WOC Program 2011-2013 - World Ocean Council

Develop concept paper for sound and the marine environment program area- Status: Draft TOR for Sound WG developed2012 Convene PWRF workshop, with focus on Mediterranean (see Regional Issues below)- Status: Priority shifted to biofouling/invasive species Develop and begin implementing PWRF workplan- Status: Biofouling/invasive species chair identified; TOR for WG developed Identify WOC Members to chair and participate in the sound in the marine environment WG- Status: Co-chairs identified Convene sound in the marine environment workshop- Status: Planned for 2013 Develop and begin implementing sound in the marine environment workplan- Status: Planned for 20132013 Expand PWRF WG and program area beyond Mediterranean- Status: Biofouling/invasive species WG members to be identified Continue implementing sound in the marine environment workplan- Status: Planned Develop WG/program area for at least 1 additional cross-cutting issue based on member priorities- Status: to be done4. Regional IssuesThe WOC could work with members to develop cross-sectoral efforts in high priority geographic areas,e.g. the Arctic, Mediterranean, Baltic, Australia, Arabian Gulf, West Africa. The WOC could foster thedevelopment of a regional ocean business council and coordinate member input to regional policyprocesses and technical developments at the regional level.In some of these areas, notably the Arctic and the high seas, there are important government, intergovernmentaland NGO efforts underway to address marine environmental concerns. Ocean industriesare not engaged in a systematic, comprehensive, coordinated, cross-sectoral way in many of theprocesses related to the Arctic and the high seas.For some of the regions, specific developments have created momentum and opportunities. Forexample, in the Mediterranean there is interest in improving port waste reception facilities and theneed for a cross-sectoral business leadership group to coordinate this. In West Africa, the UNEP RegionalSeas Program approached WOC about developing a regional ocean business group to engage with theIGO.Results: Regional WOC Member WGs and broader regional business councils are addressing oceansustainability issues areas - as measured by the number and composition of WGs and councils. WOC member inputs to, and participation in, specific regional processes ensure balanced and oceanmanagement - as measured by the regional solutions implemented and the inter-industry and/orstakeholder conflicts reduced.4