We are excited to announce the release of a new policy brief titled “Life on Shore: Effective Marine and Coastal Restoration for Nature and People.” This collaborative effort resulted from the UN Ocean Decade satellite event on 9 April 2024. Key contributors include experts from projects MARCO-BOLO, MISSION ATLANTIC, FUTURE MARES, OCEAN CITIZEN projects, Wetlands International, and the Kelp Forest Alliance initiatives.
The focus of the Policy Brief:
The brief provides essential messages for policymakers and administrators aimed at promoting effective marine restoration. It addresses the OCEAN DECADE Challenge 2, which focuses on protecting and restoring ecosystems and biodiversity by understanding the effects of multiple stressors and developing solutions to monitor, manage, and restore ecosystems under changing environmental, social, and climate conditions.
Why It Is Important:
Marine, freshwater and coastal ecosystems are crucial for human well-being, but they face continuous degradation due to human activities like exploitation, climate change, pollution, and the introduction of invasive species. The policy brief emphasises the urgent need to restore these ecosystems using scientific knowledge. Effective restoration can safeguard biodiversity, alleviate poverty, mitigate climate change, and support indigenous and local communities.
Key Highlights:
- The brief outlines 14 key messages to enhance ecosystem restoration efforts, addressing challenges such as poor stressor management, limited funding, inadequate monitoring, and insufficient engagement with local communities.
- It highlights the importance of global partnerships and decisive action within the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
For more details and to read the full policy brief, please visit here.
We encourage all stakeholders, policymakers, and interested parties to read and share this vital policy brief to foster effective marine and coastal ecosystem restoration.