Ecologically or Biologically Significant Marine Areas (EBSAs)

As a typical coastal city, Xiamen, Fujian Province, China, faces serious societal challenges such as the impact of climate change, overexploitation of natural resources, and loss of biodiversity. Xiamen is implementing Nature-based Solutions (NbS) by strengthening ecological protection, promoting ecosystem restoration, building sponge city, supporting sustainable community development and green transformation of mines, while encouraging funding and diverse public participation. After more than 30 years of exploration and practice, the green development concept of harmonious coexistence between man and nature has been integrated into areas and processes of Xiamen’s economic and social development, making Xiamen’s practice a global example of excellence in NbS and a model for sustainable development of coastal cities.

With 26 case studies from 10 multinational companies, this publication highlights their positive actions, interventions and initiatives contributing to specific conservation and restoration goals. The concrete examples illustrate a pivotal part of their work which have direct impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem on their sites and operations, focused on a variety of additional and proactive biodiversity conservation and restoration actions more commonly within the landscape and seascape. The different case studies seek to present current voluntary practices and initiatives that are above and beyond addressing the negative impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services onsite. While not exhaustive, these case studies seek to be illustrative of current voluntary practices and demonstrative of some of the kinds of initiatives that are currently being carried out.

The coastal zone of West Africa extends approx. 6,000 km, from Mauritania in the north, passing through the deeply indented coasts of the islands and estuaries, then the lagoon coasts and the coastal strips of the Gulf of Guinea, up to Nigeria. The small island state of the Cabo Verde Islands, volcanic and mountainous, completes this geography. These coastal areas are characterized by globally significant biodiversity. But the marine ecosystem and coastal communities face many challenges, namely illegal, unreported and/or unregulated fishing, pollution, uncontrolled coastal development, etc., which harm habitats and species. This report takes stock of the situation, while offering in-depth analyses as well as recommendations on the opportunities and challenges in terms of marine protected areas in the region.

Blue Economy has various definitions, depending on the interpretation and principles in question. There is no one widely accepted definition, nor is there a set of founding principles. This report  represents an important first step in mapping the evolution of Blue Economy concepts, proposing a definition and founding principles for all Blue Economy-related work, through the prism of conservation and sustainable development, in all regions across the globe.