Mexico´s Ocean Policy, Strategies and Actions
in the Gulf of Mexico
GCOOS-RA Board of Directors Meeting
Porfirio Alvarez Torres, PhDDirector for Regional and Sectoral Integration
Secretariat of Environment and Natural ResourcesSEMARNAT
Orlando, Florida, 25-26 Feb 2009
Ocupación del espacio costero
ENVIRONMENTAL OCEAN POLICY BACKGROUND
1992Rio de Janeiro, Agenda 21 (Chapter 17)
2001-2003World Ocean Conference
2002Johannesburg Summit
2004Environmental Evaluation (coastal areas integrated management)
2004National Consultative Council for Sustainable Development recommended to build an environmental ocean policy
2005Federal Fiscal Authority, called for an integrated policy on ocean and coastal areas
Ocean Management
EU Maritime Policy
Oct. 2007
An Ocean Blueprint for the Century
Ocean Commission, Sep. 2004
Sustainable Development
Strategy for the Seas of East Asia,
Dec. 2003
National Environmental Policy
for the Sustianble Development of
Oceans and Coasts Mexico,
Oct. 2006
Steps to develop a National Policy for Oceans and Coasts
“NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY FOR THE
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE OCEANS AND
COASTS OF MEXICO”
Provides the strategic framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and coasts.
Includes the guidelines to articulate public and sectorial policies.
Build on ecosystem based management and ecosystem based approach.
Proximidad a línea costeraProximidad a línea costeraPlanicie costeraPlanicie costera
Vegetación costeraVegetación costera
ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIAENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA
Perfil hipsográfico (200 msnm)Perfil hipsográfico (200 msnm)
Cuencas costerasCuencas costeras
SIG`s & MULTICRITERIA ANALYSISSIG`s & MULTICRITERIA ANALYSIS
EXPERT CONSULTATIONEXPERT CONSULTATION
MARINE PORTION.- Continental PlataformMARINE PORTION.- Continental PlataformMARINE PORTION.- Continental PlataformMARINE PORTION.- Continental Plataform
ISLAND PORTION.- Federal jurisdictionISLAND PORTION.- Federal jurisdictionISLAND PORTION.- Federal jurisdictionISLAND PORTION.- Federal jurisdiction
CONTINENTAL PORTION.- 263 municipalities in the littoral CONTINENTAL PORTION.- 263 municipalities in the littoral with a high and medium coastal nfluence indexwith a high and medium coastal nfluence indexCONTINENTAL PORTION.- 263 municipalities in the littoral CONTINENTAL PORTION.- 263 municipalities in the littoral with a high and medium coastal nfluence indexwith a high and medium coastal nfluence index
COASTAL ZONE BOUNDARIES DEFINITION
The President mandates to: 1. Elaborate the General Land Use Planning Physical Model
for the Territory
2. Elaborate a National Ocean Policy
3. Strengthen the Strategy for conservation of coastal
wetlands, particularly mangrove ecosystems
4. Enhance the Strategy for the Protection of Coastal and
Marine Biodiversity
5. “… build inmediately the Interministerial
Commission for the Sustainable Management
of Oceans and Coasts (CIMARES). This
Commission will be encharged to formulate at
the national level the necesary policies and
strategies”
NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE LAND AND SEA USE PLANNING OF THE TERRITORY IN OCEANS AND COASTS
Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Feb 21 2007
• Integrated vision and nation wide coverageIntegrated vision and nation wide coverage
• Strengthen federal coordination mechanisms Strengthen federal coordination mechanisms
• Mainstreaming and crosscutingMainstreaming and crosscuting
• Optimize current capacitiesOptimize current capacities
• Enhance social participation and adaptive managementEnhance social participation and adaptive management
• Enhance communication, extension, transparency and Enhance communication, extension, transparency and
accountabilityaccountability
• GovernanceGovernance
• Integrated vision and nation wide coverageIntegrated vision and nation wide coverage
• Strengthen federal coordination mechanisms Strengthen federal coordination mechanisms
• Mainstreaming and crosscutingMainstreaming and crosscuting
• Optimize current capacitiesOptimize current capacities
• Enhance social participation and adaptive managementEnhance social participation and adaptive management
• Enhance communication, extension, transparency and Enhance communication, extension, transparency and
accountabilityaccountability
• GovernanceGovernance
PRINCIPLES PRESIDENTIAL DECREED.O.F. 13 DE JUNIO 2008
Interministerial Commission for the Sustainable Management of Oceans and Coasts, CIMARES
INSTALACIÓN DE LA CIMARES1º de diciembre de 2008
ACUERDOS DE LA SESIÓN
• Se declara instalada la Comisión• Se acepta la designación del Secretario Técnico• Se aprueba el Reglamento para la operación de la CIMARES• Se sanciona la estructura de las Subcomisiones y Grupos de Trabajo• Se acepta el programa de trabajo y los 27 temas prioritarios• Se acuerdan las fechas de sesiones ordinarias 2009 que se realizarán el
13 de abril en Mazatlán, Sin. y 12 de octubre en la Ciudad de México.
