fig. 3.4 > Currently there are many different institutions dealing with the oceans, which makes it harder to establish a unified approach to marine protection. These ins-titutions can be categorized into different governance levels: 1. globally responsible UN authorities which deal exclusively with oceans, such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO); 2. UN authorities like the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) which deal principally with other aspects, only partly relating to the sea; 3. international organizations dealing for the most part with geographically delimited sea regions, such as the Oslo-Paris Convention (OSPAR) responsible for the Northeast Atlantic; 4. non-governmental institutions. Beyond this, every national state is responsible for protecting its territorial waters itself by adopting relevant laws. This nation-state level of governance is not shown here. © Kronfeld-Goharani/Geomar
CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CCAMLR Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CLCS Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf CMS Convention on Migratory Species COL Consortium for Ocean Leadership (NGO comprising various marine research institutions) COS Center for Oceans Solutions (professional training institution of various marine research institutions) CSI Cetacean Society International (NGO for the protection of whales) DESA Department of Economic and Social Affairs (of the UN) DOALOS Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea DSCC Deep Sea Conservation Coalition EMSEA European Marine Science Educators Association EU European Union FAO Food and Agriculture Organization GEF Global Environment Facility GESAMP Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection GOBI Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative GOF Global Ocean Forum Greenpeace NGO for protection of the natural environment HELCOM Helsinki Commission (inter-state commission for protection of the Baltic Sea) HLPF High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (UN forum) ICES International Council for the Exploration of the Sea ICRI International Coral Reef Initiative ICSF International Collective in Support of Fishworkers ICSU International Council for Science ICSU/SCOR Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research ICSU/SCAR Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research IMBER Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research IMO International Maritime Organization IOC Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (under the auspices of UNESCO) IOC CARIBE IOC Sub-Commission for the Caribbean and Adjacent Regions IOC WESTPAC IOC Sub-Commission for the Western Pacific IOC AFRICA IOC Sub-Commission for Africa and the Adjacent Island States IOI International Ocean Institute (NGO for the protection of the oceans) IPSO International Programme on the State of the Ocean ISA International Seabed Authority IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources IWC International Whaling Commission MBI Monaco Blue Initiative (NGO promoting the creation of marine protected areas) MEA Multilateral Environmental Agreement OCR Ocean Conservation Research (NGO for the abatement of ocean noise pollution) OCEANA NGO for the conservation of marine biodiversity OSPAR Oslo and Paris Convention (Convention on protection of the North-East Atlantic and the North Sea) PacMara Pacific Marine Analysis and Research Association PEMSEA Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia PICES North Pacific Marine Science Organization PEW Charitable Trusts (independent non-profit foundation) RFMOs Regional Fisheries Management Organizations RSP Regional Seas Programmes SOI Sustainable Ocean Initiative UN United Nations UNDG UN Development Group UNDP UN Development Programme UNEP UN Environment Programme UNESCO UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNGA United Nations General Assembly UN-OHRLLS UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States UNSG Secretary-General of the UN WOC World Ocean Council WWF World Wide Fund (NGO for nature conservation)