Regional Ocean Governance Research Articles

Cooperation, Competence and Coherence: The Role of Regional Ocean Governance in the South West Pacific for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity beyond National Jurisdiction

Abstract unga Resolution 69/292 requires that the development of an international legally binding instrument (ilbi) for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (abnj) under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea should not undermine existing relevant legal instruments and frameworks and relevant global, regional and sectoral bodies. The South West Pacific regional oceans governance framework is reviewed, highlighting the importance of dedicated mechanisms for cooperation in the integration of regional institutions and in collective diplomacy for the development of an ilbi. It is argued a sufficiently inclusive description of existing arrangements under an ilbi is needed to not undermine the competence or integration of the regional architecture for oceans’ governance. Shared governance principles between an ilbi and existing regional governance architecture could play an important role in preserving coherence and contribute to ensuring regional standards for conservation of bbnj are not diminished.

Strengthening Governance Frameworks for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity in Areas beyond National Jurisdiction: Southern Hemisphere Perspectives

Abstract The southern hemisphere is dominated by oceanic influences with 80% of its surface area consisting of ocean space. It hosts abundant marine biodiversity, which is under increasing pressure from activities such as fisheries and shipping as well as multiple sources of marine pollution and climate change impacts. The process initiated by the un General Assembly Resolution 69/292 to develop the elements of an international legally binding instrument (ilbi) for conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction has the potential to contribute to a more integrated and cross-sectoral system of oceans governance at a global and regional scale. This article examines key features of the existing global and regional ocean governance framework in the southern hemisphere and how the anticipated ilbi might relate to existing ocean governance frameworks.

Marine spatial planning as a tool for regional ocean governance?: An analysis of the New England ocean planning network

Marine spatial planning (MSP) requires extensive integration and collaboration between and among government agencies and non-governmental individuals and organizations. Such collaboration has also been identified as critical to the broader goal of achieving regional ocean governance. Social network analysis (SNA) is a suite of methods for systematically analyzing relations between individuals and organizations and provides insight into the extent and nature of collaboration and into governance networks more broadly. A SNA was conducted of the governance network shaping a regional MSP initiative in the New England region of the U.S. from 2012 to 2014, focusing in particular on a subset of key collaborators comprising the core of this network. The SNA was designed to investigate whether this network demonstrates the level of inter-organizational collaboration and integration that MSP scholars assert is needed to meaningfully improve regional ocean governance. Results suggest that the broader New England regional ocean planning network is large, decentralized, and of low density, thus well-suited to solving complex boundary-spanning problems like the management of ocean space. The core collaboration network is similarly diverse; well-connected and influential members of the core collaboration network include representatives of intergovernmental regional ocean partnerships, state government affiliates, and, to a lesser extent, federal government affiliates. Influential members also include key representatives of non-governmental organizations and universities. Conversely, local government affiliates are absent from the network, and ocean users and industry representatives are also absent from the core collaboration network but are included in the broader network and involved in the MSP process through targeted outreach efforts. These results indicate that both horizontal and vertical collaboration are being facilitated through the core collaboration network, though collaboration could be improved through greater participation by local government, users, and industry. This study illustrates how MSP, applied regionally, may help facilitate collaboration, thereby helping to advance a regional ocean governance approach, but that further research is needed to compare this case to others and to observe how this network sustains over time.

Local to regional polycentric levels of governance of the Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem

Building trust across diverse groups and nations requires long-term commitment and time, as the Gulf of Guinea Large Marine Ecosystem (GOGLME) and the Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem (GCLME) projects demonstrated over two decades while establishing trust and partnerships among 16 western African countries along the coast of the GCLME leading to the GCLME project successfully establishing the Interim Guinea Current Commission (IGCC). Regional Activity Centers of Capacity for Productivity, Fisheries, Environment, Information Management and Pollution Monitoring created by the GCLME Project effectively connected international development goals with implementation efforts on the ground at regional and local scales. The active involvement of the Regional Coordination Unit (RCU) and key Ministers from various countries was critical to achieving the genuine commitment in the region to pursue transboundary regional ocean governance at the GCLME level. The 16 countries at a ministerial meeting in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire declared their intent to replace the Interim Guinea Current Commission (IGCC) with a permanent Commission serving as a mechanism for coordination and agreement on resource use among these countries embracing the LME modules from local to regional polycentric levels of governance, consistent with the benefits of an ecosystem-based approach to assessment and management of GCLME goods and services.

