World Wildlife Fund

Will Gartshore

Posted 2 June 2008, 11:55 AM

Hi - I am Will Gartshore, and I work in the WWF Government Relations team, based in Washington DC. I research and lobby on marine issues, species conservation and climate policy - helping with outreach to Members of Congress, federal and state representatives, industry and stakeholders.

WWF is working on a number of important pieces of legislation affecting oceans that are being considered in the current Congress - legislation addressing marine ecosystem health, international oceans governance, and adaptation of marine and coastal environments to climate change and ocean acidification.

Two legislative initiatives I am currently working on are 'Oceans 21' and the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act of 2008. These are important bills that would go a long way towards conserving our oceans and coasts, providing coordination and funding to federal, state and local efforts to protect, maintain and restore marine ecosystem health, especially in light of climate change. I have also been working to encourage the U.S. Senate to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) - a treaty that solidifies the international legal framework that governs the world's oceans.

I look forward to blogging during CHOW, which should be a very interesting week for marine and climate policy, and to receiving your comments on these and other topics.

Thanks, Will

Posted 2 June 2008, 12:00 PM

Tomorrow is the official start of Capitol Hill Oceans Week (CHOW), which brings together a wide-range of stakeholders to discuss current ocean and coastal issues. Panel speakers include Members of Congress, as well as representatives of the federal and state governments, industry, academia, and nonprofits. This year, the symposium will focus on the effects of climate change on the oceans. Topics will include the state of the science, climate change impacts on marine natural resources and the humans who depend on them, and potential solutions, as well as legislative updates. CHOW offers WWF an opportunity to highlight the work of its various programs working on oceans and marine resources. By raising the profile of oceans-related issues on Capitol Hill, CHOW helps highlight WWF's conservation goals in the marine regions where it works - the Bering Sea, the Meso-American Reef, Coastal East Africa, the Galapagos, the Gulf of California, and Southeast Asia's Coral Triangle - as well as the work it does through its programs on Fisheries, Aquaculture, and the conservation of Marine Turtles.

This year, WWF is participating in CHOW in a number of ways, including as a sponsor of the entire event. Tonight, WWF will hold a kick-off event in conjunction with CHOW that will include a briefing on Arctic Ocean issues, entitled "Challenges at the Top of the World", followed by a reception. The briefing discussion will be moderated by Bill Eichbaum, Vice President and Managing Director of the WWF-US Marine Program, and will include expert speakers on climate change, fisheries, oil and gas, and Arctic governance. On Wednesday afternoon, Jose Villalon, Director of the WWF-US Aquaculture program, will be featured during a panel discussion on "Aquaculture: Understanding the Key Challenges for Sustainability". And WWF is the main sponsor of the Capitol Hill Oceans Week Coral Reception on Wednesday evening, celebrating 2008 as the International Year of the Reef and recognizing partnerships for coral reef conservation, with Bill Eichbaum acting as Master of Ceremonies and offering closing remarks on behalf of the sponsoring organizations.

Posted 3 June 2008, 4.55 PM

Marcus P wrote:
I'm hearing a lot these days about 'saving the oceans'. How can one organization - like WWF - make a difference on something of this size and scale?

Will's response:
You're right that 'saving the oceans' is a huge undertaking, considering that oceans cover over 70% of the surface of the earth and the threats they face are many.

One of the ways in which WWF works to address these challenges is by reaching out to stakeholders in the U.S. Government to promote and support government legislation and policies that help to protect, maintain and restore the marine environment and the biodiversity supported by it.

WWF is also called upon to provide advice to Congress on legislation affecting biodiversity conservation. WWF's Marine and Fisheries programs house a wealth of expert knowledge on our oceans and their living marine resources - knowledge that lawmakers may draw on in their decision-making. Through its Congressional outreach, WWF helps to educate lawmakers on the complex issues involved in sustainably managing our marine resources, acts as a scientific resource for its government partners, and engages in advocacy, encouraging lawmakers to vote in ways that are supportive of oceans health.

WWF also works closely with federal agencies that have responsibilities over ocean resources - particularly the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - and collaborates with its NGO partners influence policy. Through these kinds of outreach and engagement - and by participating in events like CHOW - WWF is able to direct the attention of Congress and the Administration towards pressing issues affecting our oceans, inspiring government actions to effectively address them.

Posted 4 June 2008, 2.35 PM

Will's update from CHOW - Arctic briefing and reception

On Monday evening, June 2nd 2008, WWF helped kick-off CHOW by hosting a panel of experts on Arctic science, conservation, and climate change impacts, moderated by WWF's Vice President for the Marine portfolio, Bill Eichbaum. The briefing took place in the Rayburn Office Building on Capitol Hill and was a definite success, drawing about 75 attendees and followed by a reception where fresh Alaskan crab and salmon was served.

