1. Taking action on Ocean Acidification Policy Opportunities INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE ©IUCN/Tamelander ©Herr ©Hoegh-Guldberg ©freefotouk – flickr.com Global Platform on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainable Energy 8 December 2010 Dorothée Herr Marine Programme Officer IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme

2. INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE ©Herr ©freefotouk – flickr.com A common root problem: anthropogenic CO 2 emissions  Common solutions for mitigation and adaptation Need to be explored ways to include ocean acidification into climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. Ocean acidification and climate change

3. INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE ©Herr Ocean Acidification and the UNFCCC to Date Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) Research Dialogue One reference in negotiation text National Actions on Ocean Acidification Research activities Reference to ocean acidification in some national climate change plans and strategies Policy-related activities on ocean acidification IPCC IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) in 2007 IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) and workshop

4. INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE ©Herr Example U.S. – Clean Water Act Environmental Protection Agency has recommended that states begin identifying coastal waters impaired by ocean acidification.

5. INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE ©Herr A comprehensive, international action-oriented approach to address ocean acidification. What is needed?

6. INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE ©Herr Policy Opportunities under the UNFCCC Recognition of the opportunity to address ocean acidification in conjunction with climate change, for example: - through inclusion of relevant text into a post-2012 Agreement and/or a COP decision; Request for follow-up activities, for example: - Invite Parties to strengthen and support research efforts on ocean acidification; - Encourage Parties to explore ways to address ocean acidification long-term under the UNFCCC; - Request SBSTA and other appropriate bodies within the UNFCCC to take up relevant work. Inclusion of ocean acidification as a priority theme to be addressed at the workshop organized in conjunction with the SBSTA research dialogue at SBSTA 34 in June 2011;

7. INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE ©Herr Policy Opportunities to include Ocean Acidification into Mitigation Actions An indicator for ocean acidification alongside temperature; Targets effective in curtailing both climate change and ocean acidification; Mitigation strategies that are effective in curtailing both climate change and ocean acidification; Avoiding mitigation strategies that may exacerbate ocean acidification, e.g. certain geoengineering strategies.

8. INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE ©Herr Policy Opportunities to include Ocean Acidification into Adaptation Actions Enhanced action on adaptation to climate change and ocean acidification; The development and revision of adaptation strategies that are effective in curtailing both climate change and ocean acidification.

9. INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE ©Herr Other Adaptation Measures Include ocean acidification into conservation and natural resource management strategies Increase ecosystem resilience, e.g. reduce other stressors Prioritize protection of ecosystems likely to be more resistant to ocean acidification Review management plans

10. Thank you very much! INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE ©IUCN/Tamelander ©Herr ©Hoegh-Guldberg ©freefotouk – flickr.com Dorothée Herr dorothee.herr@iucn.org IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme www.iucn.org/marine