Addressing Marine Plastics –A Systemic...
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Addressing Marine Plastics – A Systemic Approach THE WAY FORWARD • Solutions to ocean plastics must simultaneously (i) create the enabling conditions for systemic change in the medium-to long-term, towards a circular system where plastics never become waste, through cross-value chain collaboration, innovation, re-design, definition of standards and the creation of markets; (ii) implement in the short-term the most efficient, locally appropriate integrated waste management concepts in the places that need it most, to stop the deluge of plastic waste currently in the system and entering waterways and the ocean daily. Execution of these complementary components will yield immediate impact to our ocean and communities that depend on it. • In order to shift the global paradigm for how plastics are manufactured, used and disposed, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) approved a medium sized project of $2 million this past summer to be implemented by UN Environment. The project aims at addressing the issue of plastic pollution by adopting a circular economy/life-cycle approach. As mentioned earlier, today's linear ‘take, make, dispose’ economic model relies on large quantities of cheap, easily accessible materials and energy, and this is a model reaching its physical limits. OUR PROJECT This project will endeavor to connect a global alliance across the entire plastics value chain, including major plastic- producing and plastic-using corporations as well as governments and, processing companies. It will attempt to identify among APEC countries, the largest plastic generating region, suitable waste management investments and establish a joint investment fund in the APEC region. And based on stocktaking analysis of existing initiatives, areas of need and, the drivers and leverage points for investments along the marine plastics life cycle, the project will present a suite of strategic investment needs for the next GEF funding replenishment. WHY • The current approaches addressing the issue of marine plastics are rather disconnected, and they either target upstream challenges of the value chain for specific types of plastics (e.g. from design and production), or end-of-pipe solutions such as ocean clean-up. However, the upstream prevention strategies have not been fully integrated and linked with the downstream disposal and clean-up actions. • There is also a strong need to have integration of solutions targeting global value chain of marine plastics, as the life cycle of plastics are cross-boundary and cross-cutting from the perspectives of policy, technology, management, economics, awareness-raising and behavior change. To develop a systemic approach, a critical input from science to analyze and map the sources, flows, pathways, and magnitude of the impacts is needed. Critical analysis is essential to assist in the identification of strategic intervention areas to be prioritized for action, through a fact-finding and a consensus building process. Get Involved
Transcript of Addressing Marine Plastics –A Systemic...
AddressingMarinePlastics– ASystemicApproach
THEWAYFORWARD
• Solutions tooceanplasticsmustsimultaneously(i)createtheenablingconditionsforsystemicchangeinthemedium-tolong-term,towardsacircularsystemwhereplasticsneverbecomewaste,throughcross-valuechaincollaboration,innovation,re-design,definitionofstandardsandthecreationofmarkets;(ii)implementintheshort-termthemostefficient,locallyappropriateintegratedwastemanagementconceptsintheplacesthatneeditmost,tostopthedelugeofplasticwastecurrentlyinthesystemandenteringwaterwaysandtheoceandaily.Executionofthesecomplementarycomponentswillyieldimmediateimpacttoouroceanandcommunitiesthatdependonit.
• Inordertoshifttheglobalparadigmforhowplasticsaremanufactured,usedanddisposed,theGlobalEnvironmentFacility(GEF)approvedamediumsizedprojectof$2millionthispastsummertobeimplementedbyUNEnvironment.Theprojectaimsataddressingtheissueofplasticpollutionbyadoptingacirculareconomy/life-cycleapproach.Asmentionedearlier,today'slinear‘take,make,dispose’economicmodelreliesonlargequantitiesofcheap,easilyaccessiblematerialsandenergy,andthisisamodelreachingitsphysicallimits.
OURPROJECT
Thisprojectwillendeavortoconnectaglobalallianceacrosstheentireplasticsvaluechain,includingmajorplastic-producingandplastic-usingcorporationsaswellasgovernmentsand,processingcompanies.ItwillattempttoidentifyamongAPECcountries,thelargestplasticgeneratingregion,suitablewastemanagementinvestmentsandestablishajointinvestmentfund intheAPECregion.Andbasedonstocktakinganalysisofexistinginitiatives,areasofneedand,thedriversandleveragepointsforinvestmentsalongthemarineplasticslifecycle,theprojectwillpresentasuiteofstrategicinvestmentneedsforthenextGEFfundingreplenishment.
