The Wadden Sea is the largest tidal flat system in the world, ranging from the Netherlands via Germany to Denmark. Due to its Outstanding Universal Value, as well as the progress that has been made in protecting and managing the Wadden Sea, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009. The World Heritage Site area comprises most of the Wadden Sea and spans almost 11.500 km² across a coastline of about 500 km.

There are many factors that make the Wadden Sea an outstanding and valuable ecosystem. The geology and geological processes are very unique, as the coastline is extremely dynamic and constantly shaped by tides and wind. Through these processes, a diverse range of habitats have been created over time, such as large mud flats, saltmarshes, and sand dunes. However, not only long-term dynamics play a role. On a daily basis, the large tides move about 15 km³ of water in and out of the tidal area twice a day. These dynamics make the Wadden Sea a challenging place to live in, forcing its inhabitants – animals and plants alike – to adapt to the changing environment. Nevertheless, it is a major hotspot for biodiversity and the biomass productivity is one of the highest worldwide. Over 10.000 species can be found here and in the course of a year up to 12 million migratory birds stop over. The Wadden Sea is not only of great importance to migratory birds but also to coastal birds in general. It is an ideal habitat for them due to the immense availability of food, lack of mammalian predators, and undisturbed nature of some of the islands. The tidal flats harbor the largest population of lungworms worldwide with about 1 billion individuals. They play an important role for the ecosystem, as they recycle the upper sediment layer several times a year and thus keep the flats sandy.

The Wadden Sea and the immense biodiversity it harbors are nowadays threatened by anthropogenic influences like tourism. Being one of the most popular tourist destinations in Northern Europe, the Wadden Sea area saw over 53 million overnight stays in 2013 [1]. This is not even counting the number of day trippers, which are also in the millions each year [1]. Besides this, climate change and the associated sea level rise is expected to have a great effect on the Wadden Sea ecosystem. An increase in temperature and precipitation is already visible, which has led to an influx of southern warm-water species, northern migration of some cold-water species, as well as changes in the timing of life cycle events [2]. These changes, in turn, affect the food web in the Wadden Sea and might cause an imbalance in the trophic network [2]. Tidal flats and salt marshes might be able to keep up with the sea level rise to some extent, but other habitats might disappear [2]. Besides changes in temperature and sea level, changes in wind patterns and associated storm surges will also affect the Wadden Sea area. An increased flooding risk of salt marshes could, for example, limit the breeding success of birds [2]. Changes in precipitation patterns can also affect the Wadden Sea ecosystems via changes in riverine runoff and estuarian circulation [2].

In recognition of its uniqueness and important value, the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark have joined forces to protect and manage the Wadden Sea through the Trilateral Wadden Sea Cooperation (TWSC) since 1978, which in turn is coordinated by the Common Wadden Sea Secretariat. The guiding principle of this cooperation is to “achieve, as far as possible, a natural and sustainable ecosystem in which natural processes proceed in an undisturbed way” [3]. Nowadays, most of the Wadden Sea is protected in form of national parks and nature reserves.

The three main areas of work of the TWSC are conservation, sustainable development, and environmental education. They continuously monitor the Wadden Sea in different aspects like wildlife, human activities, and ecological processes and regularly publish their findings in the Wadden Sea Quality Status Report. Additionally, they have conservation projects on various topics. Regarding climate change, they aim to enhance the ecosystems resilience through nature-based solutions. Coastal protection against sea level rise plays an especially important role here. For the protection of migratory birds and their habitat, the Wadden Sea Flyway Initiative has been established. To limit human interference with the ecosystem, a framework for sustainable fisheries has been developed and major parts of the Wadden Sea are designated Particularly Sensitive Sea Areas where marine activities are controlled. The TWSC also aims at creating sustainable tourism while enhancing people’s awareness on the value and importance of the Wadden Sea. The latter is also being done through environmental education programs.