Management measures and recommendations in improving the Bohai Sea environment over the last quarter century

Over the last quarter century, because of the ineffective pollution management measures taken by the government of China, the concentration of major contaminants have exhibited an increasing trend, the frequency and areas of red tides have gradually increased and fishery resources have been nearly exhausted. Although China has not lacked laws or regulations related to marine pollution during this time, the marine environment is still deteriorating. In 2001, China embarked on an ambitious program to improve water quality through the creation of the Clean Bohai Sea Program (CBSP). This program was the first regional ocean governance program in China at the national level. However, the CBSP proved to be a failure after only five years. In 2009, the Bohai Sea Environmental Protection General Planning document (2008–2020) was issued by China. However, the effect of this general planning has not been obvious, and the Bohai Sea remains seriously polluted.

Assessing and Facilitating Emerging Regional Ocean Governance Arrangements in the Wider Caribbean Region

Assessing and Facilitating Emerging Regional Ocean Governance Arrangements in the Wider Caribbean Region

Coastal and Ocean Governance in the Seas of East Asia: PEMSEA's Experience

A key lesson learned is that the complexity of managing coasts, seas, and oceans in a sustainable manner requires a comprehensive, integrative, and coordinated approach in terms of policy, legislation, institutional arrangement, financial investment, management measures, stakeholders support, and participation. The integrated coastal management system (ICMS) has proven to be effective, especially at the local level in forging integration and coordination of policy and management actions, catalyzing financial investment, training local capacity, creating an informed public, enabling local implementation of international conventions/instruments, incorporating adaptive management and precautionary principles in decision-making as well as providing a strong coastal governance framework and processes for strengthening ICM practices and expansion of ICM benefits. The non-binding “Sustainable Development Strategy for the Seas of East Asia” (SDS-SEA), on the other hand, has forged stronger regional cooperation and partnership in undertaking regional implementation of the Plans of Action of the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD). A permanent regional mechanism has been established to continue the regional efforts over a much longer timeframe, as regional ocean governance not only requires time and resources but also the much needed regional leadership and visions. Equally important are the efforts in building up a critical mass of coastal and ocean managers with management-oriented knowledge, experience, interpersonal skills, and diplomacy. In this context, the region has pledged its readiness to implement the outcome document of the Rio+20 “The Future We Want” through the implementation of national SDS-SEA plans and scaling up of ICM practices that are relevant to ensuring a sustainable blue economy.

Regional Ocean Governance in the Pacific Revisited

Regional Ocean Governance in the Pacific Revisited

Regional Ocean Governance in China: An Appraisal of the Clean Bohai Sea Program

In 2001 China embarked on an ambitious program to improve water quality through creation of the Clean Bohai Sea Program (CBSP). It is the first regional ocean governance program in China. The joint conference of central and local government units directed CBSP under the leadership of the State Environment Protection Administration. To meet the environmental objectives established by the joint conference local governments must pay for the program and operate it, but to date they have not been able to fully fund the effort. Although data indicate a decline of polluted discharges to the Bohai, one tabulation shows that the area of the sea that is polluted has increased each year from 2001 to 2005. Future enhancement of CBSP depends on revising incentives to better link local environmental programs and development, establishing funding mechanisms to equitably spread costs throughout watersheds, and creating comprehensive monitoring programs to better appraise program results.

Regional Ocean Governance: A Critique of Two Recent Proposals

Two recent expert panels, the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy and the Pew Oceans Commission, have focused on analyzing and proposing solutions to the ocean management problems of the United States. Both panels have come up with concrete and detailed recommendations for mitigating governance problems that have plagued this field for decades. Many of the recommendations are specific and useful, and the panels have provided a service to the nation in constructing them. In this article, we consider the sets of recommendations pertaining specifically to institutions of regional ocean governance. Unlike the majority of recommendations, which are very helpful, we argue that the proposals from both panels for regional ocean governance are not well-developed. We formulate a critique along three lines. First, to be effective, regional institutions must be tailored to the scale of specific problems and focused on those problems. Second, the political entities that comprise the membership of a regional institution must have tangible incentives to participate in decision making. Third, the right to use the resources of those areas of the ocean under U.S. jurisdiction belong to the nation, not to any particular region. We conclude that the nation must pay attention to the lessons of other attempts at regional governance, otherwise it may end up with a system of management that seems simple in concept but merely symbolic in practice.

A commentary on the institutional and political aspects of regional ocean governance

A commentary on the institutional and political aspects of regional ocean governance