Publication Name

Initiative (ICI). As part of this project, work has also begun

with CICERO to conduct a meta-analysis of existing prac-

tices, policies and gaps in linking traditional and scientific

knowledge for adaptation.

UNEP-ROLAC colleagues expect that the conclusions

from this study will provide timely input into their work

to conduct a climate change vulnerability and impact

assessment in the fisheries and coastal farming sec-

tors in the Caribbean region (scheduled to start in April

2012), as well as to the ongoing project on Integrated

Coastal Management in Guatemala, Honduras, and

Nicaragua.

After almost 9 years of negotiation, 2011 finally saw con-

crete movement towards establishing the

United Na-

tions Regular Process for the Assessment of the Marine

Environment Including Socio-economic Aspects

(the

‘Regular Process’). The first integrated global report is

scheduled for delivery by the end of 2014. GRID-Arendal

has been contracted to develop the reporting modali-

ties required for States to contribute to the assessment

report. The design and accessibility of the “document

management system” will be integral to ensuring maxi-

mum participation in the process, especially by devel-

oping countries. In order to liaise effectively with the

United Nations Group of Experts for the Regular Process

(UN GOEs) in the development of the web-based tools,

a senior marine scientist and member of the GOEs has

been seconded to work at GRID-Arendal during 2012. In

addition to the reporting system, GRID-Arendal is col-

laborating with Geosciences Australia and Conservation

International to produce a global seafloor geomorphol-

ogy map to support the analysis and display of data sub-

mitted by member states.

7.3

Data management,

visualisation and tools

GRID-Arendal is a partner in the joint Spain-UNEP pro-

ject ‘Broad-scale marine spatial planning of mammal

corridors & protected areas in Wider Caribbean & South-

east & Northeast Pacific’ (2010-2012), which contributes

to the LifeWeb Initiative of the Convention on Biological

Diversity (CBD). GRID-Arendal has a lead role in provid-

ing technical support and guidance for the identification,

collation and visualization of essential habitats and re-

gional-scale migration routes for marine mammals. Out-

puts produced in 2011 are now under review for comple-

tion in 2012, with the objective of strengthened regional

policies and protocols on transboundary marine mam-

mal management and governance, and strengthened in-

stitutional frameworks.

The development of dedicated web-based data sharing

and visualization tools designed for non-experts and

the general public continued in 2011. The approach for

the

Ocean Commons for Environmental and Natural

resources Information and Data Sharing (OCEANIDS)

system is to encourage ‘Citizen Science’ by providing

mechanisms for users to access public marine scientific

datasets, upload their own data, visualize and combine

datasets, make maps, and even perform basic compara-

tive analyses.

The new Arctic basemap developed by GRID-Arendal, used to display some data in collaboration with the WWF Global Arctic Programme.