GOBI partners are involved in a number of activities that contribute valuable data and information to the marine conservation agenda.
GOBI’s most recent project was a seven-year programme of work (2016-2023) funded by Germany’s International Climate Initiative. This work comprised a range of activities coordinated by the GOBI Secretariat and implemented by GOBI partners CSIRO, Duke University, the University of Queensland, MarViva Foundation, BirdLife International and the Tethys Research Institute. The project’s overarching objective was to use EBSA descriptions as the basis for promoting environmental protection and management for specific areas of the global ocean. The programme of work comprised six themes:
- Biogeographies for the SW Pacific and Indian Oceans
- Ecosystem connectivity and area-based planning in ABNJ
- The Costa Rica Thermal Dome
- Seabird data integration
- Hydrothermal vent ecosystems
- Important Marine Mammal Areas
This work has helped determine the strengths, challenges and limitations of available marine ecosystem data, whilst generating new data and knowledge to fill identified gaps. The highlights, key results and achievements of this project are summarised in a report:
When a plan comes together: Achievements and highlights from the Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative’s grant under the International Climate Initiative, 2016-2023
With this work, GOBI contributed towards the fulfilment of the CBD’s Strategic Plan for Biodiversity and associated Aichi Biodiversity Targets, as well as inform the development and refinement of the CBD Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Results from the project also have direct application to the work of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) and the International Seabed Authority, as well as providing valuable information and knowledge to regional seas organisations and the new Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (the BBNJ Agreement).
