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Waves of action

Community solutions, sustainable ocean

June 5^th, 2017

THE OCEAN IS THE CRITICAL LIFE FORCE OF OUR PLANET.

Healthy, accessible and diverse marine and coastal ecosystems support sustainable development.

They provide ecosystem services and values that contribute to the alleviation of poverty and hunger, build resilience to the impacts of climate change, provide opportunities for decent work and economic growth, and build sustainable communities.

Women build sustainable livelihoods through crab farming in Maharashtra, India © Dhiraj Singh/UNDP India

But the ocean – and our future – is under threat.

Unsustainable fishing policies, marine and land-based pollution, habitat loss, invasive species and ocean acidification are straining the health of the ocean, at immense economic, social and environmental cost.

Local communities stand on the frontline of marine and coastal degradation. They are disproportionately dependent on marine and coastal resources for their wellbeing and livelihoods.

UNDP believes that local communities are central to efforts to protect the ocean and sustain our future.

Together with the Global Environmental Facility, UNDP is investing in locally-driven solutions to address the twin challenges of marine and coastal ecosystem degradation and poverty eradication.

This photo collection celebrates community-driven solutions.

Toliara Province, south-west Madagascar ©Garth Cripps/Blue Ventures, UNDP Equator Initiative

Women are custodians of life, protecting our ocean and biodiversity.

Women play an active role in the conservation efforts of the Madagascar’s shoreline by enforcing ‘no-take zones’ and securing new sources of livelihoods, such as seaweed farming.

Inner islands, Seychelles ©Adam Mitchell

Marine and coastal protection is central to building the ‘blue economy’.

Overfishing and the rapid growth of tourism have led to the degradation of fragile marine and coastal ecosystems in Seychelles. The Government has responded with a series of initiatives to manage marine and coastal resources sustainably across this 'large ocean state', bringing multiple environment and development dividends.

Toliara Province, Madagascar ©Garth Cripps/Blue Ventures, UNDP Equator Initiative

Community lives are intrinsically linked to the ocean.

In Madagascar, 23 villages came together to form a locally-managed marine area, containing both temporary and permanent no-take zones in which fish, mangroves and other marine life are restored.

Ngazidja island, Comoros ©Laurent Ballesta/Andromède Océanologie

Communities co-manage protected areas to conserve unique biodiversity.

Villagers on Ngazidja island in Comoros are supporting the design and management of the new Coelacanth National Park. More than 25 eco-guards, over half of whom will be women, will be recruited from local communities to support conservation efforts and promote sustainable local agriculture, tourism and fishery.

Gökova Bay, Turkey ©Zafer Kizilkaya of Mediterranean Conservation Society, UNDP-GEF SGP

Sustainable fishing brings promise of recovery.

In Gökova Bay, Turkey, the marine ecosystem was degrading, fish diversity and abundance was in decline, and poverty among fisher folk was increasing. In response, the Mediterranean Conservation Society and local communities decided to establish the first six no-fishing zones in Turkey.

South Huvadhu Atoll, Maldives ©Abdulla Adam/UNDP Maldives

From dumping to managing waste, an island's transformation drives optimism for the future.

Community engagement in South Huvadhu, Maldives was critical to deal with waste by recycling and transforming it into compost, making the initiative self-sustaining and clearing large mangrove areas.

Barrier Reef Reserve, Belize © UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme

Driving out invasive species: The case of lionfish

ECOMAR, a local environmental organization working with communities, is promoting awareness about the threats of invasive species, collecting data, and removing large stocks of lionfish from the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve.

Celebrating recovery and resilience in coastal communities

Sustainable early recovery approaches were used to secure the livelihoods of small producers one year after the earthquake hit the coastal province of Manabí in Ecuador. Here communities depend on sustainable agriculture and fishing.

Keys at Los Haitises National Park, Dominican Republic © J. Delance/UNDP Dominican Republic

Ecosystem restoration provides opportunities for ecotourism.

In the Dominican Republic, local communities have been promoting ecotourism as a strategy to generate sustainable income as well as conserve and restore coral reefs and associated ecosystems.

Gargour, Sfax, Tunisia© Amine Boussoffara/UNDP

Artisanal clam harvesting supports rural women’s livelihoods in Gargour.

On the Tunisian coast, beach clam harvesting, an artisanal activity, is mostly carried out by rural women. Most produce is exported. To secure their livelihood, women are organizing to promote responsible use of wetland fishery resources.

Fishermen bring in the daily catch.

In Viet Nam and around the world, the ocean provides the basis for the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people, including some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable. It contributes trillions to the global economy.

The Ocean Conference, taking place from 5 to 9 June, brings together political leaders, governments, NGOs, the private sector, United Nations agencies and others to agree on urgent action to restore the health of our ocean.

Currently on display at UN Headquarters, the "Waves of Change" photo exhibit was developed by UNDP in collaboration with the Global Environment Facility. Special credit goes to the UNDP-led Equator Initiative and the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme and to the Government of Sweden for its generous support.