Addressing Marine Plastics –A Systemic...

AddressingMarinePlastics– ASystemicApproach

THEWAYFORWARD

• Solutions tooceanplasticsmustsimultaneously(i)createtheenablingconditionsforsystemicchangeinthemedium-tolong-term,towardsacircularsystemwhereplasticsneverbecomewaste,throughcross-valuechaincollaboration,innovation,re-design,definitionofstandardsandthecreationofmarkets;(ii)implementintheshort-termthemostefficient,locallyappropriateintegratedwastemanagementconceptsintheplacesthatneeditmost,tostopthedelugeofplasticwastecurrentlyinthesystemandenteringwaterwaysandtheoceandaily.Executionofthesecomplementarycomponentswillyieldimmediateimpacttoouroceanandcommunitiesthatdependonit.

• Inordertoshifttheglobalparadigmforhowplasticsaremanufactured,usedanddisposed,theGlobalEnvironmentFacility(GEF)approvedamediumsizedprojectof$2millionthispastsummertobeimplementedbyUNEnvironment.Theprojectaimsataddressingtheissueofplasticpollutionbyadoptingacirculareconomy/life-cycleapproach.Asmentionedearlier,today'slinear‘take,make,dispose’economicmodelreliesonlargequantitiesofcheap,easilyaccessiblematerialsandenergy,andthisisamodelreachingitsphysicallimits.

OURPROJECT

Thisprojectwillendeavortoconnectaglobalallianceacrosstheentireplasticsvaluechain,includingmajorplastic-producingandplastic-usingcorporationsaswellasgovernmentsand,processingcompanies.ItwillattempttoidentifyamongAPECcountries,thelargestplasticgeneratingregion,suitablewastemanagementinvestmentsandestablishajointinvestmentfund intheAPECregion.Andbasedonstocktakinganalysisofexistinginitiatives,areasofneedand,thedriversandleveragepointsforinvestmentsalongthemarineplasticslifecycle,theprojectwillpresentasuiteofstrategicinvestmentneedsforthenextGEFfundingreplenishment.

WHY• Thecurrentapproachesaddressingtheissueofmarineplasticsareratherdisconnected,andtheyeithertarget

upstream challengesofthevaluechainforspecifictypesofplastics(e.g.fromdesignandproduction),orend-of-pipesolutionssuchasoceanclean-up.However,theupstreampreventionstrategieshavenotbeenfullyintegratedandlinkedwiththedownstreamdisposalandclean-upactions.

• Thereisalsoastrongneedtohaveintegrationofsolutionstargetingglobalvaluechainofmarineplastics,asthelifecycleofplasticsarecross-boundaryandcross-cuttingfromtheperspectivesofpolicy,technology,management,economics,awareness-raisingandbehaviorchange.Todevelopasystemicapproach,acriticalinputfromsciencetoanalyzeandmapthesources,flows,pathways,andmagnitudeoftheimpactsisneeded.Criticalanalysisisessentialtoassistintheidentificationofstrategicinterventionareastobeprioritizedforaction,throughafact-findingandaconsensusbuildingprocess.

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BE4OC – Applying Blue Economics approach for Ocean & Coasts WHY

• Bysomeestimates,theOceanEconomyhasaturnoverofbetweenUS$3and6trillionperyearanddespitethis,businessasusualdoesn'ttakeintoaccountthecostsofbiodiversitylossandecosystemdegradationandtheecologicalbenefitsthesesystemsprovide.

• Currently,wearefacingtheunprecedentedconsequencesofaneconomicmodelthatexternalizesthedegradationofnaturalsystemsincludingbiodiversityloss,decliningwaterquality,andlossofshorelineprotectionbycoastalhabitatsandcoralreefs- causedbyrapidindustrializationandurbanizationofouroceansandcoasts.Inmanycases,existingmarketmechanismsfailtointernalizethecostsofthisdegradationresultinginadeclineintheoverall“blue”valueoftheecosystemservicesandgoods.

• Bothunderstandingandgovernanceofoceanandcoastalbiomesismademorechallengingbecausetheycrossbordersandjurisdictions. Conservingandenhancingthevalueoftheseecosystemsis,inreality,amatterofmanaginghumanactionswithinthemarineenvironment.Managementiscomplicated,however,notjustbecauseoflimitedunderstandingoftheecosystems,butalsobythelackofsystemicactions,processesandknowledgeinfrastructure thatwouldproperlyuptaketheinformationgatheredaspartofwell-conductedenvironmental,socialandeconomicassessmentsandtranslatethoseintoconcreteactions.

WayForward

Thedeclineintheecologicalhealthandeconomicproductivityoftheworld’soceanscanbereversedbyshiftingtoagreener,moresustainableeconomicparadigm.