If you would like to get involved in the conservation of the Wadden Sea yourself or are interested in marine/wetland ecology or ornithology, there are internship and job opportunities in this area. Some helpful links are listed below:  

https://www.waddensea-worldheritage.org/job-vacancies

https://multimar-wattforum.de/nationalpark-zentrum/jobs.html

https://www.nationalpark-wattenmeer.de/mitmachen/mitarbeiten/stellenangebote/

https://www.nationalpark-wattenmeer.de/wissensbeitrag/cb-praktikum-auf-scharhoern/

Where not indicated otherwise, the source for this blog entry is the official Wadden Sea World Heritage website: https://www.waddensea-worldheritage.org/

If this post has sparked your interest in the Wadden Sea, you can find much more information on the official website. Don’t forget to follow the Wadden Sea World Heritage on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the most-up-to-date news about this special place!

Other References:

[1] Bjarnason J.-B., Günther W. & Revier H. (2017) Tourism. In: Wadden Sea Quality Status Report 2017. Eds.: Kloepper S. et al., Common Wadden Sea Secretariat, Wilhelmshaven, Germany. Last updated 21.12.2017. Downloaded 30.08.2021. https://qsr.waddensea-worldheritage.org/reports/tourism

[2] Philippart C.H.M, Mekkes L., Buschbaum C., Wegner K.M. & Laursen K. (2017) Climate ecosystems. In: Wadden Sea Quality Status Report 2017. Eds.: Kloepper S. et al., Common Wadden Sea Secretariat, Wilhelmshaven, Germany. Last updated 21.12.2017. Downloaded 30.08.2021. https://qsr.waddensea-worldheritage.org/reports/climate-ecosystems

[3] CWSS (2017) Introduction. In: Wadden Sea Quality Status Report 2017. Eds.: Kloepper S. et al., Common Wadden Sea Secretariat, Wilhelmshaven, Germany. Last updated 01.03.2018. Downloaded 30.08.2021. https://qsr.waddensea-worldheritage.org/reports/introduction

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Among other vital roles in ecosystem functioning, blue carbon ecosystems are named as they are because they serve an important function in sequestering and storing carbon from both the atmosphere and oceans. As atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations continue to increase, and anthropogenic climate change descends upon the planet, more focus is being made on the carbon sequestration capacities of ecosystems. Blue carbon ecosystems “sequester and store more carbon per unit area than terrestrial forests and are now being recognized for their role in mitigating climate change.”¹ An example of this increased attention is the 2021 UNESCO World Heritage assessment of the blue carbon assets across their sites. The UNESCO World Heritage List includes sites recognized as reflective of humans’ common heritage, “a legacy to pass on to future generations”.²

Included in the UNESCO World Heritage list are 50 marine sites found across 37 nations. UNESCO’s Marine World Heritage report, Guardians of the globe’s blue carbon assets (2021), shares that while only representing 0.57% of global ocean area, World Heritage marine sites and their immediate surrounding area account for at least 21% of the global area of blue carbon ecosystems, and the carbon stores here are equivalent to about 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2018.

Of the 50 sites, 21 have been recognized for their blue carbon ecosystems. Examples of World Heritage Sites that received this distinction include the world’s largest unbroken area of mangroves in Everglades National Park (USA); Seagrass beds in Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture (Spain), added in part for the presence of Posidonia oceanica, the oldest and largest known living organism on the planet; and the Wadden Sea, spanning Denmark, Germany, and Netherlands, which includes the world’s largest tidal flats composed of seagrass and tidal marshes.

Mangroves in Everglades National Park, USA. Photograph by Phil Degginger. Source: https://fineartamerica.com

Blue carbon ecosystems have stored carbon for millennia and, if functional, are expected to increase their capacity as carbon sinks. Protecting these ecosystems is not simple, however, even for UNESCO World Heritage sites. Local pressures from competing land-use priorities and pollution, in tandem with non-localized degradation from climate change impacts and plastic litter circulating in the world’s oceans, make protection of these areas a ceaseless challenge. And just as they store carbon when functional, they release carbon when degraded or destroyed, making the protection even more critical in the response to mitigating anthropogenic climate change.

