Agenda Item 3 EIHA 08/3/10-E English only OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic Meeting of the Working Group on the Environmental Impact of Human Activities (EIHA) Lowestoft (United Kingdom): 4–7 November 2008 The Value of our Oceans – The Economic Benefits of Marine Biodiversity and Healthy Ecosystems Presented by WWF This document provides a global perspective with regard to economic benefits of marine biodiversity. Background 1. Reference is made to EIHA 08/3/9-E addressing the socio-economic assessment of the marine environment. 2. On the occasion of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP) held in Bonn, Germany in May 2008, WWF presented the global study at Annex 1 including case studies and personal witnesses of the socio-economic importance of our oceans. Action requested 3. EIHA is invited to take note of the report presented by WWF and make use of the approach and information included as appropriate. 1 of 1 OSPAR Commission EIHA 08/3/10-E The Value of our Oceans The Economic Benefi ts of Marine Biodiversity and Healthy Ecosystems WWF Deutschland 1 Introduction People love the oceans. Millions of such as bottom trawling and dyna- With this report we want to take an tourists flock to the world’s beach- mite fishing destroy the very cor- economic angle in shedding light es, and whale and turtle watching, al reefs that are home to the fish. on the values we receive from the snorkelling and diving leave peo- Coastal development claims beach- oceans and the life therein, but ple in amazement of the beauties of es where turtles were born and to which we usually take for granted. marine life. Zoos and public aquar- which they can no longer return to The marine environment, its habi- ia, TV documentaries and even big lay their eggs. Mangrove forests tats and species have shaped and screen cinema conveniently bring are cleared to make way for shrimp are still shaping our world, our cul- the experience of the marine world farms. ture and many people’s daily lives. to our homes. And there, we enjoy We want to show what the loss of the variety, fine taste and healthi- And climate change and ocean healthy oceans will mean to our ness of seafood. The oceans give acidification may prove to be the economies and individual people’s a lot – but we have not been very hardest challenges for our oceans’ incomes and livelihoods. We want thankful. species, habitats and long estab- to show what we loose if we don’t lished food webs. And although the change. The marine environment is in a dire problems are known, solutions have state. Fish stocks, particularly those been found and promoted exten- of greater economic value, are un- sively, the world is still a far cry der heavy pressure from overfish- from halting the loss of bio di- A school of sprat fish in a Red Mangrove shallow reef in Carrie Bow Cay, Belize © Michel GUNTHER / WWF-Canon ing. Destructive fishing practices versity. Content Some facts about healthy oceans 4 A fisherman and his son in Madasgascar © WWF / Ralf Maro Valuating marine biodiversity 5 Tourism, recreation and leisure 6 Living oceans feed the world 12 Healthy oceans - healthy people 18 Industrial resources from the sea 22 Save our coasts – marine life defends the shorelines 24 Climate regulation 27 Eternal circles of life 28 The ocean shows us how to solve problems 30 How should a parasite value its host? 34 Bibliography 36 Impressum: Published by: WWF Germany, Frankfurt am Main. June 2008 Authors: Manfred Walser, Christian Neumann (WWF) Editor: Heike Mühldorfer (WWF) Proof Reading: Sue Watson (WWF) Design: Caroline Franz, Mannheim Production: Natascha Schuck (WWF) - Print: ?? Printed on ?? (C) All rights reserved by WWF Germany 2008 2 WWF Deutschland WWF Deutschland 3 Some facts about healthy oceans Valuating marine biodiversity Healthy oceans provide a wide To improve scientific knowledge, As a result species are caught selec- Our study attempts to estimate the mates the value of a special loca- timate. Global gross national prod- range of goods and services es- the ‘Census of Marine Life’ started tively depending on the sampling economic value of marine biodiver- tion by valuing time and travel uct total is around US$ 18 trillion sential for human life. Provision of in 2000. A global network of re- method used – but never the whole sity, well knowing that an economic cost expenses that people incur to per year.” The study also shows that food and medicines or the detoxi- searchers in more than 80 nations is spectrum of species at a place. Fur- valuation cannot show the overall visit a particular site. 63 percent of the estimated value of fication of pollutants and the recy- engaged in a 10-year scientific ini- thermore, marine fisheries research value of biodiversity. Unfortunately ● The Production Function Ap- the entire biosphere is contributed