On Tuesday 22nd October, members of JNCC’s MPA Team had the pleasure of attending a meeting of the MPA Agency Partnership (MPAAP) in the periphery of CBD COP16. At this meeting it was agreed that the International Partnership on MPAs, Biodiversity and Climate Change would lead on the biodiversity and climate change work.
The MPAAP is a partnership of MPA agencies from across the globe; providing an informal, high-level platform for national marine protected area agencies to discuss common issues and explore opportunities for cooperation.
Many MPAAP members joined the meeting from the CBD COP16 in Cali, Colombia with others joining from all corners of the world. The meeting was attended by Germany, France, Spain, Colombia (CBDCOP16 hosts), USA, Canada, countries representing the Eastern Tropical Pacific marine region, Senegal and IUCN, as well as JNCC on behalf of the UK.
The group discussed and celebrated the strides being made to further protection of our global ocean but identified some common and emerging challenges that require global cooperation to overcome. Noteworthy were points made around sustainable finance mechanisms for marine conservation, how clean energy initiatives and nature conservation co-exist in the marine space, and the socio-economic benefits of MPAs.
The importance of collaborating across borders was without question one of the main points made by all participants, using networks like the MPAAP and the International Partnership on MPAs, Biodiversity and Climate Change to share learning between different countries.
JNCC attendees presented our progress so far on the International Partnership on MPAs, Biodiversity and Climate Change and look forward to further reinforcing links between the two partnerships moving forward.
Co-hosted by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and Colombia’s National and Natural Parks (PNN) of Colombia, the two countries will work together to produce a summary of recommendations from the group for Colombia to carry forward into the COP16 negotiations and dialogue.
To find out more about the International Partnership on MPAs, Biodiversity and Climate Change please visit our website.
Image credit: JNCC
JNCC’s Sarah Harrison (International Marine Coordination Manager) presents work from the International Partnership on MPAs, Biodiversity and Climate Change at the MPAAP meeting.