June 1, 2004 — Almost three years after the inception of the White Water to Blue Water Initiative and almost two years after the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, South Africa), the world is finally realizing what those who live on small islands and coastal areas have known for years — that the precious and pristine ecosystems upon which these coastal communities depend are inextricably linked to every ecosystem and their influences upstream.

In other words, individuals making decisions about inland issues are also making decisions that will affect coastal residents farther downstream. Therefore, the management and development of coastal areas should involve multiple levels of stakeholders starting with the upstream regions and moving toward the coasts.

The good news is that efforts by NOAA and other WW2BW participant to protect and restore these vital ecosystems are gaining momentum thanks to the successful launch of WW2BW's caribbean phase, which successfully used this ”integrated watershed and marine ecosystem-based management” approach to sustainable development.

The WW2BW Initiative is an international alliance of governments, international organizations, financial institutions, non-governmental organizations, universities and corporations seeking to integrate the management of watersheds, coasts and oceans. The initiative promotes regional cooperation and strengthens developing country capacity to address land-based sources of marine pollution; promote sustainable fisheries, agricultural and forestry practices; challenges associated with tourism and the degradation of coastal areas.

Retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator, described the WW2BW initiative as “an innovative plan that engages governments and stakeholders, at every level, to more effectively manage coastal and marine resources.” Lautenbacher added, “the initiative supports one of NOAA’s primary mission goals — to protect, restore and manage the use of coastal and ocean resources through ecosystem-based management.”

WW2BW's Caribbean Phase
The United States agreed to take the lead in the first phase of the initiative, which focuses on watershed and marine ecosystem management in the wider caribbean region.

To ensure representation across all levels, the initiative immediately developed an international steering committee comprised of experts from the wider caribbean region. The committee’s primary agenda was to identify existing programs and develop new partnerships that enhance integrated approaches to watershed and marine ecosystem-based management in the caribbean.

To assist in this effort, the steering committee established several breakout groups to address integrated watershed management, marine ecosystems, sustainable tourism, environmentally sound marine transportation, as well as important crosscutting themes (i.e., education, marine science and adaptation to climate change). (Click NOAA image below right for a larger view of the WW2BW co-chairs. Please credit “NOAA/UNEP.”)

The steering committee also was charged with organizing a WW2BW Partnership Conference, which took place this spring (2004) in Miami, Fla. In preparation for the Miami Conference, "international visiting teams" (each composed of several steering committee members) traveled to participating caribbean countries to encourage the formation of interagency “country teams” for the purpose of identifying WW2BW opportunities and to participate in the Miami Conference. The country teams consisted of representatives from both the public and private sectors, including a diversity of high-level government ministries interested in promoting an ecosystem approach to management, while simultaneously considering social and economic development within their country.

During the months proceeding the conference, a “roll-up” of partnerships, organized by theme, was created and transferred to a “matchmaking" Web site for the purpose of maximizing new partnership and capacity building opportunities. This partnership clearinghouse Web site contains detailed information on individual projects and serves as a management and networking tool for stakeholders from all sectors in the region.

Miami Conference
To help solidify developing partnerships and foster new ones, the United States hosted the WW2BW Partnership Conference in Miami, Fla. (March 22 - 26, 2004). The conference was attended by more than 700 participants, which taken together represented a total of 31 caribbean countries, as well as academia, international organizations, the private sector and non-governmental organizations. This week-long conference and training institute helped facilitate partnerships and allowed key players to exchange best practices and other relevant information.

Unlike most conferences, its aim was not to draft negotiated text or a “Miami Declaration,” but instead to address management issues and gaps from a cross-sectoral point of view in order to foster better communications, increase capacity building and better use of existing and potential resources at both national and regional levels.

The opening plenary session of the Conference was chaired by William Brennan, Ph.D., deputy assistant secretary of commerce for international affairs. Opening high-level welcome addresses were given by Retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator; the Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Ms. Colleen M. Castille; United States Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs, Paula Dobriansky, Ph.D. and the former Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles, the Honorable Don Martina. Prime Minister Martina pointed out that sustainable development in the caribbean region is “inconceivable without taking into account and taking care of our watersheds” and that the WW2BW Initiative represents the “first step toward safeguarding a sustainable future.”

Plenary sessions were short and inspirational in nature, while most of the conference was organized into breakout sessions. The first plenary session of each day was set aside for new partnership announcements. Evenings were set aside for county teams to meet and compare notes and/or partake in informal matchmaking socials. The “country teams” worked throughout the conference to articulate their national priorities and needs and identify potential partners or practices to address their needs.

