Download Rio+20 and the blue economy

Rio+20 and the blue economy
A priority for Australia at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil in June 2012 is support for the sustainable use and conservation of our
oceans to achieve a ‘blue economy’.
What is the blue economy?
For island nations such as ours, the biodiversity of our oceans is a significant resource. Our
sustainable development is so inherently connected with the health of the oceans that we
aspire to create a blue economy.
A blue economy is one in which our ocean ecosystems bring economic and social benefits
that are efficient, equitable and sustainable. Used wisely, our ocean resources can help
address poverty, food security, sustainable livelihoods and conservation.
Many Pacific island countries are calling for Rio+20 to promote more marine protected
areas, improved sharing of the benefits of marine resources, more sustainable fisheries, and
actions to address the impacts of climate change on oceans and coasts. The countries
include Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa,
Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Australia, as a neighbour and development
partner, is discussing these matters with countries in our region and other potential partners
in efforts towards a blue economy.
Why is the blue economy a priority?
World fisheries support 170 million jobs and more than 1.5 billion people rely on marine
resources for their protein intake. Marine and coastal tourism, aquaculture and other uses of
marine environments also provide livelihoods for millions of people across the globe.
In Australia, our oceans directly support jobs in commercial and recreational/charter fishing
and indirectly support thousands of business and communities along our coastline.
Marine tourism and recreational activities directly contribute over $11 billion per year to the
Australian economy. Total economic activity in the marine environment has been found to
contribute more than $44 billion per year, or over 4 per cent of Australia’s GDP.
The world’s oceans are increasingly under pressure from rising sea temperatures, ocean
acidification, overfishing, biodiversity loss, habitat loss and pollution. Key ecosystems such
as coral reefs may soon reach critical thresholds, disproportionately impacting on the people
and communities that are most vulnerable, such as small island and coastal developing
countries.
Meanwhile, the world’s population is continuing to increase, and with it the demand for food
from the oceans and elsewhere will increase.
The solution lies in finding ways to move beyond the usual trade-off between economy and
the environment. We need to ensure the ways in which we value, manage and use the
oceans sustain the habitats and ecosystems that provide food and livelihoods.
People-centred approaches to marine biodiversity conservation illustrate how we can do this.
They recognise that sustainable incomes and livelihoods require healthy marine
ecosystems; and equally, that healthy ecosystems can only be achieved if people and
communities have sustainable incomes and livelihoods. Such ‘win-wins’ can be achieved
when marine ecosystem considerations are an integral part of social and economic decisionmaking, rather than separate and sometimes competing matters.
Australia sees three key roles for Rio+20 in promoting a transition to a blue economy:
 to provide a catalyst and framework for action by governments, civil society and the
private sector
 to promote and share lessons from existing initiatives that are applying “people
centred” approaches to marine conservation and management, such as the Coral
Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security and the Pacific
Oceanscape Framework
 to identify and progress actions that require a global scale response.
Australia’s efforts toward a blue economy
There are no one-size-fits all actions that can deliver a blue economy. Some are global in
scale (such as governance of the high seas), but many are needed at local, national and
regional levels. Australia has been active in each of these spaces.
Marine bioregional plans for each of Australia's marine regions will improve the way
decisions are made under the country’s national environment law to protect marine
biodiversity and ensure the sustainable use of oceans by industry.
As a developed nation with a maritime area larger than the continent itself, Australia has a
special responsibility for the conservation and management of its marine and coastal
environments and their resources. Society expects that our natural resources will be used
sustainably and that ecologically important areas will be protected.
The Australian Government manages an estate of marine protected areas that are known
as Commonwealth reserves under national environment law. The government is extending
the number of reserves through an extensive public consultation process.
Three of Australia’s 19 World Heritage listed sites are in our ocean territory: the Great
Barrier Reef off the Queensland coast, and Ningaloo and Shark Bay, which are both off
Western Australia. Other listed sites, the Heard and McDonald Islands and the Lord Howe
Island group, also include large amounts of marine area. The Great Barrier Reef Marine
Park is widely recognised as one of the best managed marine protected areas in the world.
Australia has become a world leader in the protection and conservation of whales since the
end of Australia's whaling industry in 1978. Australian waters are home to approximately 45
species of whales and dolphins. The protection of these species at regional, national and
international levels is a priority for the Australian Government. Whale watching is promoted
as a tourism industry under strict conditions and Australia funds non-lethal research into the
majestic creatures in order to understand how these species can be better protected and
managed.
The Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) is a partnership between Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua
New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor Leste. Australia is one of six
formal CTI Development Partners along with the US Government, Asian Development Bank,
WWF, The Nature Conservancy and Conservation International.
The initiative provides a framework for collaborative work among the member states to
enhance food security and sustainable livelihoods through improved marine conservation
and management.
The Coral Triangle is a global hot-spot for marine biodiversity – sometimes described as the
Amazon of the sea. Its ecosystems and marine resources sustain the health and livelihoods
of approximately 240 million people. Australia has released a CTI Support Plan, supported
with funding of approximately $3.5 million.
Australia is involved in a number of regional initiatives that improve livelihoods and food
security through sustainable management of marine resources and ecosystems. These
could be useful models to build on in the context of Rio+20.
Arafura and Timor Seas Ecosystem Action is a project involving Indonesia, Timor Leste,
Papua New Guinea and Australia focused on developing a framework for integrated,
sustainable and ecosystem-based management and use of the living coastal and marine
resources of the Arafura and Timor seas. An analysis of the state of the environment and
resources in these shared seas, including pressures and threats, will lay the basis for partner
countries to work together through a multi-lateral Regional Strategic Action Program.
Further information
Further information on Rio+20 and other Australian Government sustainable development
initiatives can be found at www.environment.gov.au/rio or contact us at
[email protected]