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Annex 2: Brief timeline of major events re: OECMs in a Nordic/​Arctic context

2010: Discussions on the concept at the 10th Convention of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan
2010: Adoption of Aichi Biodiversity Targets including Target 11
  • “By 2020, at least 17 per cent of terrestrial and inland water, and 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, especially areas of particular importance for biodiversity and ecosystem services, are conserved through effectively and equitably managed, ecologically representative and well-connected systems of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures and integrated into the wider landscapes and seascapes.”
    2015: The CBD invited IUCN to provide advice, and the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas WCPA Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures Specialist Group was established
    2016: Fisheries and Oceans Canada publishes Operational Guidance for Identifying OECMs in Canada’s Marine Environment
    2015–2018: IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas WCPA Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures Specialist Group provided advice to CBD
    2018: Decision 14/8 of the 14th Convention of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt defined OECMs:
    • “A geographically defined area other than a Protected Area, which is governed and managed in ways that achieve positive and sustained long-term outcomes for the in situ conservation of biodiversity with associated ecosystem functions and services and where applicable, cultural, spiritual, socio-economic, and other locally relevant values.”
    2019: IUCN-WCPA Task Force on OECMs publishes “Recognising and reporting other effective area-based conservation measures”
    2019–2021: Finland OECM Working Group established
    2020–2021: Norway publishes “Norway’s integrated plan for the conservation of areas of special importance for marine biodiversity”
    2021: ICES/​IUCN-CEM FEG Workshop on Testing OECM Practices and Strategies (WKTOPS)
    2021: President Biden’s Executive Order 14008 Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad; America the Beautiful initiative
    2022: Government of Canada publishes “Guidance for recognizing marine OECMs"
    2022: HELCOM regional OECM Workshop
    2022: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations publishes "A handbook for identifying, evaluating and reporting other effective area-based conservation measures in marine fisheries”.
    2023: IUCN publication of “Site-level tool for identifying other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs)”
    2023: ICES Workshop to evaluate long-term biodiversity/ecosystem benefits of NEAFC closed and restricted areas (WKECOVME)
    2023: IMPAC5 Congress session focusing on MPAs and OECMs in Vancouver, Canada.
    2023: Iceland establishes a task force to analyze current status of legal and policy framework regarding marine conservation areas including MPAs and OECMs
    Nordic Council of Ministers I www.norden.org/publications I pub@norden.org