WW2BW Partnerships
The WW2BW conference resulted in the creation or advancement of nearly 100 partnerships to promote integrated watershed and marine ecosystem-based management. A few of the partnerships include:

• The Gillette Company, the Nature Conservancy, the United Nations Foundation joined forces to protect and restore wetlands around the world — starting with a $ 750,000 commitment to protect the Sian Ka'an wetland in Mexico.
• The UNEP’s Global Programme of Action and NOAA signed an agreement to assist with building projects designed to reduce marine pollution in the wider caribbean.
• The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency pledged $1 million to fund established channels of environmental cooperation in the caribbean region.
• Royal Caribbean Cruise Limited and the GLOBE Program launched a partnership to provide environmental science activities and education for children onboard caribbean cruises.
• The International Council of Cruise Lines and Conservation International announced a $1.1 million partnership for achieving environmentally sustainable cruise operations in the wider caribbean region.
• A new mooring buoy program (Anchors Away!) was designed to provide education, build partnerships and provide grants to support the use of mooring buoys to conserve coral reef ecosystems.
• The World Conservation Union and Caribbean Conservation Association agreed to assist caribbean countries draft International Maritime Organization proposals for no-anchoring areas.
• In recognition of the highly toxic nature of tributyltin acting as a biocide in anti-fouling systems on ships, several companies (i.e., Jotun Paints, International Paint and Ultra-Strip Inc.) and cruise lines volunteered to start phasing out its use in this region.

Training Institute
The conference also hosted the Smithsonian Institution’s sixth (and second largest) sustainable development training institute. During the week-long conference, 32 “how to” courses (conducted by 56 instructors from 12 countries) were taught on a variety of relevant topics, ranging from mooring buoy installation and GIS training to funding conservation projects and successful partnership building. A total of 362 individuals participated in this capacity building effort.

NOAA/UNEP Administrative Office
NOAA and the United Nations Environment Program also signed a collaborative agreement establishing an office within the NOAA Ocean Service to help provide follow-on support for WW2BW-related activities in the caribbean. NOAA Deputy Director, Office of International Affairs and WW2BW Conference Director, Tom Laughlin, said the new office also will “facilitate cooperation between other U.S. agencies and the United Nation's Global Program of Action; disseminate information concerning integrated watershed and ecosystem-based management and provide technical support to design, develop and implement national programs of action in the wider caribbean region at large."

The Way Forward
A high level of enthusiasm was noted throughout the conference, as was evident from the large turnout at the conference itself and the closing session in particular. The success of and lessons learned through the WW2BW's caribbean phase will serve as a blueprint for other countries, partners and stakeholders working on a wide variety of sustainable development issues. Organizers hope to conduct similar programs in Africa and the South Pacific in the near future.

NOAA and other WW2BW participants hope the partnerships and capacity building gained from the caribbean phase continues to grow and expand both within individual organizations and caribbean countries. To facilitate this, the WW2BW Steering Committee, partnership Web site and newsletter created during the WW2BW process will remain fully functional. Furthermore, guidelines for WW2BW’s innovative approach are being drafted.

NOAA and the United States are proud to have led the WW2BW caribbean phase, which hopefully will evolve into a worldwide initiative.

Relevant Web Sites
WW2BW Partnership Web site

NOAA WW2BW Web site

NOAA, UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM ANNOUNCE CREATION OF CARIBBEAN COORDINATION OFFICE FOR WHITE TO BLUE WATER ACTIVITIES (NOAA Press Release)

NOAA Speech at Coastal Services Center, Charleston South Carolina (January 7, 2003)

"White Water to Blue Water"
A Crosscutting Approach to Marine and Coastal Resources (Sept. 2, 2002) (NOAA Speech)

Youth Watershed Summit (Oct. 9, 2002) (NOAA Speech)

NOAA Fisheries Participation in the World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD)

White Water to Blue Water: A Partnership To Link Freshwater and Oceans: Fact Sheet (U.S. State Department)

Miami Conference Aims To Unite Efforts To Protect Caribbean Ecosystems: Media Note (U.S. State Department)

White Water to Blue Water Partnership Initiative Fact Sheet (U.S. State Department)

Commerce Dept., U.N. Announce Caribbean Coastal Water Effort (U.S. State Department document)

NOAA Announces Major Oceans Initiative at World Summit (U.S. Embassy Site)

Sustainable Development Partners: News and Events (Sustainable Development Partnerships document)

CLEAN WATER, SANITATION AND OCEANS INITIATIVES
(Media Briefing) 3 September 2002 (U.S. Embassy Site)

WHITE WATER TO BLUE WATER (World Conservation Union)

White Water to Blue Water A partnership in the wider Caribbean to promote sound water and ecosystem management (UNEP Document)

EcoLogic to present at the White Water to Blue Water conference (EcoLogic News Story)

Media Contact:
Dave Miller, NOAA, (202) 482-0013 or Ben Sherman, NOAA Ocean Service, (301) 713-3066 ext. 178