cling of nutrients are functions of tiative to assess and explain the di- is largely concentrating on eco- ecosystems are poorly understood, proach estimates how the eco- by marine systems (US$ 20.9 tril- the ocean which create value for versity, distribution and abundance nomically important species.4 The scarcely monitored, and (in many logical input into economic lion per year), most of this originat- human users. Such essentials are of life in the oceans. Since the major diversity anyway resides in cases) undergoing rapid degrada- production will change if the en- ing from coastal systems (US$ 10.6 called ‘ecosystem goods and servic- project started more than 1,000 new the microbial life that can be found tion and depletion. Often the im- vironment changes. trillion per year). And these “are all es’. These goods and services are species have been found already, in- in marine waters, on the surfaces of portance of ecosystem services is ● The Net Factor Income Approach only static snapshots of a biosphere ‘for free’ but require intact marine cluding over 100 new fish species, plants and animals, and in the deep- widely appreciated only upon their goes the other way round and that is a complex, dynamic sys- ecosystems: Coral reefs, kelp for- and the scientists involved aim to sea sediments.5 loss8 and only in some cases – like states the economic surplus of tem.”11 Despite profound methodo- ests, mangroves, salt marshes, mud add many thousands more by 2010. bioprospecting access agreements ecosystem goods and services as logical critique for the simplified flats, estuaries, rocky shores, sandy The overall number of marine spe- In spite of the ocean’s vastness it is or direct payments for habitat con- the remaining value when other calculation the scientific communi- beaches, sea mounts, abyssal plains cies – if ever fully explored – may not one big habitat. Micro-endemic servation – capture demand for bio- inputs in production has been ty certified the authors a most valu- and open oceans – each of these be in the range of 10 million – com- life-forms can be restricted to small diversity directly. subtracted from the total revenue. able thought-provoking momentum habitats contributes to the oceans’ pared to 1.5 million described ter- geographical features like isolated ● The Total Revenue Approach es- initiating a huge amount of follow- ability to serve essential goods and restrial plants and animals.6 island platforms or coastal lagoons The overall value of marine biodi- timates the value given by the di- up research and public discussion.12 services.1 or the cadaver of a whale in the versity can be outlined as below:9 rect sale of ecosystem goods and „About the ocean we know less deep sea (which is also a unique services. Many studies have looked at the Figure: Categories of economic values The sea accommodates 32 of the 33 than about the moon” is a frequent- habitat called ‘whale trap’). A study valuation of biodiversity, mainly animal phyla known in biological ly quoted slogan when oceanogra- of the Food and Agriculture Organi- with a limited scope, focusing on Total economic value of marine biodiversity taxonomy; 15 phyla thereof can be phers talk about animals and plants zation of the United Nations (FAO) single habitats or aspects or taking a found exclusively in marine habi- in the oceans. Only the coastal zone on marine resources in the Western specific nation’s or regions point of tats. Today’s biodiversity – the di- and the upper light-flooded layers Central Atlantic lists 23 percent of Personal use values Non- use values view. Defra, the UK’s Department versity of habitats, species, genes of the ocean are somewhat investi- the 987 fish species treated in de- for Environment, Food and Rural and structural design - is the result gated but 80 percent of the ocean, tail as rare or endemic to the study affairs has, however, in 2006 com- of 3,500 millions of years of on- which means 62 percent of the en- area. The study summarizes: “Such Direct use Indirect use Option values Bequest Existence missioned an estimation of mon- going evolution and still largely tire earth’s surface, are deeper than a high level of endemism stands in values values output values value etary values of marine ecosystem unknown to us. Currently, over 1,000 meters. Here it is difficult to contrast to the widespread view that output can be functioal possibly can value of value from services of Great Britain’s waters. 200,000 marine animal species observe the life directly and scien- marine species characteristically consumed benefits be used leaving use know-ledge 13, 14 Eight of thirteen goods and alone have been described and re- tists depend on tools like nets, weirs have large geographic ranges and directly (flood control, directly and/ for future of continued services could be valued in mon- side in collections.