Improving Science Applications to Coastal Management

There is international recognition of the continuing need to understand marine life, so that national, regional, and global actions that address coastal and marine issues are based on sound science. This conference provides an opportunity to identify areas of common ground in marine research and discuss opportunities for constructive engagement among all stakeholders. In fact, since Rio we have expanded our use of marine scientific research, have made strides in advancing our understanding of the world’s atmosphere and oceanography and in applying this knowledge to practical on-the-ground problems.

In this new century, marine science is providing revolutionary opportunities to understand the world’s oceans. Our capabilities in physical, chemical, and biological oceanography have greatly expanded. Innovations in technology -- from satellites to submarines -- let us see more, measure more, and learn more about the oceans than ever before.

Still, we estimate that 95% of the oceans remain unexplored. Oceanography is maturing from straightforward monitoring and description of exploratory observations to an understanding of oceans processes and now, remarkably, to the emerging ability to forecast events. Physical oceanographers now use long-term, operational observing systems in portions of the world’s oceans that complement the atmospheric observing systems in place for the past 30 years. The importance of a system that recognizes the relationships between the oceans and the atmosphere is best illustrated by the work that led the international science community to predict the El Nino/La Nina phenomenon.

In the 1960s, scientists realized that there was a connection between variations in anchovy abundance off the coast of Peru and atmospheric pressure readings that oscillated on either side of the Pacific Ocean. In 1982-83, a strong El Nino event caused weather-related devastation throughout much of the world -- including severe drought in parts of Indonesia and Africa, almost complete bleaching of Galapagos coral reefs, and extensive flooding along the western coast of the Americas. The economic costs were staggering, causing billions of dollars of damage in the United States alone.

The economic and human health consequences of this El Nino event so alarmed the international community that it undertook a huge, cooperative international effort to predict the phenomena. This effort led to the development of ENSO (El Nino/Southern Oscillation), the current observing system. ENSO, coupled with computer modeling and satellite and ship observations, led to the successful forecast -- six months in advance -- of the onset and extent of the 1997 El Nino event. The ENSO observing system makes data immediately and publicly available for weather forecasting and research. The United States is committed to a policy of full and open data exchange and recognizes the tremendous benefits this policy can have for all nations. Much of the data the United States collects is publicly available to be used by scientists and policy makers throughout the world. The goal is for people to better inform their ocean and coastal resource management decisions so that they meet national and regional goals for sustainable development.

Good environmental governance at the national level depends on building and strengthening legal, programmatic, and regulatory frameworks and governmental institutions that establish and oversee the manner in which countries meet their social, economic, and environmental goals. Good national governance is critical to our stewardship of oceans, fisheries, and coasts. For instance, in order to ensure that decision makers have the scientifically based information they need to understand all relevant considerations when making policy choices, it is important for national governments to include stakeholders and major groups in broad-based public participation efforts. Inclusion of all interested parties helps to ensure that government decision-making solicits the views of civil society. In turn, this helps generate the broadest possible support for policy and its implementation. Implementation of such policies by all governments is important to promote sound science-based decision-making worldwide.

We all recognize that human health and livelihood are inextricably linked to the sea through food security, shoreline protection, trade, medicine, recreation, and more. This link to the oceans increases in importance as the Earth’s population and economic activity in the coastal zone increases. Today, over 2 billion people live within 100 kilometers of the seashore and about 1 billion of those people depend on fish for their primary source of protein. Changes in marine and coastal systems can undermine the basic economic and environmental services provided by the oceans. These changes include habitat destruction and alteration, overfishing, eutrophication, changes in hydrology, sediment transport, and the input of sewage and chemicals that threaten ecosystem and human health.

With so much at stake for so many of us, it is incumbent on all of us to try to make sure the best scientific information and applications are available to improve the management of oceans, coasts, and fisheries. Let me describe three applications that are using new science and technologies to contribute to sustainable development of coastal regions.

First, in the realm of fisheries, the draft International Plan of Action to Improve Status and Trends Reporting, developed by the FAO Advisory Committee on Fisheries Research, if adopted swiftly, will contribute positively to global food security. The goal of the Plan of Action is to increase our knowledge of the quantity of fish and other marine life and to determine whether the stocks are changing over time. This program underscores the role of marine science in the assessment of fish stocks and their sustainable use. Those interested in pure science gain a more accurate measure of the world’s marine biodiversity, while those interested in applied marine science gain a better understanding of the quantity and value of stocks in waters under their national jurisdictions. This is a win-win strategy for both scientists and policy makers concerned about improving the quality of life for coastal residents.