SUBCOMISIONES Y GRUPOS DE TRABAJO
OE Marino Regional
OE Regional (en zonas costeras)
OE Locales o Municipales
Ordenamiento Ecológico en Mares y
Costas
Esquemas Institucionales para la Administración Integral
y Sustentable de los Mares y Costas
MAPA DE ACTORES E INVITADOS
ACTORES PRODUCTIVOSCÁMARAS SECTORIALES
MIEMBROS DE LA COMISIÓN:
GOBIERNOS DE LOS ESTADOS COSTEROS
ONG´s
GOBIERNOS MUNICIPALES
Únicamente los municipios costeros de la entidad donde se realizará el evento (en su caso) ACADEMIA
UABC, UABCS, CICESE, CIBNOR, USON, CIDESON, UAS, CIAD, UAN,
UDEG, UCOL, UAGRO, UMAR, UNACH, UAT, UV, UJAT, UACAM, UQROO, UADY, CICY, ECOSUR,
UNAM, UAM, IPN
INVITADOS
Consejos Consultivos para el Desarrollo Sustentable
Sea and Land Use Processes
MarinoRegionalLocal
1
2
3
4
6 7 8
9
10
1112
13
14 15 16
17
18
19
20
21
22
5
2324
25
1. Costa de Sonora2. Marino del Golfo de California3. Municipal de Loreto4. Municipal de La Paz5. Municipal de Los Cabos6. Estatal de Durango7. Región Cuenca de Burgos8. Marino y regional del Golfo de México y Mar Caribe9. Estatal de Querétaro10. Cuenca del río Tuxpan11. Region Mariposa Monarca12. Volcán Popocatepetl y su zona de influencia13. Estatal de Yucatán14. Costa de Yucatán
15. Municipal de Lázaro Cárdenas16. Municipal de Isla Mujeres17. Municipal de Benito Juárez18. Isla de Cozumel19. Corredor Cancún -Tulum20. Municipal de Solidaridad21. Región Costa Maya22. Estatal de Chiapas23. Municipal de Ixtapaluca24. Municipal de Chalco25. Municipal de Tlalmanalco
Procesos sin convenio
26. Municipal de La Huerta27. Municipal de Cihuatlán28. Municipal de Tomatlán29. Laguna de Zapotlán30. Cuenca del Valle de México
Estrategia de Mares y Costas
• Mapping all sectoral activities• Reduce environmental and social conflicts• Promotes sustainability in regions• Encourage sectors to prevent and reduce
environmental impacts• Protects natural heritage• Provides certainity for investment• Reconsiders the process of occupation and use of
the territory• Defines the intensity of use of the territory• Promotes alternative solutions to sectoral activities• Supports informed decision making for other
environmental instruments (i.e. EIA, Coastal Federal Areas, Change of Land Use)
Benefits of Land and Sea Use Planning Process
Veracruz
Tabasco
Campeche
Tamaulipas
Quintana Roo
Yucatán
MARINE ZONING AND COASTAL LAND USE PLANNING
Land area.-144 coastal countiesMarine area.- EEZ of Gulf of México and Caribbean Sea
Current status of the Land and Sea Use Planning Process in the
Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea
Committee and Environmental Logbook
Formulation
AgreementCoordinatonMOU
Committee
Plan Program
Adoption
Legally bindingDecree
PublicConsultation
Implementation
Linkage to(EIA)
Programing…
Evaluation
Indicators:*PoliciesGuidelinesStrategiesPhysical & EnvironCriteria
Report withResults*
X
Modification
Program Review &Update
Challenges to run the processN
1. Scarce and scattered information on the marine environment
2. Higher complexity compared to land use plannning
3. Limited information and geographical coverage
4. Tools for marine analysis limited
5. Need to elaborate a more creative and critical scenarios regardless of the limited tools and information availability
Sea and Land Use Process Analysis
Compilation of existing statistical and
cartographic information in federal agencies
Determine sea and land uses based on wide
participative workshops with sectors and civil
society
Main analysis conducted using multicriteria and
multiobjective approaches
Environmental indexes such as Pressure, Risk,
and Vulnerability play an important role to build
a strong and reliable Diagnostic on the marine
and coastal areas current condition
MARINE ZONING AND COASTAL LAND USE PLANNING
CHARACTERIZATION.- Land Area
MARINE ZONING AND COASTAL LAND USE PLANNING
Regionalization[Esc 1:250,000]
Region Coastal Land Areas
168,462.4 km2
HidrographySub-Cuenca [INEGI-INE-CNA, 2007]
Curvas de nivel. Hidrología superficial (ríos y cuerpos de agua).
