UN Calls for Greater Research on Marine Ecosystems
New York, Nov 3 2009 3:10PM
Greater scientific research is essential to better understand the potential impact of activities on marine biodiversity beyond the coastal areas that fall under national jurisdiction as the more remote areas are just as vulnerable, says a new United Nations (http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=a/64/66/add.2) report.
While most human activities and pressures on
marine biodiversity continue to be in coastal areas, more
attention is being paid to the vulnerability of species and
ecosystems outside these areas, Secretary-General Ban
Ki-moon writes.
According to the UN Division for Ocean
Affairs and the Law of the Sea, pressures from different
types of human activities, such as destructive fishing
practices, pollution and human-induced climate change, have
resulted in the degradation of marine habitats, the
over-exploitation of biological resources and increasing
loss of biodiversity.
Marine biodiversity beyond
areas of national jurisdiction – which are resources
shared by all States – is even more vulnerable to such
pressures. Because no single State or individual has any
property rights over those resources, notes the Division,
access to them is open to everyone with the consequence that
there is limited incentive for their conservation or
sustainable use.
“It is vital to continue and
strengthen efforts aimed at the conservation and sustainable
use of marine biodiversity beyond areas of national
jurisdiction,” Mr. Ban states in his report.
He
points out that while various efforts have been initiated at
the global level to address this issue, knowledge about
marine biodiversity, particularly beyond areas of national
jurisdiction, remains scarce.
“While there is an
increasing demand for scientific knowledge, it has been
reported that marine biodiversity is the subject of many
fewer research and protection efforts than those carried out
for the terrestrial environment.
“As a result,
there is limited understanding of ocean ecosystems beyond
areas of national jurisdiction, in particular deep-sea
ecosystems, and about the vulnerability, resilience and
functioning of the associated marine biodiversity,” he
states, adding that sustained marine scientific research
activities are therefore essential.
The report also
underlines the importance of marine biodiversity beyond areas of national
jurisdiction for healthy, functioning marine ecosystems,
economic prosperity, global food security and sustainable
livelihoods.
Among the factors putting these areas at
risk are limited, albeit expanding, knowledge of the
richness and resilience of biodiversity in some areas of the
oceans; the absence of regular monitoring programmes; and
limited capacity to implement and enforce relevant
instruments.
Therefore, the report calls for “timely
policy guidance” by the General Assembly to ensure the
application of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and
other relevant instruments with respect to the conservation
and sustainable use of marine biodiversity beyond areas of
national
jurisdiction.
ENDS