Principles for transformative ocean governance

With a focus on oceans, we collaborated across ecological, social and legal disciplines to respond to the United Nations call for transformation in the ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’. We developed a set of 13 principles that strategically and critically connect transformative ocean research to transformative ocean governance (complementing the UN Decade for Ocean Science). We used a rigorous, iterative and transparent consensus-building approach to define the principles, which can interact in supporting, neutral or sometimes conflicting ways. We recommend that the principles could be applied as a comprehensive set and discuss how to learn from their interactions, particularly those that reveal hidden tensions. The principles can bring and keep together partnerships for innovative ocean action. This action must respond to the many calls to reform current ocean-use practices which are based on economic growth models that have perpetuated inequities and fuelled conflict and environmental decline

Principles for transformative ocean governance

With a focus on oceans, we collaborated across ecological, social and legal disciplines to respond to the United Nations call for transformation in the ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’. We developed a set of 13 principles that strategically and critically connect transformative ocean research to transformative ocean governance (complementing the UN Decade for Ocean Science). We used a rigorous, iterative and transparent consensus-building approach to define the principles, which can interact in supporting, neutral or sometimes conflicting ways. We recommend that the principles could be applied as a comprehensive set and discuss how to learn from their interactions, particularly those that reveal hidden tensions. The principles can bring and keep together partnerships for innovative ocean action. This action must respond to the many calls to reform current ocean-use practices which are based on economic growth models that have perpetuated inequities and fuelled conflict and environmental decline

Antifouling for leisure boats in the Baltic Sea. A review of the European Union chemicals and water legislation

In this report, the EU legislation regulating antifouling measures for leisure boats in the Baltic Sea will be presented with particular focus on authorisation of antifouling biocides and on determining the extent of the Member States’ autonomy in other antifouling related matters. The report outlines the important provisions of applicable legislation in both the regulations concerning harmonization of the authorisation of chemicals and the directives targeting the environmental concerns of the water bodies in the Union. The Biocidal Products Regulation provides the basis for all biocidal products authorisation, including procedural provisions and requirements for approval of active substances and authorisation of biocidal products, while the Water Framework Directive and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive regulate the marine environment and provide specific environmental quality standards and measures that must be considered in the authorisation process. Provisions in both the Biocidal Products Regulation and the regulation in combination with the water policy directives provide the possibility to impose conditions or restrictions on antifouling biocides based on local environmental conditions, but the environmental concerns must be weighed against the objective of harmonization of the internal market. The particular sensitivity and unique environmental quality of the Baltic Sea constitutes aspects that can and must be taken into consideration in the authorisation process. The water quality directives put further antifouling related obligations on the Member States, which they may achieve through various regulations and actions determined at a national level

Överlever ålen förvaltningen? En analys av den svenska ålförvaltningsplanen.

Den europeiska ålen är på väg att försvinna för gott. Arten är akut utrotningshotad och det finns starka vetenskapliga argument för att stoppa allt fiske. Trots det tillåts det svenska ålfisket att fortsätta. Havsmiljöinstitutets analys av den svenska ålförvaltningsplanen visar på tydliga brister. Det är inte troligt att Sverige kommer att leva upp till det uppsatta målet för hur många blankålar som ska kunna vandra tillbaka till Sargassohavet för att bidra till återväxten

Antifouling for leisure boats in the Baltic Sea. Mapping the legal situation - National Study: Sweden

This report has been elaborated as part of the CHANGE research project (http://changeantifouling.com/) funded by the BONUS programme and national research funding institutions, in this case the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency. The overall objective of the interdisciplinary CHANGE project is to reduce to a minimum the supply of toxic compounds from antifouling paints used on leisure boats in the Baltic Sea by changing antifouling practices on leisure boats into a sustainable consumption of antifouling products and techniques. As part of the CHANGE project a mapping of EU legislation as well as national legislation in Sweden, Finland and Denmark has been carried out. This report maps the Swedish legal framework regarding antifouling paints on leisure boats as well as for the use of alternative techniques. The report starts with an introduction to the overall governance structure of the legislation and the relevant authorities. It then is divided into four areas of law relevant to antifouling paints and practices, including regulation of environmental quality, products, waste management and other environmental issues as well as contaminated land and sediments. Furthermore, the report in Annex I includes an analysis from an actors’ perspective. The report is based on a legal-dogmatic research on applicable national legislation based on relevant sources of law as well as relevant reports, articles etc. Additionally, a few interviews have been conducted to get a better understanding of the legal framework in relation to antifouling products and practices. Swedish legislation is accessible at the national database http://www.riksdagen.se/Dokument-Lagar/Lagar/Svenskforfattningssamling/

