1. Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel to the Global Environment Facility IT ALL ENDS UP IN OUR WATER: SAVING OUR COASTAL AND FRESHWATERS FROM LAND AND AIR WASTES Thomas Hammond STAP Secretary

2. Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel to the Global Environment Facility What is STAP? The Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) provides strategic and independent advice on projects, programs, and policies. STAP is administered by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), and it is supported by a Secretariat based in Washington, D.C.

3. Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel to the Global Environment Facility CBD UNFCC CCD International Waters CEO / CHAIRMAN GEF SECRETARIAT COUNCIL ASSEMBLY W.B. Donor Replenishment Group GEFEO ADB UNIDO FAO NGOS Multilateral Fund of Montreal Protocol STAP POPS IAs / EAs UNEP EBRD IFAD IDB Af DB UNDP 1/04

4. Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel to the Global Environment Facility Who is STAP? Present composition – July 2011 to June 2012 Thomas E. Lovejoy, Chair Meryl J. Williams Co-Chair, IW N.H. Ravindranath Climate Change Sandra Diaz Biodiversity Henk Bouwman Chemicals & POPs Nteranya Sanginga Land Degradation Michael Stocking Special Advisor to the Chair http://www.unep.org/stap/

5. Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel to the Global Environment Facility What STAP is doing? Operational Advice Strategic Advice Policy Advice

6. Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel to the Global Environment Facility Recent Advisory Products http://www.unep.org/stap/

7. Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel to the Global Environment Facility Hypoxia and Nutrient Reduction in the Coastal Zone: STAP’s Advisory Document Rapid economic development and population growth put enormous environmental pressures on coastal ecosystems resulting in the rising influx of nutrients that led to the exponential rise in the number of coastal low oxygen or hypoxic areas globally STAP was tasked by the GEF to review the current knowledge of coastal hypoxia, and to develop recommendations on how to prevent and remediate the growing threats of coastal hypoxia to the global environmental benefits and GEF investments

8. Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel to the Global Environment Facility Hypoxia and Nutrient Reduction in the Coastal Zone: STAP’s Advisory Document Document provides: (i)An overview of the scientific evidence for the causes, impacts and remediation for coastal hypoxia (ii)Advice on measurements and monitoring of hypoxia (iii)A review of GEF’s experiences in 17 Large Marine Ecosystems (iv)A short guide to existing hypoxia and nutrient reduction tools/guidelines (v)A set of recommendations for key GEF stakeholders

9. Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel to the Global Environment Facility Hypoxia and Nutrient Reduction in the Coastal Zone: STAP’s Advisory Document Experience, including through GEF investments, shows that hypoxia remediation is possible, but realistic management times, of the order of 10-30 years are needed for hypoxia recovery Eastern and Southern Asia will potentially experience the largest increase in the number of hypoxic areas Smaller systems with existing hypoxic conditions are more amenable to hypoxia remediation than larger systems, and thus could serve as successful test models for GEF support

10. Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel to the Global Environment Facility What actions can the GEF take to prevent and remediate coastal hypoxia? STAP document lists a number of specific additional recommendations: (i) Develop a Hypoxia Toolkit that integrates hypoxia-related factors into the project screening process; (ii) Update TDA/SAP guidance materials ; (iii) Establish evidence- based monitoring, prevention and remediation programs in existing LMEs; (iv) Address knowledge gaps through targeted research projects Hypoxia is a multi-focal area challenge. The GEF and its development partners should consider increasing their investment in nutrient reduction projects and establish principles for supporting priority ecosystems in which to test management responses to permanent and seasonal hypoxia

11. Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel to the Global Environment Facility Hypoxia and Nutrient Reduction in the Coastal Zone: What’s next? Reduction of nutrient pollution from local sources can significantly improve the environmental status of coastal areas and reduce the incidence, intensity, size and duration of hypoxia STAP is considering further steps in helping GEF partners to address increasing fluxes of nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) to the coastal ocean. This side event aims at starting the dialogue by answering the question: WHAT GEF/GEF LME PROJECTS CAN DO TO ADVANCE THE GLOBAL POLICY AGENDA AND HELP TO REDUCE NUTRIENTS LOADING INTO THE COASTAL OCEAN?

12. Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel to the Global Environment Facility Thank you! Thomas Hammond – thomas.hammond@unep.org thomas.hammond@unep.org STAP website – www.unep.org/stap www.unep.org/stap