| This brochure examines the
major challenges towards creating sustainable forms of development.
It has also shown how international cooperation supported
by the Commission addressed key elements in relation to
the knowledge and capacity building needed to meet the challenge
'Business as usual' is clearly not an option.
The new millennium not only requires new thinking but
new types of action. Better integration is warranted among
the various users and beneficiaries of aquatic resources
and the 'engines' that generate them (ecosystems), to form
a longer-lasting symbiosis. This requires stronger partnerships
among business, conservation, local people, governments
and science. International multi?stakeholder cooperation
is an adequate and cost?effective response with the potential
to mobilise the different skills, competences and resources
required for the task.
Stronger partnerships for
governance
Quality of life for humankind depending on healthy Aquatic Ecosystems requires the best of science and technology,
enterprise and innovation, cemented by enabling policies.
Policy dialogue between Europe and different regions has
already developed in this direction over recent years.
The Commission advocates improving governance through
tightening links from knowledge through to action by using
these existing bi-regional mechanisms for joint action.
This will not be easy as different perceptions, expectations
and languages are obstacles to developing shared understanding
of what the key problems are in each case and how they are
best tackled. Multi-stakeholder fora, such as the emerging
ASEM Platform for Sustainable Aquaculture, have significant
potential to mobilise these broader partnerships (see: http://www.aquachallenge.org/).
Balanced use of environmental
law and tradition
Many countries have experienced a dilution of customary
marine practices over recent decades. These operate through
longstanding social customs rather than formal legislation,
although the value of such practices is becoming more widely
appreciated. A good example is use of 'no-take' marine reserves
for improving fish harvest, traditionally used in several
countries in the Pacific and currently being explored for
restoring degraded Aquatic Ecosystems to more productive
states, e.g. in the Philippines. The EC has noted the evidence
and supports cooperation promoting good balance between
traditional management practices and the use of more formal
instruments.
Changing perceptions and priorities
Problems, such as dynamite fishing and reef degradation
from sewage, will not fade over night. Moreover, public
perception of the existing issues is not homogeneous. Localised
effects of untreated sewage discharge may be accepted by
coastal urban dwellers as a minor price to pay for the benefits
of rapid urban development with its social and business
opportunities. However, coastal fishermen may suffer and
revert to destructive methods themselves if they cannot
be part of the positive side of development. Likewise, other
economic activities and coastal protection depending on
healthy reefs will suffer. It is this imbalance in the distribution
of costs and benefits, along with different perceptions
of constraints and opportunities in different groups of
the population, which are perhaps most critical to address.
In the meantime, new and sometimes more pressing concerns
emerge through exchange of people, ideas, services and products.
For example, the introduction of a wide range of organisms
from one ocean to another via ballast water from the world's
tanker fleet has already wrought havoc in several regions
through toxic algal blooms, new parasites and the replacement
of native species by aliens. Many of these new issues have
neither reached public awareness nor attained levels at
which action is generally accepted as unavoidable. Readiness
for change and risk assessment is an important pathway in
managing strategies where research can help reduce risk
or allow it to be assessed.
The Commission supports the development of new tools and
techniques, ranging from assessment of risk and uncertainty
to better ways of evaluating Aquatic Ecosystems. In addition,
social and economic issues must be central and different
policy areas rele
vant to the sustainable development of and benefits from
Aquatic Ecosystems. A comprehensive strategy to protect
and conserve the marine environment in European seas and
beyond is now in preparation and expected to lead to renewed
momentum for international cooperation.
European Research Area
The Lisbon Summit (2000) focused European attention on
the need for a major effort in science and technology to
ensure the highest competitiveness of European industries
and institutions in a global arena, and launched the idea
of a European Research Area (ERA). The same recognition
of the importance of science and technology for development
is also widespread among Europe's global partners. In a
Communication to Council and Parliament, the Commission
elaborated on the international dimension of ERA to respond
to this demand for continued scientific cooperation(36).
The entire Sixth Framework Programme will be open to the
participation of research institutes and organisations from
third countries.
However, some resources will be specifically allocated
to cooperation with New Independent States, Balkan, Mediterranean
and Developing Countries to meet old and new challenges.
Thematic prioritisation will reflect outputs of policy dialogue
in bi-regional and other appropriate fora, such as in the
context of ASEM, with ACP countries, etc. Integrated approaches
bringing together these different dimensions will be the
centrepiece of future scientific cooperation which, in turn,
will draw on the considerable experience accumulated by
such cooperation over the last ten years and more, but will
also seek to link research more effectively with social,
economic and political actors in society.
Aquatic Ecosystems and development
policy
Development cooperation policy is particularly concerned
with fairness in cost- and benefit-sharing for aquatic resources
and their environmental sustainability. In 2000, this led
to a special Communication to Council and Parliament on
poverty and fisheries. Council of the European Union Resolution
of 8 November 2001 accepted the Communication's thrust,
and reiterated the need for the Community and Member States
to implement fully the commitments, principles and objectives
approved with the UN and other competent international organisations.
In particular, the Council requested the Commission 'to
step up its efforts to strengthen systems and capacities
for the collection, processing and circulation of data concerning
fish stocks, ecosystems, the economic and social role of
the sector and the fishing effort'. Council finally requested
overall complementarity between the Community and Member
States as well as coherence between development objectives
and the Common Fisheries Policy.
Programming for the next five years of development cooperation,
is being assessed in relation to these objectives for future
cooperation. In regions such as the Pacific, Indian Ocean
and North West Africa, where aquatic resources are of particular
importance to national economies, resources will be allocated
for capacity building and joint action in line with political
commitments.
Partnership, investment and
benefits of sustainable use
The changing perspective of the issues, their interconnectivity
and the advantages of a partnership approach in tackling
them has a number of implications regarding priorities and
how to go about them. Such an approach mobilises equals,
everyone with some resources of their own, although usually
best achieved in complementary ways. Tackling shared problems
can involve reducing risk of collapse of goods and services
obtained from Aquatic Ecosystems, while also creating new
opportunities, restoring lost productivity and being prepared
for change. These are the watchwords for the future: mobilising
partnerships to generate and share knowledge, enabling innovation
and taking joint action.
If we want to share the benefits, we must invest. The
above-mentioned instruments of Commission policies are made
available, in addition to resources the partners themselves
have, locally, nationally, and bilaterally. Among these
resources are various self-financing schemes, but in particular
knowledge, human and institutional capital. Investing in
these resources is likely to give the highest return and
potential to create benefits.
Action, evaluation and follow-up
- closing the feedback loop
This brochure shows the concepts, instruments and examples
of combining knowledge, capacity building of men, women
and their institutions and action focused on different dimensions
of sustainable use of Aquatic Ecosystems. It also offers
a vision on how to step up action around multi-stakeholder
platforms with the ability to mobilise the range of competence
required today to tackle challenges for marine, coastal
and freshwater systems.
The Commission stresses the need to track the progress
of international cooperation efforts in a systematic and
verifiable way. Assessing with our partners the extent to
which overall objectives and requirements are met and deciding
any remedial or additional actions that might be necessary,
is the most effective way to keep learning from experience
and adjust to changing conditions.
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