Fallstudie: Selektivt uttag av torsk

Denna fallstudie har gjorts på uppdrag av Havs- och vattenmyndigheten. Den ingår i en havsrelaterad samhällsanalys som består av en huvudrapport och tre fallstudier. Havsmiljöinstitutets publicerar dessa som separata rapporter. Fallstudierna utgör underlag till en syntes över olika gruppers behov och nyttjande av de marina resurserna, gruppers påverkan av miljöproblem i havet och åtgärdandet av dessa. Underlag i fallstudien har främst hämtats från officiell statistik, forskningsrapporter och sammanställningar över forskning. Uppgifter har även samlats in genom kontakter med ansvariga och experter på myndigheter

Social analysis: a marine societal analysis

The Marine Environmental Ordinance (SFS 2010:1341) is part of a strategy to bring about ecosystem-based management and sustainable use of the marine environment in accordance with the EU’s the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008/56/EC). The ordinance is intended to maintain or achieve good environmental status in the marine environment. Under the Marine Environmental Ordinance, the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM) must ensure that an initial assessment is carried out on the marine environment in the Swedish waters of the two regions, the North Sea and the Baltic Sea (Articles 13–16). The initial assessment, which is to be completed by 15 July 2012 and reported to the European Commission not later than 15 October of the same year, is to provide a basis for the establishment of good environmental status, environmental targets and environmental monitoring programmes, as well as the preparing of programmes of measures by which established targets may be achieved. The initial assessment will include conducting an economic and social analysis. The former can be divided into two parts, the first of which is designed to analyse the use of the marine region and the second to describe the cost of the degradation of the marine environment (Marine Environmental Ordinance, Article 13, para. 4, and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Article 8.1c). The primary purpose of the social analysis in the initial assessment is to create a picture of the underlying conditions of the upcoming work to achieve the aims of the directive, that is, good environmental status (GES, Article 9). The analysis is also intended to provide basic information for the establishment of environmental targets (Article 10) that will subsequently form the foundation of programmes of measures and administrative funding (Article 13). The assessment includes an analysis of how different groups in society can be affected by how the sea is used and by marine environmental problems and measures taken to address them. This study presents a method by which such an analysis can be conducted. The method includes a conceptual model that consists of the components 'Indirect driving forces, 'Direct driving forces , 'Environmental pressures, state and impact', 'Impact on society', and 'Response'. The model is used in combination with a question template to analyse actors, activities and driving forces. Case studies involving three environmental problems – selective overfishing of cod and the unwanted dispersion of mercury and phosphorous – show that a large number of actors are involved, directly and indirectly. In addition, these actors operate on several levels –local/regional, national and international. The Marine Environmental Ordinance (SFS 2010:1341) is part of a strategy to bring about ecosystem-based management and sustainable use of the marine environment in accordance with the EU’s the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008/56/EC). The ordinance is intended to maintain or achieve good environmental status in the marine environment. Under the Marine Environmental Ordinance, the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwAM) must ensure that an initial assessment is carried out on the marine environment in the Swedish waters of the two regions, the North Sea and the Baltic Sea (Articles 13–16). The initial assessment, which is to be completed by 15 July 2012 and reported to the European Commission not later than 15 October of the same year, is to provide a basis for the establishment of good environmental status, environmental targets and environmental monitoring programmes, as well as the preparing of programmes of measures by which established targets may be achieved. The initial assessment will include conducting an economic and social analysis. The former can be divided into two parts, the first of which is designed to analyse the use of the marine region and the second to describe the cost of the degradation of the marine environment (Marine Environmental Ordinance, Article 13, para. 4, and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, Article 8.1c). The primary purpose of the social analysis in the initial assessment is to create a picture of the underlying conditions of the upcoming work to achieve the aims of the directive, that is, good environmental status (GES, Article 9). The analysis is also intended to provide basic information for the establishment of environmental targets (Article 10) that will subsequently form the foundation of programmes of measures and administrative funding (Article 13). The assessment includes an analysis of how different groups in society can be affected by how the sea is used and by marine environmental problems and measures taken to address them. This study presents a method by which such an analysis can be conducted. The method includes a conceptual model that consists of the components 'Indirect driving forces, 'Direct driving forces , 'Environmental pressures, state and impact', 'Impact on society', and 'Response'. The model is used in combination with a question template to analyse actors, activities and driving forces. Case studies involving three environmental problems – selective overfishing of cod and the unwanted dispersion of mercury and phosphorous – show that a large number of actors are involved, directly and indirectly. In addition, these actors operate on several levels –local/regional, national and international