German Advisory Council on Global Change issues new report
The German Government supports the proposal of the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) for special marine conservation. In its report issued 2013 entitled "World in Transition: Governing the Marine Heritage" the experts proposed that all marine zones, with the exception of territorial waters, should be declared the common heritage of mankind. A new organisation is to assume responsibility for the conservation and sustainable use of water bodies. Katherina Reiche, Parliamentary State Secretary for the Federal Environment Ministry, and Thomas Rachel, Parliamentary State Secretary for the Federal Research Ministry were presented with the report on June 5th 2013.
Both Reiche and Rachel expressly support the impetus for the sustainable use of the sea. "Our oceans are of immeasurable value for mankind. Their biological diversity and climate function are vital to our survival" stated Reiche, who called for: "assurance that international framework conditions for marine conservation be intensified and more effectively implemented. The fragile Arctic region should not be ruthlessly exploited in the race for resource extraction, but rather needs to be subject to internationally binding regulations for protection."
Parliamentary State Secretary Rachel added: "Marine research in Germany is in good shape and internationally well renowned. Our expertise is valued worldwide. In order to better understand the complex Earth system and the seas role, we need not only highly skilled experts but also an efficient and appropriate infrastructure. Because of this, we are currently modernising the German Research Fleet".
WBGU reminds us in its report that humans are causing sea levels and water temperatures to rise and increasing acidification. Additionally our seas are being massively overfished and exploited.
At the Earth Summit in Rio, participants failed to adopt more binding agreements for marine conservation. Therefore, according to experts, all marine zones with the exception of territorial waters should be declared the common heritage of mankind and placed under protection the same as the sea floor. The WBGU specified the challenges and opportunities regarding the sea in relation to fishery, energy and for the Arctic region. The report also sets out specific recommendations for action and in particular encourages marine research to focus more on sustainability. The WBGU is calling for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) due to the importance of the sea for the world's growing population when it comes to nourishment, harnessing energy and climate regulation.
The German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) was set up in 1992 as an independent, scientific advisory body in the run-up to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Rio Earth Summit). The WBGU is jointly overseen and financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Federal Environment Ministry (BMU).