One aspect of UNESCO’s approach to protecting blue carbon World Heritage sites is to fund conservation through emerging opportunities in blue carbon markets. This could include the sites qualifying for carbon financing through the United Nations carbon offset program (https://offset.climateneutralnow.org). UNESCO’s recent report quantifying current and potential carbon stocks of World Heritage blue carbon ecosystems is an early step in this approach. Success in protecting these sites not only will support the World Heritage aim of recognizing the common heritage of humankind at specific sites: Protecting these ecosystems and restoring them so that they naturally continue to sequester carbon, will contribute to offsetting global carbon emissions, and can support meeting international goals in carbon emission reductions.

1. Herr, D. and E. Landis (2016). Coastal blue carbon ecosystems: Opportunities for Nationally Determined Contributions. Policy Brief. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN and Washington, DC, USA: TNC.
2. UNESCO. 2020. UNESCO Marine World Heritage: Custodians of the globe’s blue carbon assets. Paris, France.

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IPBES Chair Sir Robert Walton released the following statement:
“The issue of gender is of paramount importance to IPBES, but we still have a long way to go to get balanced representation. I encourage all governments to nominate women to all IPBES structures and activities.”

While there clearly is a great deal of work remaining to better promote and elevate gender equality, one thing is certain: the work of IPBES would not be possible without the superb contributions and leadership of women.

The future is female!

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Group 1 has discussed issues of local and indigenous knowledge and the review of IPBES. Issues discussed include the scope of the review, who will conduct the review, budget considerations, and how the results of the review will be used.

Group 2, meanwhile, has discussed the pending assessments, the scope of the sustainable use of wild species scoping document and capacity building. Specific issues under consideration include which of the pending assessments should be prioritised and whether the pending assessments should be commenced—questions which garnered a great deal of debate and disagreement among member nations. As commencement of the pending assessments is very much dependent upon budget considerations, Group 2 will meet with the budget group today.

As the discussions within the contact groups are open negotiations, details of country positions and the issues discussed cannot be published on the blog.

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1. A values assessment
2. An assessment of invasive species
3. An assessment of sustainable use of wild species.

Each of these assessments would cost approximately $1 million USD and take three years to complete.

Numerous countries, including Mexico, Colombia, and the Africa Group have stressed the critical importance of these new projects and their immediate implementation in 2017. However, not all countries agree on which thematic area should be prioritized. Several countries, including Japan, Sweden and China see the values assessment as being critical for direction of future policy. The Africa Group and the CITES secretariat highlighted the importance of the assessment of the sustainable use of wild species.

Other nations, however, noted the great limitations on financial and human resources, and argued that beginning the pending assessments before the current assessments have been completed would not be prudent or advisable. Among these countries were Germany, the United States, and New Zealand. Several countries also pointed out that it may be worthwhile to wait for the results of the regional assessments so that these can be used in scoping the pending assessments. Norway suggested that this may result in more targeted assessment and prevent duplication of work.

Contact groups on budget and the pending assessments will meet this afternoon. The assessments group will have to discuss whether any of the pending assessments should start–if so, which one and when. The two contact groups will also have to meet with one another to determine how any further assessments can be funded.

Owing to the diverse views on all of these issues, discussions are likely to be lively. The Chair Sir Robert Walton noted that parties should be polite and friendly with one another.

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The pollination assessment has had a wide impact. It has been taken up by governments of member states, the FAO, the scientific community, and CBD among others. There is now a coalition of the willing on pollinators who are now acting to protect pollinators; collaborating, sharing information, providing funding for research etc. Other member states were invited to join this coalition of the willing.

Speakers emphasized the need to find synergies between work on climate change and biodiversity. Biodiversity will play a key role in both mitigation of emissions and adaptation to climate change. Country level integration of biodiversity into development and investment strategies and across sectors will be critical to achieving climate change goals and the SDGs – and time is short. We need to reduce emissions, increase resilience and have a long-term vision of stewardship for biodiversity and ecosystem services. Emphasis was placed on the need to strengthen partnerships across sectors. This will be key in the future as the traditional approach of dealing with biodiversity in isolation is not sufficient if goals e.g. Aichi targets are to be met.

Opening statements were made by speakers representing different regions. Most regions expressed enthusiasm and continued support for the IPBES. The USA, however, took a notably pessimistic tone. The United States representative regarded the goals and direction of IPBES as “overly ambitious”; emphasizing the need to focus on realistic goals based on the current budget, the USA stated that it would not support the start of any new assessments or activities unless others are eliminated.