WHY• Thecurrentapproachesaddressingtheissueofmarineplasticsareratherdisconnected,andtheyeithertarget
upstream challengesofthevaluechainforspecifictypesofplastics(e.g.fromdesignandproduction),orend-of-pipesolutionssuchasoceanclean-up.However,theupstreampreventionstrategieshavenotbeenfullyintegratedandlinkedwiththedownstreamdisposalandclean-upactions.
• Thereisalsoastrongneedtohaveintegrationofsolutionstargetingglobalvaluechainofmarineplastics,asthelifecycleofplasticsarecross-boundaryandcross-cuttingfromtheperspectivesofpolicy,technology,management,economics,awareness-raisingandbehaviorchange.Todevelopasystemicapproach,acriticalinputfromsciencetoanalyzeandmapthesources,flows,pathways,andmagnitudeoftheimpactsisneeded.Criticalanalysisisessentialtoassistintheidentificationofstrategicinterventionareastobeprioritizedforaction,throughafact-findingandaconsensusbuildingprocess.
GetInvolved
BE4OC – Applying Blue Economics approach for Ocean & Coasts WHY
• Bysomeestimates,theOceanEconomyhasaturnoverofbetweenUS$3and6trillionperyearanddespitethis,businessasusualdoesn'ttakeintoaccountthecostsofbiodiversitylossandecosystemdegradationandtheecologicalbenefitsthesesystemsprovide.
• Currently,wearefacingtheunprecedentedconsequencesofaneconomicmodelthatexternalizesthedegradationofnaturalsystemsincludingbiodiversityloss,decliningwaterquality,andlossofshorelineprotectionbycoastalhabitatsandcoralreefs- causedbyrapidindustrializationandurbanizationofouroceansandcoasts.Inmanycases,existingmarketmechanismsfailtointernalizethecostsofthisdegradationresultinginadeclineintheoverall“blue”valueoftheecosystemservicesandgoods.
• Bothunderstandingandgovernanceofoceanandcoastalbiomesismademorechallengingbecausetheycrossbordersandjurisdictions. Conservingandenhancingthevalueoftheseecosystemsis,inreality,amatterofmanaginghumanactionswithinthemarineenvironment.Managementiscomplicated,however,notjustbecauseoflimitedunderstandingoftheecosystems,butalsobythelackofsystemicactions,processesandknowledgeinfrastructure thatwouldproperlyuptaketheinformationgatheredaspartofwell-conductedenvironmental,socialandeconomicassessmentsandtranslatethoseintoconcreteactions.
WayForward
Thedeclineintheecologicalhealthandeconomicproductivityoftheworld’soceanscanbereversedbyshiftingtoagreener,moresustainableeconomicparadigm.
• Technologicaladvancesnowpermitmoreprofitableoutputswithfewerenvironmentalimpacts.Whetheritisgreenenergy,extractionofnon-renewables,tourism,fisheriesormarinetransport,developingeconomicmodelsunderpinnedbytheneedtomaintainand/orenhanceecosystemvalue israpidlybeingrecognizedasamorerealisticapproachtoachievingsustainabledevelopmentgoalsasnotedintheRio+20document,TheFutureweWantaswellasintheGlobalEnvironmentFacility(GEF)-7programmingdirectionsandpolicyagendadocument.
• AlotofworkhasalreadybeendonebyvariousorganizationssuchasWorldWildlifeFund,WorldResourcesInstitute,TheNatureConservancy,UNEnvironment,aswellastheprivatesectorinassessingthe“value”ofourmarineecosystems,biodiversityandtheirrelatedservicesbutmuchofthisworkhasbeenmainlyrelegatedtoawarenessraisingandpassiveresponses.Educatingdecisionsmakersandsocietyatlargeabouttheconsequencesofthedegradationofourenvironmenthastodatenotledtoareversalindestructivetrendsandtendencies.WeneedtodoabetterjobofmatchingthemanydifferentapproachestovaluingourblueNaturetopolicyneedsthatcancatalyze concreteactionsandchange. Intheabsenceofvaluationandintegrationofvaluationwithinpolicy-,decision- andchoice-makingframeworks,essentialecosystemgoodsandservicesarebeingtradedascommodities,sometimesforanimplicitpriceofzero.