Fresh off his trip from Greenland, Dr. Robert Corell, Global Change Director at The Heinz Center, spoke on the effects of climate change in the Arctic, running down the science on what we currently know about the rapid melting of Arctic sea ice and Greenlandic glaciers and the huge changes that we can expect in the not-too-distant future.

Ambassador David Balton, Assistant Secretary for Oceans and Fisheries at the Department of State, spoke about the observed and expected changes in the range and distribution of fish stocks in the region, some of which are expected to move further northward into the Arctic as the water temperature warms.

Alaskan native Rosemary Ahtuangaurak put a human face to the changes underway in the Arctic. A board member and former mayor of the Inupiat Community of the Arctic Slope, Rosemary spoke about the very real human impact of oil and gas development in Alaska, how this affecting the health, diet and cultural practices of the local communities.

Brooks Yeager, Executive Vice President of Clean Air Cool Planet, concluded the briefing focusing on the need for cooperative governance in the Arctic region, specifically the need for the Arctic nations, including Canada, Russia, and the United States, to come together and develop an international approach to managing increased development in the region. Mr. Yeager's comments led to a discussion of the Law of the Sea and the importance of that international treaty with respect to an opening Arctic.

The evening rounded out at the reception with Alaska's finest seafood and a bit of star power. The star of Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch, and a native Alaskan, Captain Keith Colburn took to the podium (wearing a baseball cap and blue jeans in a sea of suits and ties) to give a heartfelt, salt-of-the-sea speech that touched on the risks he's taken fishing on the stormy Alaskan seas, but which focused on Bristol Bay and why drilling for oil and gas in the heart of North America's most productive fishery and one of the world's most valuable marine ecosystems is a risk that just isn't worth taking.

It was a great start to the week, setting the tone for several days' worth of discussion surrounding our oceans and the conservation challenges that they face.

Posted 4 June 2008, 3.11 PM

Carla P. wrote
We learned about ocean acidification in science class this year. Are there any laws about this yet?

Will's response:
While global warming and climate change have been a part of political debate for more than two decades now, ocean acidification is a relatively new issue on the Hill. Everyone has heard by now that the oceans are warming along with the rest of the planet leading to serious problems like the bleaching of coral reefs. On top of this warming, the oceans are becoming more acidic.

As more and more carbon dioxide is pumped into the atmosphere, it is absorbed in increasing amounts by the oceans. Scientists once thought that the oceans would be able to act as a carbon “sink”, slowing climate change by removing significant amounts of CO2 from the air. They now realize that, while this process may be somewhat beneficial to the atmosphere, it is creating a whole new threat to the oceans.

As carbon dioxide is absorbed into sea water, it is transformed into carbonic acid. The huge amounts of CO2 that have been taken up by the oceans since the industrial revolution have altered the pH balance of the oceans, turning them more acidic. This is a serious problem for marine organisms that make their shells and skeletons out of calcium carbonate, which begins to dissolve as sea water grows more acidic. If it continues unabated, acidification could devastate marine food webs and the ecosystems and economies that depend on them.

There is currently legislation in Congress that would develop an ocean acidification research and monitoring plan and establish an ocean acidification program within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is the lead federal agency responsible for oceans policy. The Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2007 (the FOARAM Act) was introduced in the Senate last year by Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and in the House by Sen. Tom Allen (D-ME) - both of whom hail from coastal states and recognize the severe consequences that acidification will have on the natural environment and the livelihoods of coastal communities. The Senate bill is currently moving forward, having passed the Senate Commerce Committee last fall. A number of Senate cosponsors have decided to offer the bill as an amendment to the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act, which is being debated on the Senate this week. A vote on that amendment could come as early as today, and if it were to pass, it would signal a strong step towards Congressional action to address the problem. In whatever form it passes and becomes law, it will be an important first step towards getting a handle on this serious and growing threat to our oceans and the ecosystems they support.

Posted 5 June 2008, 10.54 AM

Tom D. wrote:
Between the EPA, NOAA and all the other agencies of the US government, how do we coordinate something as broad as our ocean conservation effort

Will's response:
This is a great question. At present, there are 140 laws to manage ocean resources that are carried out by 20 different Federal agencies. With activity coming from so many different direction, there is currently no unifying vision to ensure the health, productivity and sustainability of our oceans and the services and natural resources that they provide.

