Page 13 - restitution_book_MOW2023_EN

OCEAN GOVERNANCE | 11

As Heather Koldewey explains, "Highly protected SESSION 3.
areas offer the best conservation benefits, but this RESTORING MARINE
must not be to the detriment of the local economy." ECOSYSTEMS
The advisor for marine protected areas in Mozam-
bique spoke of a time in her country when "fisher- Restoring degraded marine ecosystems is a natu-
men from the Philippines were invited to share their ral way of improving carbon sequestration, reversing
knowledge with local fishermen, which helped local the loss of biodiversity, and protecting coasts from
people to see marine protected areas as restocking the harmful effects of climate change. It is, therefore,
zones". Using incentives as a tool for change requires a commitment made by the signatories of the new
a range of territorial approaches involving coastal Kunming-Montreal Global Framework for Biodiversity
communities and fishermen, who are vital contribu- in December 2022, which adopted a target to protect
tors to managing MPAs. From Seychelles to Turkish 30% of nature by 2030. However, as Marco Lamber-
waters, from the Panamanian waters to those of the tini, WWF International's special envoy, points out,
56 Commonwealth countries, this collaborative and "Destruction is much faster than restoration, which
cross-cutting approach emerged as fundamental is why preventing the negative effects of our current
during the panel. Ensuring that protection measures economic model should be the priority." The panellist
can be deployed effectively remains at the heart of argues the need for several approaches to restoration
the MPA statute, particularly in the context of the fight (from free evolution to intensive or assisted restoration).
against illegal fishing and the ecological connectivity of
protected areas. “The UN Decade on Restoration has enlisted 61
countries so far, and restored 23 marine and freshwa-
“The global objective of protecting 30% ter sites, proving that these ecosystems can recover.
of the world’s ocean by 2030 remains a We know how to do it, but we need to intensify the ef-
real challenge due to a lack of political forts to achieve it," says Leticia Carvalho, Head of the
support and financial, technical, Marine and Freshwater Branch of the United Nations
scientific, and human resources”. Environment Programme in Kenya. Calling for a glo-
Jean-François Ferrari, Designated bal systemic transformation, she used the example of
the Global Fund for Coral Reefs: "We may be the first
Minister of Fisheries and Blue Economy generation to be able to safeguard an ecosystem in
for the Republic of Seychelles its entirety."

The panel explored the opportunities and challenges
of restoring marine ecosystems, with contributions
from governance, conservation, and oceanography.
The exemplary restoration of a mangrove swamp in
the Mekong Delta has highlighted the specific nature
of the ecosystems to be restored, (plankton, Posi-
donia meadows, coral reefs, etc.), and the different
strategies required. A degree of caution regarding
blue carbon credits was shared during the session.