Global Ocean Commission

Global Ocean Commission meeting New York, July 2013

The Global Ocean Commission is an international organization that was launched in February 2013, with the first meeting in March and further meetings scheduled for later.^[1] The Commission is working towards reversing degradation of the ocean and restoring it to full health and productivity. Its focus is on the high seas, the areas that lie outside the jurisdiction of individual governments.^[2] The high seas constitute 45% of the Earth’s surface. According to research reviewed by the Commission, this major proportion of the global ocean is under severe and increasing pressure from overfishing, damage to important habitat, climate change and ocean acidification.^[3] The Commission comprises senior political figures, business leaders and development specialists, and deliberates with a diverse group of constituencies. These include existing ocean users, scientists, economists, business leaders and trade unions.^[4] The Commission will publish its final recommendations in early 2014, shortly before the United Nations General Assembly begins discussions on protecting high seas biodiversity.^[5] The Commission’s report will consist of proposals improve the system of governance, thus ending high seas overfishing, stopping the loss of habitat and biodiversity, and improving monitoring and compliance.^[6]

Background and history

The Global Ocean Commission was launched, according to the Commission, "at a time when many governments, economists, scientists, business leaders and international institutions are indicating the need for reform."

It originated as an initiative of the Pew Charitable Trust, in partnership with Somerville College at the University of Oxford, Adessium Foundation and Oceans 5. The Commission is supported by the Adessium Foundation, Oceans 5, and Pew Charitable Trusts, but is independent of all.^[7]

Commissioners

Co-chairs

• José María Figueres (Co-chair) – President of Costa Rica (1994-1998)
• Trevor Manuel (Co-chair) – South Africa Minister of Finance (1996-2009)
• David Miliband (Co-chair) – President and CEO of the International Rescue Committee and former UK Foreign Secretary

Commissioners

Global Ocean Commissioners at launch 2013. From left: David Miliband, Obiageli 'Oby' Ezekwesili, Jose Maria Figueres

• Obiageli ‘Oby’ Ezekwesili – Vice President of the World Bank for Africa (2007-2012)
• Vladimir Golitsyn – President of the Seabed Disputes Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
• Robert Hill – Member of the Australian Senate (1981-2006)
• Yoriko Kawaguchi – Member of the House of Councillors of Japan
• Pascal Lamy – Director-General of the World Trade Organization
• Paul Martin – Prime Minister of Canada (2003-2006)
• Sri Mulyani Indrawati – Managing Director of the World Bank Group
• Cristina Narbona – Environment Minister of Spain (2004-2008)
• Ratan Tata – Chairman of the Tata Group (1991-2012)
• Foua Toloa – Elected Member of the Council for the Ongoing Government for Fakaofo, Tokelau
• Andrés Velasco – Minister of Finance of Chile (2006-2010)
• Luiz Furlan - Co-chairman of the board of BRF Brazil foods from 2009-2011
• John Podesta - Chair of the centre for American progress (2003-present)
• Victor Chu - Chairman of the First Eastern Investment Group, Director and Council member of the Hong Kong stock exchange, Chair of the Hong Kong - Europe Business Council^[8]

Reported issues facing the high seas

According to the Global Ocean Commission, research ‘indicating the need for reform’ has shown that:^[9]

• Approximately half of the world’s fish stocks are fished to their maximum sustainable level, while a further third are fished beyond that level, some to commercial extinction.^[10]
• Overfishing costs the global economy an estimated $50bn per year.^[11]
• Climate change is forcing the migration of some marine life away from its natural grounds,^[12] and appears to be reducing the amount of living space for some important fish species.^[13]
• Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing fleets are implicated in acts of terrorism and trafficking of people (including children), drugs and weapons, with working conditions which can amount to forced labour.^[14]

The Commission has identified four key issues facing the high seas:

• Overfishing^[15]
• Large-scale loss of habitat and biodiversity
• Lack of effective management and enforcement
• Deficiencies in high seas governance.^[16]

Other Issues

• Slavery - the people who make their living from the sea are also part of the commission's concerns. Although Slavery has been outlawed on land in many countries, this has not always been applied on vessels. The call for monitoring (see below) is also linked to this issue.^[17]

• Vessel ID and monitoring - following the New York meeting of the commission which took place in July 2013 it called for mandatory vessel ID and monitoring on the high seas in an attempt to control fishing security. Technology levels now mean this is possible and necessary according to the commission. The commission have said studies show links between criminal activity and a lack of identification, including people trafficking. This lack of identification has been described as a 'loophole' in terms of border protection by commissioner Jose Maria.^[18]

Objectives

The objective of the Global Ocean Commission is to address these issues by formulating ‘politically and technically feasible short-, medium- and long-term recommendations.’^[16]

These final recommendations will be published in early 2014, shortly before the UN General Assembly begins discussions on protecting high seas biodiversity – a commitment made at the Rio+20 summit last year.^[19] The work of the Commission thus focuses on four key tasks:

1. To examine key threats, challenges, and changes to the ocean in the 21st century, and identify priority issues.^[20] The Commission will utilise both scientific and economic evidence, drawing on existing reports from world experts, as well as commencing original research in partnership with other organisations.
2. To review the effectiveness of the existing legal framework for the high seas in meeting these challenges. According to the Commission, this means a special focus on the effectiveness of regional fisheries management organisations, particularly with respect to their accountability, transparency, and performance. It also means reviewing the governance gap on biodiversity conservation and analysing options for combatting IUU fishing. The Commission will also assess the suitability of the existing legal regime for regulating emerging uses of the global ocean.
3. To engage with interested parties around the world, as well as the general public. The Commission will connect with fishers, military and merchant navies, recreational sailors, seafood companies, conservation groups and the emergent seabed mining business. The Commission also aims to raise understanding among policymakers, economists and other groups, including the general public, of the implications should high seas issues not be reformed.
4. To make recommendations regarding ‘cost-effective, pragmatic and politically feasible reforms of high seas governance, management and enforcement.’ While the threat analysis will take account of external issues such as climate change, recommendations will focus on reforms that can be achieved by evolving high seas governance. Some may concern the fundamental legal framework under which the global ocean is governed, whereas others may focus on improving the effectiveness of existing mechanisms.^[16]

References

External links

• Global Ocean Commission official website