1. Strategic Workshop on Marine Resources Brussels, 9-10 October 2014

2. Overview of the Process Marine Resources
Santiago
Brussels
Rotterdam
SC and Panel
SC and Panel
SC and Panel
-This Strategic Exercise on Marine Resources was carried out at the request of the EC representation in the IRP Steering Committee, which after the last IRP meeting in Santiago offered to host a dedicated workshop in Brussels to further discuss the possibility of the Panel carrying out an assessment report on the sustainable management of marine resources
-The workshop was held in Brussels on the 9th and 10th of October. There were 42 participants, including Panel and Steering Committee members as well as external stakeholders including representatives from other EC DGs, from UNEP’s Global Plan of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment (GPA), from UNEP’s TEEB Secretariat which hosts “The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity” (TEEB) initiative, from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), from the French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea (IFREMER), as well as academia and experts from India, Kenya, and the UK.
-I will provide a summary of the discussions we held in Brussels which will then be followed by a more technical presentation by Panel member Lea Kauppi to help us further discuss here if the Panel should also focus on the Sustainable Management of Marine Resources as a priority area in the next triennium
External stakeholders:
DG MARE, DG ENTR, DG RTD, EC JRC
UNEP GPA, TEEB
ICES, IFREMER
Experts and academia

3. Highlights of the Brussels Workshop: IRP engagement in Marine Resources
Rationale:
Marine resources are being used in an unsustainable manner
Inefficient resource use on land creates problems in the marine environment (e.g. marine debris and nutrient pollution)
Environmental risks associated with plastic litter, deep sea mining, marine energy exploration, and aquaculture practices (e.g. aquaculture is growing fast and already represents over 40% of total fish production)
Added value of the International Resource Panel :
Looking at marine resources and at Land-sea interactions through a broader systemic perspective focusing on Resource Efficiency (RE), Decoupling, and Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)
Complement existing work with a Resource Efficiency angle aimed at agenda setting from global perspective

4. Highlights of the Brussels Workshop: Possible approach
Broader systemic perspective and Life-Cycle thinking focusing on Resource Efficiency and framing issues through the DPSIR framework
Articulate drivers and root causes of problems and suggest solutions through a Resource Efficiency and Decoupling lens
Articulate solutions and pathways for sustainable resource management from a marine perspective
Capture emerging issues from a Resource Efficiency perspective

5. Highlights of the Brussels Workshop: Scope options
Biotic and abiotic marine resources
Land/sea interactions including direct and indirect effects (ex. marine litter and phosphorus)
Global (High seas/transboundary)/EEZs, addressing the concerns of developed and developing countries
Highlight resource interlinkages and tradeoffs between sectors
Address knowledge gaps
e.g. what are the opportunities for RE resource efficiency improvements along the aquaculture value chain ?
e.g. what are the Resource Efficiency aspects of plastic litter reduction?
Biotic marine resources and ecosystem services :
Fisheries – allocation of resources between countries, and areas of the seas beyond national jurisdiction.
Aquaculture –resource efficiency potentials along the value chain (e.g stopping biotic waste), life cycle analysis, contribution of aquaculture to alleviating pressure on fisheries and environmental benefits and impacts (incl. social aspects).
Marine ecosystem services and spill-over of benefits and impacts between high-seas and EEZs
Abiotic marine resources (including marine energy and marine minerals)
Marine energy resources and technologies – Impacts and potentials
Marine Minerals – risks and resource efficiency potentials of exploitation (deep sea minerals and aggregates)
Land/sea interactions including direct and indirect effects (ex. marine litter and phosphorus)
Coastal/marine environment interaction
Marine Litter – potentially with a focus on plastics and microplastics (including risks of biodegradability), waste prevention and plastic as a resource, (plastic) material substitution, plus linkages to the circular economy
Eutrophication - nitrogen and phosphorus discharges into the ocean (environmental impacts, and waste of precious resource)
Global (High seas/transboundary)/EEZs
Highlight resource interlinkages and tradeoffs between sectors
Address knowledge gaps

6. Highlights of the Brussels Workshop: Policy relevance
Green economy for oceans agenda & TEEB for Oceans
SDGs process
“Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development” (Proposed goal 14 under the Open Working Group on SDGs)
including proposed target: “by 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, particularly from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution”
UN Global Oceans Assessment
UNEA Resolution on Marine plastic debris and microplastics
EC Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD)
EC Directive on Maritime Spatial Planning
Resource and environmental governance of marine areas not covered by national EEZs

7. Highlights of the Brussels Workshop: Opportunities & synergies
Bringing together the “blue” and “green” growth agendas through a Resource Efficiency and Decoupling perspective
Complement existing and ongoing work with a Resource Efficiency angle, highlighting resource interlinkages which influence the marine environment
e.g. UN Global Oceans Assessment (does not address solutions)
e.g. GESAMP’s assessment report on the sources, fate and impacts of microplastics (does not examine resource efficiency aspects)
Synergies with relevant policy processes such as the SDGs process and the UNEA cycle (e.g. UNEA Resolution on Marine plastic debris and microplastics)
Synergies with international programmes (e.g. Global Partnership on Marine Litter)