Modelos digitales de elevación MDE.
Geomorphology
Land Use/Vegetation
SERIE III,
ENVIRONMENTAL LAND & COASTAL AREAS UNITS
CHARACTERIZATION.- Land Area
MARINE ZONING AND COASTAL LAND USE PLANNING
CHARACTERIZATION.- Marine Area
Regionalization[Esc 1:250,000]
Marine Area827,023.8 km2
GeologyCONABIO/INE/UNAM
Batimetry and Geomorphology
Carta batimétrica INE
HydrodinamicsUNAM
Primary Productivity & Temperature
FC-UABC, 2007
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL UNITS
FLORA & FAUNACommercial species (CNP, 2006)
Protected speciesNOM-059-SEMARNAT
CHARACTERIZATION.- Marine Area
MARINE ZONING AND COASTAL LAND USE PLANNING
Tourism
Ports and Maritime industry
commercial
fishing
touristic
Fisheries Aquacultureindustrial
Energy
Oil
Electric
National Security
Conservation
SECTORIALWORKSHOPS
Sectorial interactions in the region
artisanal
MARINE ZONING AND COASTAL LAND USE PLANNING
Fragile Ecosystems
Primary SectorAgriculture, fisheries and livestock
Secondary SectorOil production activities and energy production
Terciary Sector Servicies, harbor storage facilities and oil distribution, Tourism Activities & Maritime transportation.
Coral ReefsIslandsCoastal areasBatimetryCurrent intensity
Pressure
GeomorphologyVegetationClimatePrecipitationSlope
• Main River Runoff • Fisheries
overexploitation• Degradation
processes• Ports and Oil activities
MARINE ZONING AND COASTAL LAND USE PLANNING
Hydrometeorological Risk Factors and Climate Change Impacts
Hurricane incidence
Risk of Flooding and sea level rise
Risk for Flooding and Rain
Vulnerability
MARINE ZONING AND COASTAL LAND USE PLANNING
Increasing development, port, tourism and oil exploitation activities
Seawage waters
Domestic and industrial
In coastal areas
Watershed dischargesIncreasing pollution
Increased in biological productivity with signs of euthophication
HABs
HYPOXIA condition in selected coastal areas
Lack of technologyIn mariculture
Ilegal fishing
Overexploitation ofFish stocks
Inestable coastal areas due to sea level rise
Increase in number and frequency of extreme meteorological events Sea floor changes
and coastal erosion
BIODIVERSITY LOSSDUE TO UNSUSTAINABLEFISHING PRACTICES
.
HIGHER
INESTABILITY OF
BENTHOS AND NECTON
POLLUTION
SEAWAGE
WATERS
DOMESTIC AND
INDUSTRIAL
FRAGILE CONDITIONDUE TO
INCREASING NUTRIENT
LOAD .