This is why WWF is one of the environmental groups advocating for passage of Oceans-21 - a bill that is currently making its way through the House of Representatives. Oceans-21 would institute a National Oceans Policy, making it policy of the U.S. to protect, maintain and restore marine ecosystem health, which includes our oceans, coasts, estuaries and Great Lakes. The bill would provide our oceans with the Federal coordination and common vision they need by instituting a National Oceans Policy to achieve these goals. It would also create a National Oceans Advisor to the President to oversee the implementation of the national policy. Oceans-21 would require that Federal agencies whose actions significantly impact the health of the marine environment take the National Oceans Policy into account as they draft new regulations or revise old ones.

Oceans-21 was passed by a House subcommittee in April, and it's now waiting to be considered by the full House Natural Resources Committee before being taken up on the House floor, perhaps as early as this summer. I've been working on this issue for WWF for several months now, collaborating with our partners in the environmental community to rally support among members of Congress for Oceans-21. If you haven't already, sign up with WWF's Conservation Action Network to receive alerts regarding this bill and other oceans-related legislation so you that can voice your support and convince your representatives to take action on these important issues. It makes my job that much easier!

Posted 6 June, 10.04 AM

Will's update from CHOW - Coral Reef reception

As part of the ongoing events of Capitol Hill Ocean Week, WWF co-hosted a reception on Wednesday evening to highlight the plight of coral reefs and efforts to conserve them. Coral reefs are estimated to support 25% of all marine life, rivaling the tropical forests of the Amazon in their rich biodiversity. These extremely productive yet fragile ecosystems also provide food security, income, and a wealth of ecosystem services to millions of people around the world while creating natural barriers that protect coastal communities from the ravages of storms, hurricanes and coastal erosion.

2008 has been designated the International Year of the Reef, and Wednesday was definitely the Day of the Coral at CHOW. This evening's dinner was preceded by a briefing on coral reef conservation earlier in the day. The attention seems fitting given the importance of these marine ecosystems and the increasing threats they are under due to exploitation, climate change, and ocean acidification.

You can help us in our work to conserve coral reef and other marine activities, you can join our Conservation Action Network or read more about our work. Thanks!

Posted 6 June 4:20 PM

What a week! In addition to all of the CHOW-related events, the Senate took up comprehensive climate change legislation in the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act - a bill that would have huge impacts on the oceans by slowing greenhouse gas emissions and providing funding and strategies to help marine life adapt to warming and acidifying waters.

Yesterday morning, I attended a hearing held by the House Subcommittee for Energy and the Environment on the House ocean acidification bill. Rep. Jay Inslee (D-WA) and a panel of scientific experts testified on the issue, stressing the pressing need for ramped up research and monitoring. The subcommittee was very engaged as scientists described how excess CO₂ in the atmosphere is altering the pH of the oceans putting coral reefs, fisheries, and entire marine food chains at risk. Perhaps most disturbing, Dr. Richard Feely, an oceanographer with NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, revealed that two weeks ago highly corrosive water was discovered just off the coast of California - something scientists not expected to see for a century.

Later that evening, I ran into two other panelists at the annual "Fish Fest", which was held in the House Caucus Room. As I sampled salmon and shrimp prepared by local chefs, I had a chance to chat with Dr. Joan Kleypas of the National Center for Atmospheric Research and Brad Warren of the Sustainable Fishery Partnership about the science of acidification and the fisheries industry's growing concern over this serious threat. Dr. Kleypas did a particularly good job of communicating to the House panel the effects of this altered ocean chemistry. She likened the effect on corals and the skeletons of marine organisms to what happens to an egg when placed in jar of vinegar - return a couple of days later, and the shell will be gone - offering a dramatic analogy to the slower and much larger scale changes underway in the ocean. She also sounded a welcome note of optimism, noting that the surface of the ocean responds very quickly to atmospheric changes in CO₂ - so if we stop emitting it, the surface ocean at least will begin to de-acidify in response.

To top of a busy week, this morning the Climate Security Act failed to get enough votes to move forward in the Senate. However, in a sign of real progress, a record number of senators expressed their support for bringing the bill to a vote. 48 senators voted in favor (including 10 who had previously been opposed) and 6 more senators who could not be present issued statements of support, bringing the total to 54. A majority of senators are now on record in support of seriously considering legislation to significantly reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, including the presidential candidates of both parties. So things are looking up for next year, when a new Congress and a new president will be able to build on the growing momentum for real action on climate change.

And that's a wrap for CHOW 2008. Thanks so much for having me as your guest blogger the last few days. Hopefully you have a better sense of what's happening on Capitol Hill with respect to U.S. ocean policy. And remember to let your representatives know that our oceans need to be a priority - for the sake of our health, our enjoyment, our economy, and our planet.