HOW
Valuationissometimes,butnotalways,aneededmetricofecosystemservicefloworcapital.However,thefullrangeofecosystemvaluemeasuresincludeecologicaloutcomes,measuresofconsumptionandnutritionalimpacts,jobssupported,livesaffected,economicimpacts,andeconomicvalues.
Inordertobetterconvertknowledgethathighlightsthevalueofoceanandcoastalecosystemsandtheirservicesintoactionsthatleadtoimprovedwell-beingforpeopleandplanet,GEFincrementalandcountrysupportisneededtohelpin;
(1) Developingconsensusamongstdecision-makersandscientistsonastandardizedsetofecologicalvaluationmethodologies ofmarineecosystemsandbiodiversity(includingsectoralandnaturalcapitalassessmentsandoceanwealthmapping)thatenablepolicytransformationinaselectnumberofcountries.
(2)Improvedlocaltonationalinstitutional,organizationalandstakeholdercapacity toproduceuseableandimmediatelyrelevantmarineecosystemandbiodiversityvalues,atselectecosystemscaleinterventionsites,thatinformlocaltonationaldevelopmentandmanagementprocessesandplansinvariousblueeconomysectors.
(3)Catalyzerelevantenablingconditionstofacilitatethereplication ofsuccessfulpolicy- anddecision- makingtransformationalprocessesandactions in“partner”countries.
(4)Participatoryprocess,knowledgemanagement,communicationsandoutreach,andreplicationstrategythattargetsdiverseaudiencestoenablebehavioralanddecisionmakingchanges.
Theseobjectivescanbeachievedbycombiningthelessonslearnedfromexisting/on-goingeffortsthatwillalsohelpestablishthebaseline,financialandtechnicalsupportfrompartners,closercoordinationofUNEnvironmentactivitieswiththewiderecosystemvaluationcommunity,andtheGEFelementswithagreedincrementalcosts.
Interventioncountrieswillbenefitbothbygainingaccesstocriticalknowledge,technicalandpracticalsupportforimplementationoftransformativeactionsandbybecomingleadingpractitionersoftransformeddecisionmakingsystemsthatfullyintegratethevalueofouroceansandcoasts.
WhyworkwithUNEnvironment–
UNEnvironmentisafrontrunnerinrecognizing,demonstratingandcapturingthevalueofnaturethroughitsTEEB(TheEconomicsofEcosystemsandBiodiversity)Initiative,whichhasbeensuccessfulatshiftingthethinkingandactionsofpolicymakerswithrespecttoecosystemvaluation.Ithasbeenspecificallyincludedin25articlesoftheCBDandformsthebasisofanumberofnationalecosystemassessmentsandnaturalcapitalaccountingstrategies(e.g.Norway,UK,Germany).TherearealsoseveralcommitmentstoundertakeTEEBstudiesatsub-national,nationalandregionallevelsincludinginBelgium,Brazil,Caribbeancountries,Georgia,ElSalvador,India,Mexico,Nepal,theNetherlands,Panama,andtheEuropeanUnion. EcosystemvaluationhasbeenwidelyreferencedanddiscussedinthemediaasaresultofTEEBoutreachandcommunicationefforts.
UNEnvironmentandGRIDArendal - aUNEnvironmentcollaboratingcenterbasedinNorwaythatworksonseveralGEFprojects– willbringinhousesubject-matterexperts,relevantpartnerorganizationsandstrongbaselineinformation/toolkitstothetableinordertomakethisprojectasuccessfulone.
Phosphorus Management Using lake restoration to optimise critical defences to global threats
WHEREWithinitialassessmentsof23lakesglobally,LakeBudainChileisarelevantsiteforpotentialcasestudy/pilotinterventionunderthefollowingcategories:
• Transboundary: LakeBudaisasaltwaterlagoon,itspollutionsourcescomefromtransboundarysourceswithtransboundaryimpactsduetotidalcurrentsonthecoastline.
• Knownpollutionsources:Agricultureandlivestockispractisedin70%ofthebasinareacarriedusingrudimentaryandimpropertechniqueswhichhasgreatlyincreasingphosphorusloading.
• Communitiesimpacted:locatedinChile'spoorestregion,fishermenintheregionhaveprotestedagainstpoorwaterfreshwaterqualityanditsimpactsonfisheries.
