Download 2012 APEC Blue Economy Forum

2012/SOM2/002
Agenda Item: 5
2012 APEC Blue Economy Forum
Purpose: Information
Submitted by: China
Second Senior Officials’ Meeting
Kazan, Russia
2-3 June 2012
Concept Paper
2012 APEC Blue Economy Forum
--- Ocean Health and Sustainable Marine Economy
Background
Oceans and coasts are the cornucopia for humanity in APEC region. They provide us with food,
oxygen and livelihoods. Throughout the course of history, humans have been drawn to coastal areas to
enjoy the bounty of the sea. As much as 40 per cent of the world’s population now lives within 100 km
of the shore line. Only recently, however, have we started to understand the economic importance of
the ecological health of our seas. Especially in APEC region, domestic development in many
economies is based on devastating and destructive exploitation of marine resources. Ocean and
coastal habitats, species, and ecosystems support natural capital and economic flows, together
referred to as ecosystem services. The decline in the ecological health and economic productivity of
APEC’s oceans can be reversed by shifting to a Blue Economy, a greener, more sustainable
economic paradigm in which human well-being and social equity are improved, while environmental
risks and ecological scarcities are reduced, which is also the emphasized in “Paracas Declaration”. In
2011, “APEC Blue Economy Forum – Promoting the Green Growth of Marine Economy” was held in
Xiamen China by APEC Marine Sustainable Development Center (AMSD). As the ongoing activities for
promoting blue economy, 2012 APEC Blue Economy Forum will be held in Beijing and Xiamen in
November.
Significance
A shift to sustainability in terms of improved human wellbeing and social equity can lead to healthier
and more economically productive oceans that can simultaneously benefit coastal communities and
ocean-linked industries.
With a growing population, set to rise from seven billion today to over nine billion by 2050 and 5 out of
10 largest cities in the world are APEC coastal cities, these pressures and impacts are likely to
intensify unless the world becomes more intelligent about managing these essential resources. The
“2012 APEC Blue Economy Forum-Ocean Health and Sustainable Marine Economy” is aimed to
implement the “Paracas Declaration” and “Bali Action Plan” about marine environment conservation
and sustainable development.
It is also an echo to the upcoming Rio+20 Summit, which is an opportunity to scale-up and accelerate
these transitions under the twin themes of a Green Economy in the context of sustainable development
and poverty eradication, and an institutional framework for sustainable development.
Brief Description of the Project
Based on the success of the 2011 “APEC Blue Economy Forum – Promoting the Green Growth of
Marine Economy”, the State Oceanic Administration of China (SOA), Conservation International (CI),
Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA) and APEC Marine
Sustainable Development Center (AMSD) will host the “2012 APEC Blue Economy Forum” with the
theme of “Ocean Health and Sustainable Marine Economy” in Beijing and Xiamen in November, 2012.
The forum will cover the sessions as below:
(1) Blue economy, including the global status quo and discussion about blue economy, development
and industry structure reshuffle of regional marine economy, the role of marine economy in the
whole economic structure, and marine corporations’ social responsibility and scientific
management awareness.
(2) Marine health status and assessment, including marine environmental monitoring, marine health
assessing approaches and methodology, MPA construction and management, and the best
practices sharing.
(3) Marine Management, including marine ecosystem management, marine pollution emergency
response and policy, marine spatial planning and etc.
(4) Best practices of marine sustainable development, including the significance of marine sustainable
development for promoting economic development, challenges and opportunities, international
best practices sharing, as well as the contribution and initiatives of APEC economies in pushing
forward marine sustainable development.
The Forum is open to international society. People from governmental agencies, institutions, industry
and NGOs are encouraged to share the opinion and suggestions on ocean health and sustainable
development of blue economy. Now it is calling for abstracts.