Oceans

Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and Law of the Sea (“ICP”) in 2013

United States views on international law [1] in relation to Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and Law of the Sea (“icp”): The United States participated in the 14th meeting of the Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and Law of the Sea (“ICP”) at the United Nations from June 17 to 20, 2013. Delegates and panelists at the ICP discussed the impact of ocean acidification on the marine environment. Excerpts follow from the U.S. statement at the general exchange of views at the ICP.

Some Aspects of Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and Law of the Sea (“icp”)

Ocean acidification is one of the most important, urgent ocean issues facing society today. Ocean acidification is occurring because the world's oceans are absorbing increasing amounts of atmospheric carbon dioxide, leading to greater acidity in the ocean. This change in ocean chemistry is a growing global problem with the potential to have broad and significant impacts on the marine ecosystems on which we all depend. It affects every ocean, from the Arctic Ocean to the Southern Ocean.

Developments

Studies have shown that ocean acidification can have a dramatic effect on some calcifying species, including oysters, clams, sea urchins, shallow water corals, deep sea corals, and calcareous plankton. When these organisms are at risk, the ecosystem services that they provide and the entire food web may also be at risk. Today, more than a billion people worldwide rely on food from the ocean as their primary source of protein. Many jobs and economies around the world depend on the living marine resources in our oceans.

Details

Scientists have been sounding the alarm on ocean acidification for several years and we are now seeing more attention to this important issue. For example, there will be significantly more coverage of ocean acidification in the upcoming 5th Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change than there has been in years past. The World Ocean Assessment, to be published in 2014, will also provide the global community with important information about ocean acidification and its impact on the marine environment.

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And our policy bodies are beginning to consider how to react to this issue. For example, in the recent Arctic Council Ministerial, Arctic nations welcomed the recent Arctic Ocean Acidification assessment—the first report detailing acidification in a specific ocean and perhaps a model for elsewhere—and committed to continue to monitor and assess the state of Arctic Ocean acidification.

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During last year's Rio+20 Sustainable Development Conference, leaders agreed to strong language on ocean acidification, including the need for collective action to prevent it; the need to build resilience in marine ecosystems; and the need for more research, monitoring, and observations. The Rio+20 Conference was one of the first conferences of its kind to consider the issue of ocean acidification. We believe it is important to build on the commitments we made at Rio+20, and we look forward to conversations this week on the path forward.

Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and Law of the Sea (“icp”) in 2013 (Continuation)

United States views on international law [1] in relation to Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and Law of the Sea (“icp”): In the United States, our National Ocean Policy prioritizes ocean acidification as an area of special emphasis. Many government agencies, as well as academic institutions, in the United States are conducting research to understand the impacts of ocean acidification.

More about Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and Law of the Sea (“icp”)

For example, several laboratories of our National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are conducting experiments to determine how economically and ecologically important species respond to ocean acidification. Researchers use these data to explore how aquaculture, wild fisheries, and food webs may change as ocean chemistry changes.

Development

Along with the significant amount of activities we are conducting domestically to better understand and address the effects of ocean acidification on the marine environment, we believe it is critical to increase international collaboration on research, particularly with regard to the effects of acidification on shell-forming organisms, marine biodiversity, and food security. We are hopeful that this week we can consider questions such as: How can we work together to enhance the global community's research and observation efforts? How can we effectively share such information? How can we use information to determine how to address ocean acidification? How can capacity-building facilitate broader research and response efforts?

Details

During last year's Rio+20 Conference, the United States announced in-kind contributions and financial support through the Peaceful Uses Initiative for the establishment of a new Ocean Acidification International Coordination Center based at the International Atomic Energy Agency's Environment Laboratories in Monaco. We believe that this Center will serve as an important means to develop a more comprehensive understanding of ocean acidification. We intend to continue our strong support of this Center and we encourage others to join this effort. Robust international engagement in the Center will contribute significantly to our understanding of ocean acidification.

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The United States also believes that the establishment of a global ocean acidification observing network is an important step towards understanding ocean acidification on a global scale. This network, which will involve hundreds of scientists across the globe, will measure ocean acidification through ecological assessments and the deployment of instruments in key ocean areas. It is a new scientific effort with broad international cooperation and a commitment to build capacity in developing countries. We are working closely with partners to implement this network and to facilitate participation of developing countries. We have experts here with us who would be pleased to share more information on this effort and on upcoming scientific meetings on the network.

Resources

Notes

1. Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and Law of the Sea (“icp”) in the Digest of United States Practice in International Law

Resources

Notes

1. Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and Law of the Sea (“icp”) in the Digest of United States Practice in International Law