• Biodiversityimpacted:isconsideredoneofthelastreservesofbiodiversityintheregionandhasbeenrecentlydeclaredasahighpriorityplacetobeconservedfortheSistemaNacionaldeÁreas Protegidas (SNASPE)(MMA),2011).41of44vertebratefreshwaterspeciesareencounteringconservationproblems.
• ClimateChangeimpacts:Chileistheplanet’sninthmostvulnerablecountrytoclimatechange.
WHY• Securingfoodforthegrowingpopulationwillincreasetherelianceonplantnutrientphosphorus,anessential
ingredientinagriculturalfertilisers, 40-60%ofcropyieldisattributedtofertilizerapplication.
• Theunintendedlossesofminedphosphorustotheenvironmenthaveledtodegradationofglobalwaterqualityresultingineutrophication,toxicalgalblooms, coastaldeadzones,lossofbiodiversity,destructionoffisherieswithassociatedeconomiccosts,andchangestotheglobalcarbonpump inaquaticsystems.
• Around14MTyr-1 ofphosphorusentersouroceansasaresultofhumanactivitieseveryyear,contributingtothecreationof>400coastaldeadzonesglobally.
• Rescuinggloballakesfromphosphoruspollutionnotonlyprovidesdirectandimmediatebenefitstothecommunitiesandecosystemreliantonthem,butisapowerfulmeasuretoincreaseresiliencetomultipleglobalsustainabilitypressures.
Estimatedglobalphosphorussurplusanddeficit.Source:OurNutrientWorld,2013,citing(MacDonaldetal.,2011)
HOWPhosphorusdeliveredtolakescanbindtosediment,assimilateintobiotaorincreaselakewaterconcentrationsbeforebeingtransporteddownstreamtocoastalzones.Becauselakescanbebothasinkandsourceofphosphoruswithinacatchmenttheyare‘hubs’tomanagelandscapephosphorusflowsfromspringtosea.Lakerestorationschemesaddressthefollowing:• Reducephosphorusconcentrationsinthelakewater;oftenachievedbyphysicalremoval,coagulationand
biologicalassimilation(i.e.harvestingoflakecrops).
• Reduceinputsofphosphorustothelakefromcatchment;sourcesincludingerosion,sewage,fertiliserrunoff,animalwastes,andindustry.
• Promotephosphorusrecyclingindustries torecoverfromareasoftoomuch(i.e.sediments,pollutioninputsandharvestoflakecrops),todelivertoareasoftoolittle(i.e.agriculturalsoilsoflowfertility).
• Buildhealthylakeeconomies;includingfisheriesandrecreationtobolsterpublicandpoliticalsupport
• Optimisessocietalphosphorususeefficiency:includingthroughdietarychange,reductioninfoodwasteandchangeindetergentusewherepossible.
NEXTSTEPSWithlakerestorationatitscentre,ourprojectwilldevelopaprocesstooptimisethescaleandreachofmultiplebenefitsdeliveredbysustainablephosphorusmanagement.Byfacilitatinglocalcommunitiestodeliverself-sustainingmeasuresandtoharvesttheopportunitiesofferedbythem,lakerestorationisusedasacatalysistoimprovethehealthoftheland,seaandenvironment,andthequalityofpeopleslives.• Developaframeworkusing lakerestorationtodeliverwidespreadchangetolocalandglobalcommunities.• Setupanetwork ofscientists,stakeholdersandchampionsintheregion/localcommunitythatcandeliverthe
prioritymeasuresspecifictotheregionsneedsandresources.• Developindicatorsandtargets,EstablishSDGindicatorsandtargetsforlong-term&large-scaletransformative
change,communicatedusingscorecardsbasedontheTransboundaryWatersAssessmentProgramme(TWAP)methodology.
• Buildonexistingwork includingConventiononBiodiversity(CBD),theSouthEastPacificRegionalSeasProgram,UNEnvironment’sGlobalProgrammeofAction(GPA)fortheprotectionoftheMarineEnvironmentfromLand-basedactivities,downscalingofTWAPfindings,withlinkstotheGlobalEnvironmentFunded(GEF)fundedGlobalNutrientChallenge(GNC)projectandtheInternationalNutrientManagementSystem(INMS).
