The Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands organizes a lunch meeting, jointly with the Source to Sea Platform, UNDP, Delta Alliance, SIWI and Deltares, to discuss the importance of a holistic land-ocean-water approach. Invitees are Heads of Delegation, Permanent Representatives and Experts attending the UN Preparatory Meeting for the 2020 UN Ocean Conference.
Rationale
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 14 is to “conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”. Unsustainable human activities on land, along aquatic systems and at sea are imposing a heavy burden on water-related ecosystems, coasts and ocean around the globe. The 2019 IPCC special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere concluded that fragmented governance – across sectors and in
governments – prevents effective responses to the risks faced in the ocean. Marine and coastal resources represent enormous assets and opportunities for local and global economies, but they may be jeopardized by upstream activities on land, along rivers and in deltas. The source-to-sea approach considers the entire source-to-sea system – stressing upstream and downstream environmental, social and economic linkages stimulating coordination across sectors and spatial segments and across flows such as water, sediment, and pollution.
For the upcoming 2nd UN Oceans Conference, the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands wants to again highlight the importance of the source-to-sea approach and its solution-oriented “One Water” management guidance as critical to achieving SDG 14.
This event will present priority areas for action and discuss how the 2nd UN Ocean Conference can strengthen commitments to integrating the source-to-sea approach in policies, practice and finance.
The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, jointly with the Action Platform for Source-to-Sea Management, UNDP, the Delta Alliance, Deltares and SIWI, seek input and possible engagement of other countries and international organizations in presenting a jointly developed input on advancing and applying a source-to-sea approach to support the realization of SDG 14 for the 2nd UN Oceans Conference in Lisbon, through highlighting it at the UN Preparatory Meeting in New York, 4-5 February 2020. Follow up steps may include a dedicated preparatory event in March/April in the Netherlands, and preparing for active participation in relevant dialogues and side events at the 2nd UN Oceans Conference in Lisbon, June 2020.
Further information
The Action Platform for Source-to-Sea Management (S2S Platform) is a multi-stakeholder global knowledge driven platform, to support greater coherence and coordination in the governance of land, water, coastal and ocean resource use and protection. Using a systems approach, it aims at connecting flows (water, pollutants, sediments, biota, materials, ecosystem services) across sectors in river basins, deltas, coasts and ocean. Next to knowledge driven analyses, it provides practical guidance and influences policy to effectively address major issues of concern, like nutrient, plastic and chemical pollution from land-based sources, and riverine sediment flows providing essential material inputs for coastal wetlands to develop in pace with coastal dynamics and sea level rise.
The Source-to-Sea approach links common principles of IWRM, ILM and ICZM into one systems approach, making a direct link between SDG 6 and 14. The source-to-sea approach is instrumental for advocating a “One Water”-view, explicitly connecting freshwater and marine systems and upstream and downstream stakeholders in addressing threats to the oceans. Further linkages can be made to SDG 2, 13 and 15.
The explicit link between SDG 14 and SDG 13 (Climate) provides entries to also make the link with and contribute to the NDC Partnership agreement, the Climate Adaptation Summit on 22 October 2020 in the Netherlands (facilitated by the Global Commission and Center on Adaptation – GCA) and the next UNFCCC COP26 in Glasgow (UK) by furthering the Source-to-Sea approach and other relevant outcomes of the 2nd UN Oceans Conference to the Climate Adaptation oriented community. The same holds for biodiversity relevant issues for which the 2nd UN Oceans Conference and also the Source-to-Sea conceptual approach may generate compelling narratives to be presented at the next CBD COP15 in Kunming, China. On the way, messages may also be shared with the HLPF.
The lunch meeting is with:
Peter William Thomson - (UN Special Envoy for the Ocean)
Andrew Hudson - (UNDP, Head Water and Ocean Governance Programme)
Cees van de Guchte - (moderator for GovNL, S2S, DA – SIWI, Deltares)
Contact for questions: info@delta-alliance.org
