Posted on October, 09 2008

Protecting Ocean Ecosystems - The Challenge Ahead

Regardless of where we live, all of us depend upon healthy ocean ecosystems: either as a source of food o  revenue, or as a key shaper and regulator of climate and weather.

This dependency and the need to embrace sustainable development led nations of the world to agree to a series of high-level political commitments for marine conservation and marine protected areas. The World Summit on Sustainable Development, the 5th World Parks Congress, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the G8 Group of Nations have all called for the establishment of a global system of marine protected area (MPA) networks by the year 2012. In line with this commitment are strategies of marine conservation organizations and some governments to increase the development, use and effective management of MPAs as a tool for marine conservation across the oceans.

The challenge, however, is to turn such commitments into practical and effective reality - part of a broader management approach to our oceans and seas to benefit the environment and people. It is particularly important at a time when the impacts from climate change and from ocean acidification are major issues that will shape our future. The Second Millennium Assessment also tells us that wildlife and habitat losses continue. Clearly, the need for action to conserve and restore marine ecosystems, and thereby help sustain livelihoods, has never been greater.

We all have a common responsibility to ensure that future generations enjoy such benefits of healthy marine ecosystems and abundant marine life; this is, after all, the cornerstone of what sustainable development means. This publication, which has pooled global experience on MPAs, is intended to be useful to countrie  and their various organizations in helping them build effective networks of MPAs. Not only does it provide a wealth of real-life examples from around the globe, it outlines the steps necessary to turn political ambitions into reality.

This guide represents a global first in capturing the emerging experience on building MPA networks. We are grateful to all those who have worked so hard to bring it to fruition over the last 5 years. We hope you will find the advice it contains will support improved protection and management of our marine areas, and ensure that future generations benefit as we have done from the ocean’s diversity of species, the opportunities it provides, and its splendor and natural wonders.