MARINE AND COASTAL AREAS OF THE GULF OF
MEXICO AND CARIBBEAN SEA
ARE HIGHLY DEGRATED AND
UNDER EXTREME INCREASING PRESSURE
Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea condition…
•Poor urban planning•Inadequate building codes•Inadequate ICZM•Lack of mitigation compensation mechanisms•Weak enforcement of urban regulation
•Poor agricultural practices•Poor planning•Lack of capacity•Lack of wastewater treatment•Weak enforcement•Aerosol Contaminants•Weak enforcement agricultural regulation
•Poor environmental planning/ •lack of assessment of impacts
•Increase fishing Effort
•Increase
technological
capabilities
•Non selective Fishing
Gear
•Uncertainty of
assessments
•Overcapitalizaton
•Deficient fisheries
control policies
Underlying causes
•Historical development planning (TOP-DOWN). Lack of ecosystem approach. Lack of integrated management. Poverty, Policies promoting increasing coastal population.
Root causes
Agricultural/ industrial/
urban pollution
Construction/ development in the coastal zone
PortTourism activities
Global climate change
Eutrophication and HABs
Overexploitation
Immediate causes
Habitat modification,Ecosystem degradation,
Loss of Resilence & Assests
Reduction of Fishery Stocks
Loss of ecosystems/
ecosystem services
Increased risk for endangered speciesImpacts
Municipal non treated seawage water (cubic meters) in 2005
Gulf of Mexico Large Marine EcosystemGulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem
Participant countries: Mexico-US (SEMARNAT- NOAA)The long-term development/environmental goal of the project
is: Sustainable development of the Gulf of Mexico LME enhanced through ecosystem-based management approaches
Project Objective: To rehabilitate marine and coastal ecosystems, recover
depleted fish stocks and to reduce nutrient overloading to the Gulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem based on an assessment and management approach that considers LME productivity, fish and fisheries, pollution and ecosystem health, socioeconomics and governance.
• Main activities
• Joint Integrated Assessment of the Gulf of Mexico• Monitoring ecosystem health and environmental
quality assessment• Conservation and restoration of coastal areas• Recovery of depleted fisheries stocks
Gulf of Mexico Large Marine EcosystemGulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem
Identified Problems during the PDF stageIdentified Problems during the PDF stageP r o b l e m Mean Score Std DevProductivityEutrophication and HABs* 2.63 0.50
Lack of adequate wastewater treatment* 2.44 0.73
Lack of knowledge of productivity driving forces 2.00 0.52
Variability of phytoplankton and zooplankton 2.00 0.73
Lack of knowledge of carrying capacity 1.88 0.81
Oceanographic variability (loop current, eddies)* 1.75 0.86
Pollution and Ecosystem HealthHabitat modification (wetland loss, connectivity, loss of resilience) 2.69 0.60
Lack of information on pollution and ecosystem health 2.38 0.72
Loss of biodiversity 2.33 0.82
Invasive species 2.06 0.68
Impacts of expanded oil and gas development 1.56 0.89
Fish and FisheriesOverfishing of (shared, migratory, connected) stocks 2.63 0.50
Lack of knowledge of (shared, migratory, connected) stocks 2.31 0.60
Lack of understanding of keystone species in the food web 1.81 0.75
Effect of global climate change on fishery stocks* 1.63 0.89
SocioeconomicsInadequate assessment of value of environmental goods and services 2.63 0.62
Lack of data and analysis of current socioeconomic benefits 2.38 0.72
GovernanceMoving from single species to ecosystem-based management* 2.56 0.63
Present lack of mechanism for countries to improve ecosystem conditions 2.25 1.00
Cognizance of multiplicity of stakeholders to improve recovery 2.13 0.72
Lack of forum for considering additive and integrative ecosystem changes 2.00 0.73
Harmonization of institutional activities 1.94 1.06
Multiple-scale issues not well defined 1.93 0.88
Consideration not given to management of resources 1.56 1.03
Problems prioritizedProblems prioritized
Problem Mean Score* Std DevProductivityEutrophication and HABs* 2.63 0.50Pollution and Ecosystem HealthHabitat modification (wetland loss, connectivity, loss of resilience) 2.69 0.60
Fish and FisheriesOverfishing of (shared, migratory, connected) stocks 2.63 0.50SocioeconomicsInadequate assessment of value of environmental goods and services 2.63 0.62GovernanceMoving from single species to ecosystem-based management* 2.56 0.63
Final Remarks
Build a strong GCOOS SEMARNAT parternship
o Sign the MOA
o Data sharing
o Joint Monitoring
o Enhance Communication
o Enhance capabilities
GoM LME, NOAA-SEMARNAT
o Joint Integrated Ecosystem Assessment
o Monitoring
Gracias!