Progress report for
OA Alliance Commitment to Combating Ocean Acidification
Achievement at a glance
OA Action Plans describe tangible actions that Alliance members will take to respond to the threat of ocean acidification. OA Action Plans help governments identify key species and ecosystems within their region (economically, culturally, or otherwise), assess potential vulnerabilities and develop strategies to protect them. The development of OA Action Plans also engages policymakers and heads of state in leadership roles, helping to elevate climate-related impacts to our ocean and the forecasted catastrophic impacts if we do not act quickly.The OA Alliance made international commitments with the United Nations through Sustainable Development Goal 14.3 to support the development of 15 OA Action Plans by the end of 2019.
We have met that goal. Fifteen OA Alliance members have developed and adopted OA Action Plans, which can now be found on the OA Alliance website.
Additionally, in 2019 the OA Alliance:
•Showcased national, regional, state and tribal government actions at six major climate and ocean conferences in New Zealand, South Korea, Samoa, New York, Ecuador and Spain.
• Convened 14 States and 60 people in a 2- Day State to State Workshop on Ocean and Coastal Acidification to further support U.S. state governments that are leading on climate and ocean policy.
•Brought together 30 Alliance members at a high-level response to the IPCC Special Report on Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC) release as part of the UN Secretary General Climate Action Summit.
•Hosted “Communicating OA Science to Policy Makers” for more than 15 scientists from Latin America, Africa, Europe and Asia working alongside Ocean Acidification International Coordination Centre (OA-ICC) and Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON.)
•Co-authored four new publications to support national and subnational government members in OA Action Planning including, “Mainstreaming OA into National Policies: A Handbook for Pacific Islands.
Challenges faced in implementation
To support members, the OA Alliance has an OA Action Plan toolkit, a strategic process for initiating plan development, which has been used as the starting point for many OA Action Plans created within the OA Alliance framework.The toolkit draws from a compendium of best practices and recommendations from published state, regional, and national ocean action plans, as well as ocean acidification action plans or ocean acidification commission recommendations. The OA Action Plan Toolkit makes recommendations for actions across five categories: 1) advancing scientific understanding; 2) mitigation; 3) adaptation and resiliency actions; 4) public awareness and outreach; and 5) elevating climate related impacts to oceans within international climate frameworks.
Additionally, the OA Alliance took on additional engagements and collaborations with members and partners to help support OA Action Plan development across membership this year.
A strong communications strategy is critical to helping the OA Alliance achieve its objects and to support Alliance members in leveraging their work. In 2020, communications needs will be re-evaluated, and an updated communications plan will be created. Strong communications strategies will help members advance OA Action Plans, showcase their ocean climate leadership efforts, educate the public and policy makers about ocean acidification, and elevate ocean within international climate agreements.
Beneficiaries
Beneficiaries include national, subnational and tribal governments who are learning from each other and taking action to better understand and respond to regional vulnerability to ocean acidification. Beneficiaries also include shellfish growers, seafood harvests and subsistence fisheries who are seeking information about climate related ocean changes and looking to better understand monitoring, adaptation and resiliency options that are right for them. Additionally, the OA Alliance benefits scientists and researches who are working to communicate and elevate their findings about global and local impacts of ocean acidification.
The OA Alliance provides government and affiliate members across the world with an opportunity to showcase their work, engage other members in policy approaches, communications and education efforts and share most recent and relevant science. The OA Alliance also helps to inform members about upcoming events and high-level climate meetings and encouraged/ promote engagement from membership.
The OA Alliance has helped build connections across government members, scientists, regional monitoring networks, and has helped identify opportunities to expand regional capacity and collaboration.
Actions
Expand nearshore and deep ocean monitoring networks that help determine where and at what rate regions are experiencing change.Conduct studies to better understand the biological responses and vulnerability of local species to increased acidification.
Restore and protect habitats, including seagrass, kelp, saltmarshes, or mangroves which can sequester carbon, improve water quality locally, and provide protection for vulnerable marine species.
Protect and restore species such as native shellfish or corals with greater genetic resilience to changing ocean conditions.
Incorporate OA into existing management practices including habitat restoration projects and the creation of Marine Protected Areas.
Manage resources and human activities to reduce co-occurring stressors.
Collaborate with international organizations like the with IAEA- International OA Coordinating Center and Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network (GOA-ON) that are working to increase scientific knowledge and understanding as well as grow capacity to measure ocean acidification and pH trends around the world.
As the science, research and observed impacts of ocean acidification continue to grow, there is need for increased knowledge exchange and expertise on the substance and process for developing local, regional and national responses in the face of cumulative ocean change, including warming temperatures and loss of oxygen. We must better connect emergent science directly to decision makers by advancing and deepening partnerships
Information sharing helps governments further demonstrate the types of comprehensive and integrated science, policy actions, pilot projects, and investments that are required to deliver on the high-level commitments made through SDG 14.
Ensure an express focus on acidification, ocean warming and deoxygenation.