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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Addressing Ocean Acidification in Washington State

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Government
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#OceanAction41283
    Description
    Description
    The Marine Resources Advisory Council, the State of Washingtons council on ocean acidification, commits to continuing to advance a comprehensive set of actions to better understand, mitigate, and adapt to changing ocean conditions. These actions include reducing carbon emissions, monitoring and forecasting changing ocean chemistry, conducting research on the biological responses of ecologically and economically important species, identifying land-based nutrient contributions, raising awareness of ocean acidification among key stakeholders and affected communities, and advancing innovative approaches to adapt or remediate systems, such as buffering shellfish hatchery water and vegetation-based systems to modify local water chemistry.

    The Blue Ribbon Panel Report recommending ocean acidification actions serves as Washingtons ocean acidification action plan. The report was developed by a cross-sectoral panel that included scientists, shellfish industry representatives, state and federal agencies, tribes, elected officials, and non-governmental organizations. This diverse collaborative panel provided the basis for a robust action plan.

    From the Blue Ribbon Panel recommendations, the Marine Resource Advisory Council was established to guide implementation. Located in the Governors Office, this panel continues the diverse collaborative approach initiated by the panel process. In addition, the Washington Ocean Acidification Center was established at the University of Washington, as the hub of scientific advancement and coordination on ocean acidification and changing ocean conditions in Washington.
    Partners
    Washington Ocean Acidification Center (Academic Institution), Puget Sound Restoration Fund (NGO), Taylor Shellfish (Private Sector), International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification (Partnership), Pacific Coast Collaborative (Partnership), the Interagency Working Group on Ocean Acidification (Government), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Government), Environmental Protection Agency (Government), The Nature Conservancy (NGO), University of Washington (Academic Institution), Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association (Private Sector), Surfrider Foundation (NGO),

    Goal 13

    Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

    Goal 13

    13.1

    Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries

    13.1.1

    Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population

    13.1.2

    Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030

    13.1.3

    Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies

    13.2

    Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

    13.2.1

    Number of countries with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

    13.2.2

    Total greenhouse gas emissions per year

    13.3

    Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning

    13.3.1

    Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment

    13.a

    Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible

    13.a.1

    Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion commitment through to 2025

    13.b

    Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities


     

    13.b.1

    Number of least developed countries and small island developing States with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

    Goal 14

    Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

    Goal 14

    14.1

    By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

    14.1.1

    (a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density

    14.2

    By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

    14.2.1

    Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas

    14.3

    Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

    14.3.1
    Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

    14.4

    By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

    14.4.1
    Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

    14.5

    By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

    14.5.1
    Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

    14.6

    By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

    14.6.1

    Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

    14.7

    By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

    14.7.1

    Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

    14.a

    Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries

    14.a.1
    Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

    14.b

    Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

    14.b.1

    Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

    14.c

    Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"

    14.c.1

    Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources

    Name Description
    14.1 By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
    14.2 By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
    14.3 Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
    Produce an updated Blue Ribbon Ocean Acidification Action Plan
    Extend the existing forecast model developed to predict corrosive conditions along the WA-OR coast to include Puget Sound and Willapa Bay; make forecasts widely available to end users
    Develop model and conduct scenarios of local nutrient source contributions
    Conduct kelp/ocean acidification research investigation
    Financing (in USD)
    3325000
    In-kind contribution
    $1,235,000 state agency and university research, monitoring, and techinical expertise advancing work to understand and address ocean acidification
    Title Progress Status Submitted
    Partnership Progress 2019-05-07 Completed
    False
    Action Network
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    Timeline
    01 June 2012 (start date)
    01 June 2022 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Washington State, Marine Resource Advisory Council
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Olympia, U.S.
    Ocean Basins
    North Pacific
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Marine pollution, Ocean acidification, Marine and coastal ecosystems management
    Countries
    N/A
    Contact Information

    Julie Horowitz, Senior Policy Advisory to Washington Governor Jay Inslee