Ten years after the Rio Summit, The World Summit on Sustainable Development confirmed the importance of sustainable development initiatives to improve our environment and standard of living. The blueprint for this was outlined in the WSSD Plan of Implementation.

　

Discussions of oceans and coasts issues were a pillar of the Rio summit, with an Action Plan for environmental protection of oceans and coasts and sustainable use and development of oceans and coasts detailed in Chapter 17 of Agenda 21. In contrast, however, ocean issues remained largely in the background at Johannesburg, with the seemingly more pressing problems of poverty, water, health, and food receiving the bulk of the attention. This outcome was especially disappointing considering the large roles that oceans and coastal zones might play in solving the problems of poverty, water, and food.

　

The WSSD Plan of Implementation is a huge document, in which ocean issues are mainly limited to Section 4 (Protecting and managing the natural resource base of economic and social development), and Section 7 (Sustainable development of small island developing states), though some discussion is also found in Section 11 (Institutional framework for sustainable development). Today I would like to speak mainly on those initiatives in Chapter 4 that have set 10 year target guidelines for completion of their projects.

　

Section 4 opens by noting that "Oceans, islands, and coastal areas form an integrated and essential component of the earth's ecosystem and are critical for global food security and the well- being of many national economies." It continues by stating that to ensure the sustainable development of the oceans, states should "ratify or accede to and implement the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea", "promote the implementation of chapter 17 of Agenda 21", "encourage the application by 2010 of the ecosystem approach", and "Promote integrated... coastal and ocean management at the national level". Regarding fisheries, section 4 indicates that we should maintain or restore stocks to levels that can be maintained, "with the aim of achieving these goals for depleted stocks on an urgent basis and where possible by no later that 2015." It urges implementation by 2005 of the FAO international plan of action for management of fishing capacity and, by 2004, of the international plan of action to prevent, deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Moreover, it calls for states to "Develop and facilitate the use of diverse approaches and tools, including the ecosystem approach, the elimination of destructive fishing practices, the establishment of marine protected areas consistent with international law and based on scientific information, including representative networks, by 2012". Also, it emphasizes that we "Advance implementation of the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities and the Montreal Declaration on the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities, with particular emphasis in the period 2002-2006 on municipal waste water, the physical alteration and destruction of habitats, and nutrients." States are invited to "ratify or accede to and implement the conventions and protocols and other relevant instruments of the International Maritime Organization relating to the enhancement of maritime safety and protection of the marine environment from marine pollution and environmental damage caused by ships, including the use of toxic anti-fouling paints and urge IMO to consider stronger mechanisms to secure implementation of IMO instruments by flag states", to "finalize the IMO International Convention on the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments", and to "Establish by 2004 a regular process under the United Nations for global reporting and assessment of the state of the marine environment..."

　

　

Although oceans did not have pride of place in the discussions at WSSD, comprehensive and concrete proposals regarding the oceans and coastal zones were incorporated into the Plan of Implementation Document. The questions now are about how to proceed with implementation and the need for a strong implementation regime. In this regard, Section 11 includes concrete institutional proposals such as the establishment of an effective, transparent, permanent, coordinating mechanism within the United Nations and immediate creation of national strategies for sustainable development to be implemented by 2005.

　

While the IMO is of course expected to play a major role in maritime transport affairs, specific initiatives are necessary to address coastal zone management and fishery issues. Among these, especially concerning problems in coastal zones and regional seas, states are strongly encouraged to look for solutions in regional initiatives. This is another example of the recent trend in ocean affairs to place increasing emphasis on the importance of regional initiatives.