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Foreword
UN Environment welcomes this publication initiated by the
Convention for Cooperation in the Protection, Management
and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of
the Atlantic Coast of the West, Central and Southern Africa
Region (Abidjan Convention).
People living along the west, central and southern African
coast are directly dependent on a healthy ocean and healthy
coasts for sustenance, economic progress and a quality way
of life. Socially and ecologically sustainable ocean-dependent
societies and dynamic, vibrant cultures are interconnected
with thriving natural systems. They are also dependent on
the ability to properly govern and manage human impacts
on coastal and marine ecosystems.
The Large Marine Ecosystems of the west, central and
southern African coasts are among the most productive
in the world. Their health constitutes a vital anchor of the
blue economy of the region, an approach defined in the
African Union’s Agenda 2063 as one that: a) emphasizes the
interconnectedness across sectors, b) recognizes the critical
importance of a healthy ocean and c) is underpinned by a
sustainable economic framework that can deliver social
equity and tangible benefit sharing. Blue Economy work has
been and continues to be a key focus of UN Environment
both in the region of the Abidjan Convention and globally.
The Large Marine Ecosystems of the west, central and
southern African coasts have been developed as a tool
enabling ecosystem-based management and to provide
a collaborative approach to transboundary resource
management. They gather a baseline of ecological data
regarding the coverage, ecological outputs and functions
of marine and coastal ecosystems. They have also allowed
decision and policy-makers to know about the profound
connections between people and nature in the context
of these ecosystems and the values placed on the benefits
inherent in and derived from the west, central and southern
African coasts and ocean. More recently, trends within Large
Marine Ecosystems of the west, central and southern Africa
show increased environmental degradation which will have
significant financial, economic and social costs if no action
is taken.
This report provides an overview and synthesis of three
economic valuation efforts, eachwith the goal of determining
the “flow of value” or benefits derived from the natural
ecosystems and services of the Benguela Current Large
Marine Ecosystem, Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem,
Canary Current Large Marine Ecosystem. As examples,
investigators estimate that Benguela Current Large Marine
Ecosystem ecosystem services (including mariculture and
fisheries) provide approximately USD 2.35 billion of Total
Economic Impact annually with USD 472 million of wage
impact; for Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem the
estimated impact is USD 17 billion annually derived mainly
from its fisheries endowment; and for Canary Current Large
Marine Ecosystem, the estimate is USD 11.7 billion, mostly
derived from tourism and recreation opportunity in addition
to fisheries.
Monetary valuation provides a critical albeit partial picture
of the value people and societies ascribe to and derive
from healthy ‘blue’ nature. This synthesis report makes an
important contribution to raising the awareness of decision
and policy makers from west, central and southern Africa,
who have the influence and ability to design and implement
innovative solutions that will ensure a thriving ocean
supporting sustainable societies for generations to come.
It is critical that other African Regional Seas Conventions
follow the path set by the Abidjan Convention to assess the
economic values of their marine and coastal ecosystems
which is of paramount importance for oceans sustainable
economic planning, which UN Environment strongly would
welcome and support.
Erik Solheim
UNEP Executive Director