The EU has requested enhanced observer states, similar to that which it maintains in the IPCC. This would enable active engagement in terms of right to speak and reply, and to provide financial support to IPBES. Although many countries supported this move, the Africa Group repeatedly expressed its opposition.

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The incorporation of indigenous knowledge cannot be limited to late-stage discussions. Rather, successful implementation of the IPBES work programme must necessarily involve local and indigenous actors from the very beginning. This includes engaging with local communities to determine questions about what kind of research is valuable; these conversations can guide planning and prioritization. Showcasing the impact of issues relevant to biodiversity and ecosystem services on these communities is likewise stressed as essential. To enable these types of dialogue, local dialogue workshops were proposed.

The involvement of indigenous and local peoples in the mission and activities of IPBES is truly one of mutual benefits. All to often, the needs of these groups go unrecognized in strategy and policy planning. Equally problematic is the failure to recognize these groups’ unique skills and contribution regarding local habitats and ecosystems in the plans that will directly affect them. Local and indigenous people have demonstrated elite-level skills in such activities as mapping from which IPBES can greatly beneficial.

What is certain is that any effort to incorporate the skills and contributions of indigenous peoples must be conscious of the imbalance of our relationship with these people. Too often, such knowledge has been used without true consent or any respect for the intentions of the contributors. A peer-to-peer relationship–one of true collaboration, consent, listening, and learning–with indigenous people is needed to address these ethical concerns.

The political marginalization–both historical and present–of indigenous peoples has suppressed and inhibited the contribution of indigenous knowledge of ecosystem. Hopefully, the concentrated efforts of IPBES will allow the invaluable skills and offerings of these groups to be implemented into the work of promoting and protecting biodiversity and ecosystem services in a productive, respectful, and mutually beneficial manner.

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Involving more actors, including local communities and indigenous people, in creating knowledge about biodiversity is a major focus. Opportunities and challenges for incorporating more stakeholders need to be identified.

Several potential solutions and strategic directions were raised. Innovation was highlighted, noting the goal of improving web usage, capabilities, and presence for the purpose of increasing accessibility. A broader web presence is intended to be implemented not only for IPBES, but likewise for IPCC. Thus, the external outreach and activities of these organizations can be complemented and expanded.

A question from the floor raised a specific problem within the broader issue stakeholder engagement: How can we improve communication with local—in particular, rural—communities. These communities directly affect land use and have been shown to create significant political upset when decision makers become perceived as elites.

Addressing this problem requires simple-level communication, which is especially difficult for the academic-types which largely make up the body of organizations like IPBES. While it was accepted that this type of communication is a persistently difficult task, early education in relevant issues was raised as a potential solution. As the popular movement for recycling demonstrated, directly involving children in environmental issues can have a trickle-up effect and yield parental involvement. This strategy may help to improve engagement with local community members.

“No more new assessments!”. There are currently six assessments underway: land degradation, global, and four regional assessments. Budget issues will limit the ability of IPBES to coordinate more assessments in the near future.

However, improving communication of assessment content is a consistent priority. Robert Spaull, head of IPBES communication, spoke at length about communication strategies–both broad and minutely technical.

Engaging traditional media was underscored as a goal with significant room for improvement; contact consolidation and collaboration are particular goals that are stressed within a 12 month media outreach plan that is underway. An emphasis on opinion pieces and the formation of regional communication and outreach networks likewise hold a prominent place within this strategy.

As is the case in almost every 21^st century issue, the strategic role of social media was reinforced. It was here that the technical strategies were raised to better focus the social media outreach of IPBES—such as advising the use of a consistent hashtag (#IPBES5) for the current conference.

And, even more essential than a consistent hashtag, the issue of a consistent acronym pronunciation was addressed. Is the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services to be referred to as “I-P-B-E-S”? “I-P-bes”? Or perhaps the phonetic pronunciation, “Ip-bes”?

As Spaull concluded, phonetic pronunciations are memorable, and should be utilized when verbally possible. And so, the pronunciation “Ip-bes” was settled upon.

One small issue of IPBES successfully accomplished! Many more to go.

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