Headline: Partnership on Science to Policy Forum and Meeting on Area Based Planning Tools and Regional Cooperation for the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda

The Secretariat of the Nairobi Convention for the Protection, Management and Development of Coastal and Marine Environment of the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), Indian Ocean Commission (IOC), Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS-Potsdam), Institute of Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI), German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) of Germany, Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA) and the Government of Seychelles invites the Contracting Parties to the Partnership on Science to Policy Forum on 11-12 October, 2016 to be held back to back with the meeting on Area Based Planning tools and Regional Cooperation for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda on 13-14 October, 2016 at the Coral Strand Hotel in Mahe, Seychelles.

  • The Partnership on Science to Policy Forum on 11-12 October 2016

The Partnership on Science to Policy Forum has been organized in collaboration with WIOMSA as a follow up to Decision CP8/12 which called for the establishment of a platform for science to policy dialogue at COP8 that was held in June 2015, in Seychelles. In the same meeting, the Contracting Parties also recommended that regular science to policy dialogues be organized to provide the continuous interaction between policy makers and related stakeholders.

Further, COP8 took decision CP8/12.3 that requested the Secretariat, in collaboration with partners, to develop terms of reference, mode of operation and composition of the platform and transmit them to the Contracting Parties for subsequent approval by the Bureau. It is against this background that the Partnership on Science to Policy Forum is organized on 11 -12 October, 2016 in Mahe, Seychelles. The forum will develop the terms of reference, mode of operation and composition of the Science to Policy Platform. This meeting is expected to make better understanding of the interaction between science and policy with a view to promote science based management of the marine and coastal environment of the WIO region, by promoting and strengthening partnerships between the science community and the Nairobi Convention, policy relevant scientific assessments of the coastal and marine environment in the WIO region, and increased networking and dialogue between scientists, civil society, private sector, policy and decision makers.

  • Area Based Planning tools and Regional Cooperation for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda meeting on 13 -14 October 2016

As a follow up to Decision CP8/10.4 where the Contracting Parties were urged to cooperate in improving the governance of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ), the Secretariat for the Nairobi Convention, in collaboration with UNEP-WCMC, IASS-Potsdam, GIZ, BMZ and IDDRI have organized a meeting on Area Based Planning tools and Regional Cooperation for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda on 13 -14 October, 2016 in Mahe, Seychelles.

This meeting has been organized in accordance with the implementation plan of fourth component of the GEF project on Sustainable fisheries management and biodiversity conservation of deep-sea living resources and ecosystems in ABNJ. The aims of component 4 are to:

(i) Test the applicability of area-based planning tools to deep sea ABNJ;

(ii) Share lessons learned from regional experiences; and

(iii) Test appropriate area-based planning tools in the Western Indian Ocean. The WIO region was recognized as one of its test regions for area-based planning tools to deep sea ABNJ.

UNEP-WCMC is executing part of this project and is working closely with the Secretariat of the Nairobi Convention to organize the workshop to discuss the area-based planning tools that can be used in the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of the Contracting Parties to the Nairobi Convention and Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ).

More specifically, the meeting will:

  • Update on the ABNJ GEF programme to the participants;
  • Identify the benefits and challenges of area-based planning in ABNJ;
  • Update on work progress – tools for ABNJ and global and regional data;
  • Conduct a review of ‘actors’ in Western Indian Ocean ABNJ;
  • Assess and develop capacity in ABNJ of the Contracting Parties.

The Area Based Planning tools workshop will also explore regional cooperation for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in the WIO region pursuant to Decision CP8/1.2 that requested the Secretariat of the Nairobi Convention to take note of the Sustainable Development Goals, and incorporate the relevant outcomes into the 2018-2022 work programme. The workshop will also discuss options to support regional and national actions for implementing Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14): Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development and other SDGs relating to sustainable management of marine and coastal environment.

Further, the session will:

  • Discuss ongoing initiatives that support SDG 14 implementation in the region;
  • Identify priorities and needs to support the implementation of SDG 14; and
  • Consider possible options, approaches and steps towards regional implementation of SDG 14 and other SDGs relating to sustainable management of marine and coastal environment.
  • Expected Outcome of workshop
  • Capacity development needs on competent institutions and legal instruments that relate to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of natural resources in ABNJ in the WIO.
  • Identification of the priorities and needs to support implementation of SDG 14 and other SDGs relating to sustainable management of marine and coastal environment in WIO.