Indonesia's Minister
of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and UNEP
Executive Director Achim Steiner launch
the concept of Blue Carbon at the 11th Special
Session of UNEP Governing Council in Nusa
Dua, Bali
Nusa Dua Bali, Indonesia,
February 25, 2010 - In a joint statement
issued today at the XIth Special Session
of the UNEP Governing Council, Indonesia's
Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries
Dr. Fadel Muhammad and UNEP Executive Director
Achim Steiner have emphasized the important
role of marine and coastal ecosystems in
the fight against climate change.
The concept of Blue
Carbon, which emphasizes the ability of
marine and coastal ecosystems to sequester
carbon, was introduced by UNEP in cooperation
with the Food and Agriculture Organization
(FAO) and the United Nations Education and
Science Organization (UNESCO).
Blue Carbon emphasizes
the key role of marine and coastal ecosystems,
which are dominated by marine vegetation
such as mangrove forests, seagrass, brackish
marshes and salt marshes. Coastal and marine
ecosystems are believed to be able to complement
the role of forests (Green Carbon) in taking
up carbon emissions through sequestration.
Mr. Steiner said: "We
already know that marine and coastal ecosystems
are multi-trillion dollar assets linked
to sectors such as tourism, shipping and
fisheries - now it is emerging that they
are natural allies against climate change."
Mr. Steiner and Dr.
Fadel jointly emphasized that the basis
of their joint statement is the mandate
of the Manado Ocean Declaration (MOD) declared
last year, as well as efforts to control
the adverse effects of climate change.
"We appeal to all
countries to preserve these abilities of
coastal and marine ecosystems as important
variables in global climate change dynamic",
said Dr. Fadel and Mr. Steiner.
"This has opened
the opportunity to conduct further research
on the important role of the ocean as a
controller of climate change. Indonesia
has an extensive area of mangroves and sea
grass that in turn, will significantly contribute
to the process of carbon sequestration in
the coastal area", according to Dr.
Fadel. "We have to work on this because
the future of the earth and mankind depends
on how we manage ocean wisely and in a sustainable
manner. Time goes fast and we are faced
with choices that cannot be negotiable.
Humans must maintain a balance that has
been played by the sea in order to keep
functioning and able to absorb carbon from
the impact of our activities ", explained
Dr. Fadel.
Mr. Steiner added: "If
the world is to decisively deal with climate
change, every source of emissions and every
option for reducing these should be scientifically
evaluated and brought to the international
community's attention-that should include
all the colours of carbon including now
blue carbon linked with the marine and coastal
ecosystems. Our new partnership aims to
catalyze international attention upon this
important issue."
The marine issue has
been one of the important pillars in a special
session of UNEP's meeting of the 11th SSGC
UNEP/GMEF. On 24 February, UNEP awarded
its first-ever Leadership award in ocean
and coastal management to President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono.
Notes to Editors:
Blue Carbon Concept
Besides the benefit
of healthy marine and coastal ecosystems
in providing the resources and environment
services to the livelihoods of coastal communities,
they also play an important role in maintaining
the balance of climate and carbon sequestration
that is a contributor to climate change.
The role of the sea and its ecosystems is
maintaining the balance of carbon absorption.
These balancing capabilities that are eventually
absorbed by the ocean and its ecosystem
become disrupted as more greenhouse gases
are produced as a result of human activity.
Without any reduction in greenhouse gas
emissions, the next few decades could see
coastal and marine ecosystems become significantly
reduced. This will mean a further impact
on coastal communities, marine biota and
ecosystems and other coastal issues.
The Blue Carbon Report
- The Role of Healthy Oceans in Binding
Carbon compiled by UNEP, FAO, UNESCO-IOC
and IUCN describes the flow of carbon emissions
and estimation capabilities of coastal and
marine ecosystems to absorb carbon and greenhouse
gases. This report was launched on 14 October
2009 at the Conference on Diversity, Cape
Town Conference Center, South Africa.
This report confirms
the important role of marine and coastal
ecosystems in maintaining the climate balance.
This report calls decision makers to mainstream
the 'ocean' dimension into global climate
change initiatives. The reports can be downloaded
at the link http://www.grida.no/publications/rr/blue-carbon/.
11th Special Session
of UNEP Governing Council / Global Ministerial
Environment Forum
The 11th Meeting of
SSGC UNEP/GMEF takes place from the 24th
to 26th February 2010 in Bali International
Convention Center, Nusa Dua, Bali. The meeting
was officially opened by the President of
Indonesia on February 24, 2010. The President
of the Republic of Indonesia accepted an
award from UNEP for his leadership in bringing
marine and coastal issues to international
fora.
Ministers at the 11th
Meeting of SSGC UNEP/GMEF are discussing
draft decisions on seven topics including
(i) international environmental governance,
(ii) enhanced coordination across the United
Nations system, including the Environment
Management Group, (iii) Intergovernmental
science-policy platform on biodiversity
and ecosystem services, (iv) environmental
law, (v) follow-up report on the environmental
situation in the Gaza Strip, (vi) the oceans
and (vii) Consultative process on financing
options for chemicals and wastes.
The important outcomes
that will be produced from the 11th meeting
of SSGC UNEP / GMEF are the following: (i)
Nusa Dua Declaration and; (ii) Decisions
Under Preparation by the Committee of Permanent
Representatives to UNEP for Consideration
by the Eleventh Special Session of the Governing
Council / Global Ministerial Environment
Forum. Both outcomes include paragraphs
on oceans.
Oceans also received
separate acknowledgement and are one of
the seven topics to be discussed to the
draft decision (The 11th SSGC UNEP / GMEF).
The meeting of the eleventh
special session (the 11th SSGC UNEP / GMEF)
is being attended by some 1,200 delegates
from 192 countries under the theme: 'The
Environment in the Multilateral System',
with three key topics: a) international
environmental governance and sustainable
development; b) green economies, and; c)
biodiversity and ecosystems. The meeting
also combined with the ministerial meeting
of Forest Eleven (F-11) on February 23,
2010 and the Simultaneous Extraordinary
Conference of the Parties (ExCOPs) Basel,
Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, from
22 to 24 February 2010.
Nick Nuttall, Spokesperson/ Head of Media,
Office of the Executive Director, UNEP
Soen'an Hadi Poernomo, Head of Center for
Data, Statistics and Information