Second, the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS) has been under development with substantial U.S. participation to improve the world’s capacity to observe the state of the oceans. GOOS provides a framework that when fully implemented, will ensure that the nations of the world are able to document the changes in the physical, chemical, and biological state of the ocean. GOOS is sponsoring a Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment and a major enhancement of the ocean floats (ARGO) that collect data from the upper ocean. We will hear more from Mr. Malone about how GOOS is being applied.

Finally, I am pleased to tell you about a new U.S.-led international initiative called "Geographic Information for Sustainable Development "or GISD.

The GISD initiative uses a new generation of earth observation data, state-of-the-art GIS-linked technologies, and field-tested geographic knowledge to provide information for sustainable development. The goal is to assist local, national, and regional agencies to address long-term challenges such as disaster mitigation, natural resource management, and poverty alleviation. The early results are demonstrating the value of international collaboration in using geographic information for a broad range of sustainable development challenges of the next decade. Right now GISD pilot projects are underway in Africa led by USAID and its collaborating partners.

One of the applications of GISD is along the coastal zone of Tanzania and Kenya -- a region that is experiencing rapid urban development, growth in tourism and mariculture, and expanding population growth that threaten coastal resources and natural systems such as coral reefs and fish-breeding grounds. I am pleased to let you know that we have Mr. Jeremiah Daffa of Tanzania with us here at the conference. Mr. Daffa is managing the GISD project in Tanzania as a part of his work with the Tanzania Coastal Management Partnership. The GISD initiative provides processing of satellite data and construction of GIS maps that will help analyze rates of change over time in coastal resource and land use patterns. These analyses, in turn, will help identify priority locations for coastal action planning and conservation, aqua-culture and tourism development planning, and land use zoning. The project is intended to provide a major boost to long-term efforts to use science to improve the management of coastal resources. You are invited to join this international effort to use existing earth observation data and state of the art information management tools to address the local, national, and regional challenges facing us all. We have a handout available for you with contact information and a website address for the GISD project and I am sure Mr. Daffa will be happy to give you his perspective as a technical expert and advisor to Tanzanian stakeholders.

All of these science and technology based programs demonstrate the common need for research, data collection, assessment, monitoring, and development of operational observation systems in coastal zones. These needs are especially important to developing countries, where many -- if not most -- of the issues addressed by these initiatives manifest themselves.

The success of the El Nino efforts and the promise of the GISD, the FAO Status and Trends Reporting, and other oceans initiatives give us reason to be optimistic about the future. Still, it is important to realize that there is much more to be done in marine science and its applications. Integrated chemical, biological and physical oceanographic research programs must be supported. They made the difference in the case of El Nino. The challenge is to look for additional ways we can cooperate and innovate in order to enhance our capabilities to address ocean and coastal issues that are critical to sustainable development.

The UN system has a critical role to play in facilitating, coordinating, and developing standards and guidelines for marine research, information sharing, and operational ocean observing systems. When it comes to the coastal environment, however, we have learned that regional approaches are often most effective. The Cartagena Convention in the Caribbean, the Arctic Council -- a forum involving indigenous communities and the eight nations with territory in the Arctic -- and the South Pacific Regional Environmental Program (SPREP) are good examples of regional bodies in which people collaborate effectively to protect human health, prevent, control, and reduce pollution, and ensure sound environmental management of oceans and coastal areas.

We believe that the UN system needs to develop regional mechanisms to facilitate and coordinate its programs so that a diversity of programs can be brought to bear in an integrated way to solve problems specific to each region. We think that regional institutions working in the same area must be in contact with each other and, to the extent possible, co-locate the times and venues of meetings, especially of parties to regional Conventions. For example, a regional fishery and a regional seas meeting held jointly or back-to-back could bring new synergies to both groups. The objective should be to bring the fruits of new science and technologies to bear on the oceans and coastal issues confronting decision makers. Joint meetings, web sites, publication of directories of specialists on relevant regional topics, and regular regional reporting of priorities for incorporation in the Secretary General’s report might better galvanize action.

In conclusion, my presentation today has highlighted several specific initiatives that will promote science-based decisions on oceans and coastal activities. I have also suggested several policy directions for national action -- such as full and open data exchange and promoting public participation. Finally, I have suggested improvements in coordination among oceans-related bodies at the regional and global level. We look forward to continuing to explore these opportunities through the course of this conference, in further preparations for Johannesburg and beyond.

Thank you for this opportunity to share my enthusiasm for improving science applications to coastal management.