• Technologicaladvancesnowpermitmoreprofitableoutputswithfewerenvironmentalimpacts.Whetheritisgreenenergy,extractionofnon-renewables,tourism,fisheriesormarinetransport,developingeconomicmodelsunderpinnedbytheneedtomaintainand/orenhanceecosystemvalue israpidlybeingrecognizedasamorerealisticapproachtoachievingsustainabledevelopmentgoalsasnotedintheRio+20document,TheFutureweWantaswellasintheGlobalEnvironmentFacility(GEF)-7programmingdirectionsandpolicyagendadocument.

• AlotofworkhasalreadybeendonebyvariousorganizationssuchasWorldWildlifeFund,WorldResourcesInstitute,TheNatureConservancy,UNEnvironment,aswellastheprivatesectorinassessingthe“value”ofourmarineecosystems,biodiversityandtheirrelatedservicesbutmuchofthisworkhasbeenmainlyrelegatedtoawarenessraisingandpassiveresponses.Educatingdecisionsmakersandsocietyatlargeabouttheconsequencesofthedegradationofourenvironmenthastodatenotledtoareversalindestructivetrendsandtendencies.WeneedtodoabetterjobofmatchingthemanydifferentapproachestovaluingourblueNaturetopolicyneedsthatcancatalyze concreteactionsandchange. Intheabsenceofvaluationandintegrationofvaluationwithinpolicy-,decision- andchoice-makingframeworks,essentialecosystemgoodsandservicesarebeingtradedascommodities,sometimesforanimplicitpriceofzero.

HOW

Valuationissometimes,butnotalways,aneededmetricofecosystemservicefloworcapital.However,thefullrangeofecosystemvaluemeasuresincludeecologicaloutcomes,measuresofconsumptionandnutritionalimpacts,jobssupported,livesaffected,economicimpacts,andeconomicvalues.

Inordertobetterconvertknowledgethathighlightsthevalueofoceanandcoastalecosystemsandtheirservicesintoactionsthatleadtoimprovedwell-beingforpeopleandplanet,GEFincrementalandcountrysupportisneededtohelpin;

(1) Developingconsensusamongstdecision-makersandscientistsonastandardizedsetofecologicalvaluationmethodologies ofmarineecosystemsandbiodiversity(includingsectoralandnaturalcapitalassessmentsandoceanwealthmapping)thatenablepolicytransformationinaselectnumberofcountries.

(2)Improvedlocaltonationalinstitutional,organizationalandstakeholdercapacity toproduceuseableandimmediatelyrelevantmarineecosystemandbiodiversityvalues,atselectecosystemscaleinterventionsites,thatinformlocaltonationaldevelopmentandmanagementprocessesandplansinvariousblueeconomysectors.

(3)Catalyzerelevantenablingconditionstofacilitatethereplication ofsuccessfulpolicy- anddecision- makingtransformationalprocessesandactions in“partner”countries.

(4)Participatoryprocess,knowledgemanagement,communicationsandoutreach,andreplicationstrategythattargetsdiverseaudiencestoenablebehavioralanddecisionmakingchanges.

Theseobjectivescanbeachievedbycombiningthelessonslearnedfromexisting/on-goingeffortsthatwillalsohelpestablishthebaseline,financialandtechnicalsupportfrompartners,closercoordinationofUNEnvironmentactivitieswiththewiderecosystemvaluationcommunity,andtheGEFelementswithagreedincrementalcosts.

Interventioncountrieswillbenefitbothbygainingaccesstocriticalknowledge,technicalandpracticalsupportforimplementationoftransformativeactionsandbybecomingleadingpractitionersoftransformeddecisionmakingsystemsthatfullyintegratethevalueofouroceansandcoasts.

WhyworkwithUNEnvironment–

UNEnvironmentisafrontrunnerinrecognizing,demonstratingandcapturingthevalueofnaturethroughitsTEEB(TheEconomicsofEcosystemsandBiodiversity)Initiative,whichhasbeensuccessfulatshiftingthethinkingandactionsofpolicymakerswithrespecttoecosystemvaluation.Ithasbeenspecificallyincludedin25articlesoftheCBDandformsthebasisofanumberofnationalecosystemassessmentsandnaturalcapitalaccountingstrategies(e.g.Norway,UK,Germany).TherearealsoseveralcommitmentstoundertakeTEEBstudiesatsub-national,nationalandregionallevelsincludinginBelgium,Brazil,Caribbeancountries,Georgia,ElSalvador,India,Mexico,Nepal,theNetherlands,Panama,andtheEuropeanUnion. EcosystemvaluationhasbeenwidelyreferencedanddiscussedinthemediaasaresultofTEEBoutreachandcommunicationefforts.

UNEnvironmentandGRIDArendal - aUNEnvironmentcollaboratingcenterbasedinNorwaythatworksonseveralGEFprojects– willbringinhousesubject-matterexperts,relevantpartnerorganizationsandstrongbaselineinformation/toolkitstothetableinordertomakethisprojectasuccessfulone.

