ICRI Secretariat 20032005 Taking things forward with the UK

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ICRI Secretariat 2003-2005Taking things forward
with the UK

• Robert Canning
• Marine and Waterways Division

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The UK and coral reefs

• UK was a founding member of ICRI
• UK Overseas Territories have some 2 per cent of
  the worlds coral reefs by area
• UK has cold water corals notably the Darwin
  Mounds off the coast of Scotland

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The UK Marine Stewardship Initiative

• Published May 2002
• Vision and strategy
• Ecosystem approach
• New initiatives

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ICRI and WSSD

• Johannesburg Plan of Implementation pledges to
• develop national, regional and international
  programmes for halting the loss of marine
  biodiversity, including coral reefs and wetlands

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ICRI and WSSD

• Implement the programme of action called for by
  the International Coral Reef Initiative to
  strengthen joint management plans and
  international networking including coral reefs
• WSSD gives us a clear mandate to further raise
  awareness of the importance of coral reefs and
  press for action to better protect and manage
  them

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ICRI and WSSD

• Range of WSSD commitments that ICRI can help to
  implement
• Well-managed marine protected areas
• Integrated coastal zone management
• Sustainable fishing
• Development and application of the ecosystem
  approach
• Better oceans governance

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What we want to achieve

• Want to focus on outcomes rather than process we
  want to protect and better manage coral reefs!
• ICRI should continue to raise awareness of the
  importance of coral reefs, press for action in
  international fora and help implement WSSD
  commitments

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What we want to achieve

• Greater co-operation and co-ordination between UN
  bodies, regional seas programmes and donor
  agencies etc
• Encourage developing country participation and
  ensure participation is at the right level
• Greater private sector engagement to support
  local development projects

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What have we got financially to achieve this?

• 100,000 for 2002-03 (about 150,000 USD)
• Pay for Secretariat
• Help meet travel and subsistence costs of
  attendance at ICRI meetings by developing
  countries
• Small-scale development projects, or as
  contributions to larger projects

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Proposed UK arrangements for the Secretariat

• Propose that UNEP-WCMC provide Secretariat
  functions from 1 July 2003 for two years
• UK, our co-host and ICRI Members determine policy
  and the path that ICRI follows
• UK and our co-host co-chair ICRI CPC meetings

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Proposed UK arrangements for the Secretariat

• Why UNEP-WCMC for the UK Secretariat?
• Enables Secretariat to draw on previously
  acquired experience and knowledge of the working
  of ICRI
• Provides an opportunity for joined-up working on
  coral reef issues

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Proposed UK arrangements for the Secretariat

• Secretariat will arrange meetings, circulate
  papers, prepare agenda etc
• Secretariat will provide a contact point and
  maintain a database of members, receive and
  disseminate national reports, draw attention to
  issues of concern etc

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Proposed UK arrangements for the Secretariat

• Secretariat will also use their expertise in a
  joined-up way to develop ideas, initiatives, and
  local development projects that can help to
  implement ICRI and WSSD goals
• These will be presented to ICRI CPC Members for
  consideration

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Working with our co-host

• UK attaches considerable importance to ICRIs
  partnership approach
• Envisage co-host will co-chair CPC meetings with
  the UK
• Hope there is an opportunity to host a CPC
  meeting in our co-hosts country
• Keen to provide a secondment or scholarship
  opportunity to UNEP-WCMC

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• Thank you!