Introduction

The oceans provide various ecosystem services or what are also referred to as the “benefits that people desire from ecosystems” (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005). It is therefore necessary to know the types or nature of services that humans receive from the oceans and the scale or level of human activities that can be exerted without causing imbalances that could affect sustainability. Achieving sustainability requires strong public understanding of the importance of the ocean. This therefore calls for enhanced outreach and communication efforts through the development of mechanisms and partnerships to build capacity for outreach and awareness programmes. The major types of ecosystem services are described in Chapter 3. For sustainability the following are needed: scientific understanding of the services; assessment of the level of food production which results from various ecological processes, in order to address food security and safety; assessment of aesthetic uses of the ocean environment; and the level and type of capacity for studying and managing human activities and their impacts arising from exploitation of the ecosystem services. The level of capacitybuilding reflects, among other things, the efforts at identifying knowledge gaps in science, technological advances, human skills development and infrastructure.

To fulfil the overall objective of the Regular Process, all States need to address the overall objectives of the Regular Process as set out in the reports of the Ad Hoc Working Group of the Whole (AHWGW) to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) (A/64/347, 65/358), and the United Nations Secretary-General's Report (A65/69/Add.1) (UNGA 2010, UNGA/AHWGW 2009 and 2010). This outcome can only be achieved with significant efforts at capacity-building. The Regular Process itself therefore promotes, facilitates, and, within its capabilities, ensures that capacity-building and technology transfer are undertaken through promoting technical cooperation, including South-South cooperation amongst developing countries and taking gender and equitable geographical distribution into account. Over the long-term (i.e., beyond this first Assessment), the Regular Process will support and promote capacity-building through identifying opportunities and facilitate linkages for international cooperation that includes technical cooperation and technology transfer with regard to developing countries (in particular the least developed countries, African coastal States and Small Island Developing States), in order to improve the capacity in these geographical areas to undertake integrated assessments. Substantial capacity-building efforts are being undertaken by United Nations agencies through technical cooperation programmes.