Marine Biodiversity

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EEAC Conference 15 October 2004 Berlin
Ecosystem approach Chair Paul
Gilliland English Nature
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A lot of talking .

• Earth Summit 1992
• Convention on Biological Diversity 2000
• World Summit in Sustainable Development 2002
• Europe, eg EU Marine Strategy 2002 onwards

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Definitions CBD 2000

• The ecosystem approach is a strategy for the
  integrated management of land, water and living
  resources that promotes conservation and
  sustainable use in an equitable way. The
  application of the ecosystem approach will help
  to reach a balance of the 3 objectives of the
  Convention conservation sustainable use and
  the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits
  arising out of the utilization of genetic
  resources

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Definitions EU 2002

• The ecosystem approach is the comprehensive
  integrated management of human activities, based
  on best available scientific knowledge about the
  ecosystem and its dynamics, in order to identify
  and take action on influences which are critical
  to the health of the marine ecosystems, thereby
  achieving sustainable use of ecosystem goods and
  services and maintenance of ecosystem integrity

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In essence.

• Integrating and managing the range of demands
  placed on the environment
• In order to take action on factors critical to
  the health of the ecosystem
• As a route to help deliver sustainable
  development, ie delivering social and economic
  benefits from ecosystem, goods and services
• Humans are a part of the ecosystem

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EAM Guidance 1

• The ecosystem Approach to Management of Human
  Activities (EAM)
• Annex to EU Marine Strategy
• Core drafting group ICES
• Current position
• Broad level

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EAM Guidance 2

• Aims and Scope
• Good ecological status
• The Ecosystem Approach
• Objectives, Indicators, Limits and Targets
• Management
• Assessment, Monitoring and Scientific research
• Applying the Ecosystem Approach at a regional
  scale
• Measuring progress towards implementation

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EEAC Conference 15 October 2004 Berlin
Ecosystem approach Part 2 Chair Paul
Gilliland English Nature
9
EA key aspects

• Environmental
• Economic
• Social
• Spatial
• Temporal
• Scientific
• Institutional
• Adaptive management

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Economic

• For example
• Overall economic objectives
• Best practice in all sectors, eg SEA
• Cross-sectoral tools such as spatial planning
  (Cumulative effects, Sectoral conflict)
• Integrated approach, eg water quality and fish
  stocks, productivity
• Economic indicators?

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Knowledge

• For example
• Lack of information not an excuse
• Using full range of available knowledge including
  from all stakeholders
• Making best (re)use of available data
• Economic, social as well as environmental

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Adaptive management

• Learning by doing
• Acting despite lack of data
• Variability non-static management
• Step wise approach to a goal with monitoring and
  feedback