Phosphorus Management Using lake restoration to optimise critical defences to global threats

WHEREWithinitialassessmentsof23lakesglobally,LakeBudainChileisarelevantsiteforpotentialcasestudy/pilotinterventionunderthefollowingcategories:

• Transboundary: LakeBudaisasaltwaterlagoon,itspollutionsourcescomefromtransboundarysourceswithtransboundaryimpactsduetotidalcurrentsonthecoastline.

• Knownpollutionsources:Agricultureandlivestockispractisedin70%ofthebasinareacarriedusingrudimentaryandimpropertechniqueswhichhasgreatlyincreasingphosphorusloading.

• Communitiesimpacted:locatedinChile'spoorestregion,fishermenintheregionhaveprotestedagainstpoorwaterfreshwaterqualityanditsimpactsonfisheries.

• Biodiversityimpacted:isconsideredoneofthelastreservesofbiodiversityintheregionandhasbeenrecentlydeclaredasahighpriorityplacetobeconservedfortheSistemaNacionaldeÁreas Protegidas (SNASPE)(MMA),2011).41of44vertebratefreshwaterspeciesareencounteringconservationproblems.

• ClimateChangeimpacts:Chileistheplanet’sninthmostvulnerablecountrytoclimatechange.

WHY• Securingfoodforthegrowingpopulationwillincreasetherelianceonplantnutrientphosphorus,anessential

ingredientinagriculturalfertilisers, 40-60%ofcropyieldisattributedtofertilizerapplication.

• Theunintendedlossesofminedphosphorustotheenvironmenthaveledtodegradationofglobalwaterqualityresultingineutrophication,toxicalgalblooms, coastaldeadzones,lossofbiodiversity,destructionoffisherieswithassociatedeconomiccosts,andchangestotheglobalcarbonpump inaquaticsystems.

• Around14MTyr-1 ofphosphorusentersouroceansasaresultofhumanactivitieseveryyear,contributingtothecreationof>400coastaldeadzonesglobally.

• Rescuinggloballakesfromphosphoruspollutionnotonlyprovidesdirectandimmediatebenefitstothecommunitiesandecosystemreliantonthem,butisapowerfulmeasuretoincreaseresiliencetomultipleglobalsustainabilitypressures.

Estimatedglobalphosphorussurplusanddeficit.Source:OurNutrientWorld,2013,citing(MacDonaldetal.,2011)

HOWPhosphorusdeliveredtolakescanbindtosediment,assimilateintobiotaorincreaselakewaterconcentrationsbeforebeingtransporteddownstreamtocoastalzones.Becauselakescanbebothasinkandsourceofphosphoruswithinacatchmenttheyare‘hubs’tomanagelandscapephosphorusflowsfromspringtosea.Lakerestorationschemesaddressthefollowing:• Reducephosphorusconcentrationsinthelakewater;oftenachievedbyphysicalremoval,coagulationand

biologicalassimilation(i.e.harvestingoflakecrops).

• Reduceinputsofphosphorustothelakefromcatchment;sourcesincludingerosion,sewage,fertiliserrunoff,animalwastes,andindustry.

• Promotephosphorusrecyclingindustries torecoverfromareasoftoomuch(i.e.sediments,pollutioninputsandharvestoflakecrops),todelivertoareasoftoolittle(i.e.agriculturalsoilsoflowfertility).

• Buildhealthylakeeconomies;includingfisheriesandrecreationtobolsterpublicandpoliticalsupport

• Optimisessocietalphosphorususeefficiency:includingthroughdietarychange,reductioninfoodwasteandchangeindetergentusewherepossible.

NEXTSTEPSWithlakerestorationatitscentre,ourprojectwilldevelopaprocesstooptimisethescaleandreachofmultiplebenefitsdeliveredbysustainablephosphorusmanagement.Byfacilitatinglocalcommunitiestodeliverself-sustainingmeasuresandtoharvesttheopportunitiesofferedbythem,lakerestorationisusedasacatalysistoimprovethehealthoftheland,seaandenvironment,andthequalityofpeopleslives.• Developaframeworkusing lakerestorationtodeliverwidespreadchangetolocalandglobalcommunities.• Setupanetwork ofscientists,stakeholdersandchampionsintheregion/localcommunitythatcandeliverthe

prioritymeasuresspecifictotheregionsneedsandresources.• Developindicatorsandtargets,EstablishSDGindicatorsandtargetsforlong-term&large-scaletransformative

change,communicatedusingscorecardsbasedontheTransboundaryWatersAssessmentProgramme(TWAP)methodology.

• Buildonexistingwork includingConventiononBiodiversity(CBD),theSouthEastPacificRegionalSeasProgram,UNEnvironment’sGlobalProgrammeofAction(GPA)fortheprotectionoftheMarineEnvironmentfromLand-basedactivities,downscalingofTWAPfindings,withlinkstotheGlobalEnvironmentFunded(GEF)fundedGlobalNutrientChallenge(GNC)projectandtheInternationalNutrientManagementSystem(INMS).