DRAFT MANADO OCEAN DECLARATION FOR 2009 WORLD OCEAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 JAKARTA 001919 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR OES AND EAP COMMERCE FOR NOAA USAID FOR ANE, EGAT BANGKOK FOR RDM/A E.O. 12598: N/A TAGS: SENV KGHG EAID AORC EFIS PREL ID SUBJECT: DRAFT MANADO OCEAN DECLARATION FOR 2009 WORLD OCEAN CONFERENCE REF: A. JAKARTA 1880 ¶B. JAKARTA 1766 ¶C. JAKARTA 1395 ¶1. (U) This is an action request. See paragraph 5. ¶2. (SBU) Post has obtained an advance draft of the Manado Ocean Declaration (MOD). The formal goal of the World Ocean Conference (WOC),taking place from May 11-15, 2009 in Manado, Indonesia, is to produce the Manado Ocean Declaration (ref C). To prepare for the WOC, the Government of Indonesia (GOI),is hosting an International Round Table Meeting from October 30-31, 2008 in Bintan, Indonesia. The GOI will invite officials from interested countries, scientists, and other subject experts to informally discuss the MOD text as well as other preparations for the WOC. Post has obtained a draft of the diplomatic note (with enclosures) that the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be sending to formally invite partner countries to the Bintan roundtable. ¶3. (U) The WOC and Manado Declaration are important opportunities to support Indonesian leadership on environmental issues and, through constructive engagement, further our bilateral and regional Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) priorities. Post is focused on the success of the WOC and the CTI Summit in Manado, Indonesia. These events offer a unique diplomatic opportunity to advance the long-term environmental and scientific agendas of the CTI, both in Indonesia and the wider Coral Triangle region (reftels). ¶4. (SBU) The unedited text of the draft MOD is reproduced in full below. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND -------------- Oceans and coastal areas are essential to ensure long-term human prosperity; and the adverse impact of climate change on the marine environment and marine biodiversity which poses serious threat to sustainable development. We also need to take into account relevant international agreements and decisions pertaining to ocean, coastal and marine sectors. The impacts of climate change: The world's oceans have an enormous diversity of life and play a vital role in the earth's life support system in regulating climate and global bio-hydro-geochemical cycles through their capacity to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Increasing levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gases pose major threats to our ocean as well as our atmosphere and that the climate change causes adverse effects to the physico-chemical parameters of the oceans, such as temperature, strength of currents and chemistry. The increased exposure to adverse impact of climate change will ultimately slow the pace of progress towards Sustainable Development as well as the attainment of Millennium Development Goals. Roles of the oceans in regulating global climate change: The ocean plays significant role in modulating global climate change and moderating weather system as ocean-climate coupling regulates and mitigates the exchange of heat as well as carbon and water cycle. However, the potential role of coastal ecosystems such as mangrove, algae and sea grass need to be further studied, and also, we need to increase the scientific understanding of the oceans/atmosphere interface as well as to promote information exchanges and best practices. Adaptation and mitigation: Call upon States to enhance their efforts to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases in order to reduce and tackle projected adverse effects of climate change on the marine environment and marine biodiversity and the predicted profound effects on ecosystems and coastal community, especially among the developing countries and Small Island Developing States. Encourage states to develop and implement their action plans to adapt to the impacts of climate change and to promote comprehensive adaptation measures and to urge developed countries to assist the developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change in meeting costs of adaptation to adverse effects. JAKARTA 00001919 002 OF 002 Opportunities for regional and international cooperation: Greater investment in coastal and ocean observing systems would allow better measure of changes in the coastal ecosystem and ocean environment and we need to urge international community to increase knowledge on the effects of changing physical and chemical characteristics of the ocean, especially through research and monitoring programs. Express profound gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Indonesia for its initiative to convene the World Ocean Conference in Manado. ¶5. (SBU) Action request: Post requests information on potential USG participants at the Bintan roundtable from Washington. This is an early opportunity to comment substantively on the draft text of the MOD. We welcome consolidated USG comments and suggestions regarding the draft that we can convey to the GOI in advance of the roundtable. ¶6. (SBU) Post has provided electronic copies of the draft invitation, roundtable agenda and administrative arrangements, and MOD to the Office of Ocean Affairs (OA/OES). Please contact Stephen DeVincent for details. Please note that these are drafts and subject to change, and should not be distributed outside the USG until we receive the formal invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. HEFFERN