the arts. The Council addresses challenges unexplored and we are only beginning to renowned partner organisations. At the the United States of America. to our common future and identifies and understand how our actions are impact- end an expert jury decides which policies spreads best policies around the globe. ing this environment. Oceans provide are awarded the Future Policy Award. It We invite you to read more on the award humanity with many goods and services. is the first award that celebrates policies process, the World Future Council and the With our Future Policy Award we celebrate However, we are putting our oceans and rather than people on an international winning policies in this brochure. policies that create better living condi- coasts under severe stress from over- level. With the award, we want to raise tions for current and future generations. fishing, pollution and climate change. global awareness for exemplary policies In 2012, the award highlights policies that Poor governance and lack of regulation and speed up policy action towards just, Yours sincerely, contribute to the sustainable management are the drivers behind the main threats sustainable and peaceful societies. The Future Policy Award Team 2012 of the world’s oceans and coastal resources, to our oceans and coasts. “Bad policies” 1 such as subsidies increase the capacity Policy makers from all sectors urgently of fishing fleets beyond what our oceans need to address the multiple threats to In this decade, the world will make decisions that will can support and measures to deter ille- oceans and coasts so that these essential determine whether we succeed or fail in the quest to gal, unreported and unregulated fishing resources will be sustained and can be protect vital ecosystems, while raising the quality of life are, on the whole, inadequately enforced. enjoyed by future generations. Robust for all citizens.” Despite a number of international agree- institutions, funding and, most critically, Dr. Naoko Ishii, CEO and Chairperson of the GEF ments to manage our oceans and coasts political will are needed to counter current and despite commitments to global targets threats. We need policies and institutions to conserve their biodiversity, the threats that are flexible enough to react to new Humanity depends on the sustainable management of are accelerating and implementation of threats and offer solutions to increase the the world’s marine living resources and their policies has been slow. resilience of ecosystems for the benefit of environment to realise the Human Right to Food, the people who depend on them. especially for the 900 million chronically hungry people. However, there is an emerging body of Fish provides three billion people with at least 20% of policy responses at the international, In 2012, our Future Policy Award cele- their animal protein, with nearly 40% of those people in regional, national and local level, includ- brates the best policies to save the world’s ing ecosystem-based planning of marine oceans and coasts. The project would not low-income food-deficit countries. Fisheries and territories and integrated coastal zone be possible without our partners, whom aquaculture support the livelihoods of more than 10% of the world’s management, marine protected areas, we sincerely thank for their support: the population. This is why it is so important to promote policies that equitable fisheries management, removal Convention on Biological Diversity, the successfully address the multiple threats to the oceans. of marine litter and control of the marine Global Environment Facility and the Food Árni Mathiesen, Assistant Director-General of FAO’s Fisheries and Aquaculture Department wildlife trade. and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, with support from the Okeanos Foundation. With the Future Policy Award we want to cast a spotlight on policies that lead by example. The aim of the World Future Council is to raise awareness for exemplary policies and speed up policy action towards just, sustainable and peaceful societies. Alexandra Wandel, Director, World Future Council 2 3 WINNERS GOLD: PALAU’S PROTECTED AREAS NETWORK ACT, INITIATED IN 2003, AND SHARK HAVEN ACT, 2009 Palau’s Protected Areas Network Act provides the framework to create a network of marine and terrestrial protected areas involving local communities and their traditional management systems of natural resources. By declaring its entire exclusive economic zone a sanctuary for sharks, Palau has taken the global lead in counteracting the dramatic decline in shark populations. HONOURABLE MENTIONS SILVER: THE PHILIPPINES’ TUBBATAHA REEFS NATURAL PARK ACT, 2010 SOUTH AFRICA’S INTEGRATED COASTAL This Act ensures the effective management of the Tubbataha reefs, a UNESCO MANAGEMENT ACT, 2008 World Heritage Site and hotspot of coral reef biodiversity, by strengthening the The Act provides for a framework for sustainable coastal management and addresses legislative mandate of its managing bodies. It provides the legal arsenal to combat historic inequalities by reinstating coastal access for all South Africans. Complementary illegal fishing and poaching by foreign fleets and helps to safeguard a long-term programmes have supported the goals of the act by employing vulnerable people to food source for local communities. conserve the coastal environment. SILVER: NAMIBIA’S MARINE RESOURCES ACT, 2000 CALIFORNIA’S OCEAN PROTECTION ACT, 2004 Namibia has introduced a rights-based and scientific approach to fisheries California has accelerated ecosystem-based ocean management through marine management and has reduced bycatch and illegal fishing. This has contributed spatial planning and establishing a coordinated network of marine protected areas. to an ecologically and economically sustainable fishing industry, created jobs and There has been broad public participation in an area of policy that was previously fostered food security in Namibia. closed to the general public. 4 5 WINNER GOLD AWARD PALAU’S PROTECTED AREAS NETWORK ACT, INITIATED IN 2003 Palau’s Protected Areas Network (PAN) sustainable harvest of fish and other natu- FORWARD-THINKING POLICIES FROM PALAU Act enables communities to undertake a ral resources, whereas others have been scientific and social assessment of their declared no-take-zones. Local communities The Republic of Palau is being honoured needs and the local environment, and local environment, evaluate their needs and states manage these in the traditional with the Future Policy Gold Award for supported by sound science. These policies and implement management regimes and fashion, but with added financial, technical two landmark policies that are politically have inspired regional initiatives and simi- monitoring programmes that are locally and institutional support from the govern- bold and innovative, tailored to people’s lar legislation in neighbouring countries. appropriate. It achieves this by institut- ment. To date, 35 protected areas have ing a network of representative protected been designated, with a goal of protect- areas, ensuring long-term sustainable use ing 30 per cent of the near-shore marine National policies have to consider the needs of of resources, and has the institutional flex- resources and 20 per cent of the terres- local communities and incorporate their traditional ibility to adapt to future change. trial environment by 2020. knowledge of the ecosystems and the natural resources these communities depend on – to ensure the Palau has a long history of commu- Neighbouring countries are in the process sustainable use and management thereof. nity tenure and management

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