Abu Dhabi, [7 October 2015] 

At Eye on Earth Summit 2015 today members of the Oceans and Blue Carbon Special Initiative launched "The Oceans and Us", a new publication that highlights the critical role healthy oceans play in achieving the recently adopted UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Co-written by the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI), GRID-Arendal, the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), The Nature Conservancy, the University of Western Brittany Brest (UBO), and the Marine Ecosystem Services Partnership, the publication outlines the essential nature of conserving and restoring marine and coastal ecosystems, and the related needs for data and policy actions. According to the entities, the role of healthy marine and coastal ecosystems for sustainable development is neither fully understood, nor fully integrated, into decision-making and planning.

"We found that healthy corals, mangroves and other marine and coastal ecosystems provide a myriad of benefits to sustainable development," said Jane Glavan, AGEDI Partnerships Manager. "For Abu Dhabi this includes coastline stabilization, water purification, tourism value and, importantly, the sequestration and storage of carbon dioxide. A better understanding of marine ecosystem services is important to the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals as it enables informed policy choices on conserving and restoring valuable natural assets."

Christian Neumann, Marine Ecosystem Services Project Manager at GRID-Arendal, stated: "With 200 million people on the planet employed directly or indirectly through marine fisheries alone, we simply cannot afford the continued decline of ocean health. Healthy marine and coastal ecosystems are indispensable in our fight against poverty, to provide adequate nutrition, health and employment to the people on the planet, and to mitigate and adapt to climate change."  

The analysis undertaken by the partnership showed that the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean and its resources, an SDG in itself, supports an additional nine out of the 17 goals. Capturing the value of marine and coastal ecosystem services--the benefits people obtain from the ocean--is facilitated by strong communication between science and policy-making, ensuring reliable, objective and widely available data is provided to support informed decisions.

"There is growing global recognition among world and local leaders that healthy marine and coastal ecosystems have an essential role in our efforts to achieving a more sustainable future. This understanding has the power to bring together conservation and development communities. Only then can we harness this powerful, sustainable and global natural factory to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals we have set for the people of this planet," said Corinne Martin, Programme Officer Marine, UNEP-WCMC.

The full report is available to download at www.eoesummit.org/initiative/eye-on-oceans-blue-carbon/

More information about the Eye on Earth Summit, speakers and new project proposals can be found at www.eoesummit.org.

-Ends-

About Eye on Earth
Despite technological and scientific advancements, decision makers often lack vital data on the state of the world's resources. Eye on Earth is a global movement that aims to improve access to and sharing of environmental, social and economic data, to better inform decision-making for sustainable development. Its primary goal is to convene thought and action leaders, converge on key areas of mutual importance, and collaborate on initiatives to close the data gap.

The mission of Eye on Earth is supported by the Summit Alliance Partners, eight targeted Special Initiatives, and the Eye on Earth Summit.

For more information, please visit www.eoesummit.org.

About the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD)
Established in 1996, the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) is committed to protecting and enhancing air quality, groundwater as well as the biodiversity of our desert and marine ecosystem. By partnering with other government entities, the private sector, NGOs and global environmental agencies, we embrace international best practice, innovation and hard work to institute effective policy measures. We seek to raise environmental awareness, facilitate sustainable development and ensure environmental issues remain one of the top priorities of our national agenda. For more information, visit www.ead.ae

For media enquiries, please contact:
EAD Press Office:
Sobhia Akram El Masri
Tel:          +9712   693-4637
Mobile:    +97150 442-5096
Email:      pressoffice@ead.ae

About the Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI)
Under the guidance and patronage of His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, AGEDI was formed in 2002 to address responses to the critical need for readily accessible, accurate environmental data and information for all those who need it. With the Arab region as a priority area of focus, AGEDI facilitates access to quality environmental data that equips policy makers with actionable, timely information to inform and guide critical decisions. AGEDI is supported by Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) on a local level, and championed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) regionally and internationally. For more information, visit www.AGEDI.ae

For media enquiries, please contact:
AGEDI Press Office:
Larissa Owen - PR & Outreach Manager, Abu Dhabi Global Environmental Data Initiative (AGEDI)
Tel:          +9712-693 4436
Email:      larissa.owen@ead.ae

About GRID-Arendal
GRID -Adrenal is a centre collaborating with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), supporting informed decision-making and awareness-raising. GRID-Arendal supports the integration of marine and coastal ecosystem services into planning and decision making through a range of global projects developing and sharing good practice and building capacity of institutions and practitioners.

About University of Western Brittany Brest (UBO)
Linwood Pendleton holds the International Chair of Excellence for Marine Ecosystem Services within the Centre for the Law and Economics of the Sea at the European Institute for Marine Studies, University of Western Brittany. He is also Senior Scholar at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University. Anne Kaup is the Executive Manager of the Marine Ecosystem Services Partnership.

About UNEP-WCMC
The United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) has contributed chapters 4 and 5 of this publication. UNEP-WCMC is the specialist biodiversity assessment centre of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the world's foremost intergovernmental environmental organization. The Centre has been in operation for over 30 years, combining scientific research with practical policy advice.

About The Nature Conservancy
The Nature Conservancy's Mapping Ocean Wealth project has made their infographics and case studies available to this publication. Mapping Ocean Wealth mission is to describe - in quantitative terms - all that the ocean does for us today, so that we make smarter investments and decisions affecting what the ocean can do for us tomorrow. Supported by a consortium of global organizations, Mapping Ocean Wealth is informed by rapidly advancing marine science and field-based studies from around the globe that examine what drives the value of ecosystems and how they benefit people.

About The Marine Ecosystem Services Partnership
The Marine Ecosystem Services Partnership strives to improve communication between valuation researchers and policy makers by providing contextual perspectives for understanding valuation data in relation to environmental management decisions. The Partnership aims to be a community of practice through which data users and managers can work collectively to better integrate ecosystem services data with marine policy needs. This collaboration is aided with the use of tools such as the MESP mapper and valuation library that provides access to a collection of economic valuation studies and data found on the MESP website.

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© Press Release 2015