INTERGOVERNMENTAL OCEANOGRAPHIC COMMISSION (IOC) OF UNESCO

Intersessional meeting of UNESCO Executive Board16 December 2016

One Planet, One Ocean

• Oxygen• Climate• Food• Water• Economy• Energy • Health • Employment

Photo: B Christensen / Azote

Healthy Ocean -> Protected Climate -> Sustainable Development

Photo: B Christensen / Azote

Ocean: hot, sour and breathless!

Main finding of 1st World Ocean Assessment : due to multitude and complex nature of stressors world is running out of time to save and sustainably manage its ocean!

Pollution and waste

(Environmental Health Perspectives, Feb 2015)

Ocean-Related Hazards

Regional Tsunami Warning Systems

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One Planet, One Ocean

• Oxygen• Climate• Food• Water• Economy• Energy • Health • Employment

How do we know?

UN Lead on Global Ocean Observing System

Custodian for Ocean Acidification Target

Year2100

One Planet, One OceanFour major frameworks

One Planet, One OceanFour major frameworks

Sendai Frameworkfor Disaster Risk

Reduction

Sendai Frameworkfor Disaster Risk

Reduction

SIDS SAMOAPathway

SIDS SAMOAPathway

Agenda 2030SDG 14

‘Life below water’

Agenda 2030SDG 14

‘Life below water’

Paris AgreementParis Agreement

IOC MEDIUM TERM STRATEGY TO BE UPDATED TO FOCUS ON 4 MAJOR FRAMEWORKS: SDG 14, PARIS AGREEMENT, SENDAI DISASTER REDUCTION FRAMEWORK, SAMOA PATHWAY

LOOKING FORWARD - 39 C/5

IOC 39 C/5 ‘ER’: “Science-informed policies for increased resilience and adaptation to climate change, reduced vulnerability to ocean hazards, and for the global conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources, developed and implemented by Member States, towards the realization of Agenda 2030”

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One planet, one ocean

Four major frameworksOne planet, one ocean

Four major frameworks

Sendai Frameworkfor Disaster Risk

Reduction

Sendai Frameworkfor Disaster Risk

Reduction

SIDS SAMOAPathway

SIDS SAMOAPathway

Agenda 2030SDG 14

‘Life below water’

Agenda 2030SDG 14

‘Life below water’

Paris AgreementUNFCCC

Paris AgreementUNFCCC

IOC’s objectives

• Ensuring healthy ocean ecosystems and sustaining ecosystem services

• Effective early warning for ocean hazards, including tsunami

• Increasing resiliency and adaptability to climate change and variability

• Enhancing knowledge of emerging issues

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LOOKING FORWARD - 39 C/5

IOC’s strengths

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LOOKING FORWARD - 39 C/5

KEY FACTS & FIGURES

RP EXPENDITURE PLAN = 80% OF APPROVED

RP $ TO XB $ RATIO = $1 TO $1.3

RP STAFF: ADG + 12 P (HQ) + 7.5 P (FLD)+ 5 G = 25.5 posts!

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KEY FACTS & FIGURES

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Source: IOC Financial reports to GBs, validated by BFM

ESSENTIAL SOURCE OF FLEXIBILITY:IOC SPECIAL ACCOUNT

– THE ONLY SOURCE OF NON-EARMARKED OR LIGHTLY EARMARKED FUNDING – 29% OF TOTAL XB REVENUE 2014-2015 = $3M

- WITH PROPERLY BUILT-IN SAFEGUARDS AND CONTROLS BY IOC GOVERNING BODIES

Some examples: NORWAY – support to all programmes (100% flexible) CHINA – support to WESTPAC, priorities collectively

decided by MS of the region AUSTRALIA – ICG/IOTWMS Secretariat

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DELIVERY ON INVESTMENT IOC ‘SUCCESS STORIES’

GERMANY & KOREA: Ocean Acidification & Ocean Carbon Sources & Sinks IOC is the UN custodian agency of SDG target 14.3

GOV’T OF FLANDERS (BELGIUM): Biggest bilateral donor –solid support for IOC data programmes & related capacity building (with focus on Africa)JAPAN: secondment of staff to IOC/MPR SDGTarget 14.a specifically mentions IOC & calls for

developing marine science capacity in accordance with the IOC Guidelines on Transfer of Marine Technology.

Protection of Biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ) under UNCLOS

PRIVATE SECTOR – THE MOORE FOUNDATION Marine Spatial Planning

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Investments ResourcesScientific

capacity

Main objectives:

• Highlight patterns on how marine science is produced • Organization of marine scientific collaboration • Identify the opportunities & benefits of international collaboration • Reporting mechanisms for SDG 14.a

Release of the first GOSR in 2017 (SDG 14 conference 5-9 June 2017, New York)

GLOBAL OCEAN SCIENCE REPORT & GLOBAL PRIORITIES – GENDER EQUALITY & AFRICA

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IOC’s STRENGTH IS IN ITS GOVERNANCE: MEMBER STATES’ OWNERSHIP OF

PROGRAMMES ON-GOING FINANCING DIALOGUE

‘INTEGRATED’ IS THE KEY WORD INTHE NEW APPROACH

OVERALL GOALS:– MORE EFFICIENT AND INFORMED

DECISION MAKING BY MEMBER STATES– SUSTAINED FUNDING FOR COLLECTIVELY

AGREED PRIORITIES

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LOOKING FORWARD - 39 C/5

KEY CHALLENGES:‘IOC IS AT THE CROSSROADS’(External Audit – April 2016)

RECOGNITION = SUCCESS = RESPONSIBILITY

SDG CUSTODIANSHIP ROLE REQUIRES SUSTAINABLE & RELIABLE FUNDING

‘CHRONIC UNDERSTAFFING’ –HQ RP STAFF BELOW CRITICAL MASS

LOOKING FORWARD - 39 C/5

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KEY BUDGETING PRINCIPLES DETERMINED BY IOC ASSEMBLY:

•REGULAR BUDGET = CORE PROGRAMMES & GOVERNANCE (INCL. REGIONS)

•REGULAR BUDGET = AT LEAST 25% FOR OPERATIONS

•FOCUS ON AREAS OF COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE

•CD & ITS REGIONAL OPERATIONALISATION ON XB

LOOKING FORWARD

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One Planet, One Ocean

Thank you