Joint Initiative Highlights
Joint Initiative Leadership Council applauds efforts by Senator Boxer and Senator Whitehouse to establish the National Endowment for the Oceans
October 3, 2011
On behalf of the Joint Initiative Leadership Council, Co-Chairs Bill Ruckelshaus and Norm Mineta sent letters to Chairwoman Boxer and Senator Whitehouse to thank them for including the National Endowment for the Oceans, Coasts, and Great Lakes in the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2011 (RESTORE Act). The Act was approved by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on September 21 and, if passed, will establish a much-needed stream of funding to protect the ocean and coastal ecosystems upon which so many people’s health and livelihood depends. The Joint Initiative enthusiastically supports a dedicated funding source to improve ocean and coastal science and management and commends the Committee for moving this important legislation forward.
Read a letter from the Joint Initiative to Chairwoman Boxer here
Read a letter from the Joint Initiative to Senator Whitehouse here
America’s Ocean Future
Ensuring Healthy Oceans to Support a Vibrant Economy
June 7, 2011
Today, the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative released a report, America’s Ocean Future: Ensuring Healthy Oceans to Support a Vibrant Economy, that calls on leaders to support effective implementation of the National Ocean Policy. The report makes recommendations about three fundamental components the Joint Initiative believes are essential for the National Ocean Policy to achieve its potential to improve ocean governance: robust federal coordination, in particular enhanced collaboration with and support for states and regions; better collection and delivery of science and data to support decision making; and immediate investments that would increase government efficiency and effectiveness, including through establishment of an ocean investment fund. These recommendations set the stage for a future assessment by the Joint Initiative, in the form of a report card, of progress in implementing actions that will protect ocean ecosystems so that they can support ocean and coastal economies and protect the many American jobs that depend on them.
Joint Initiative Leadership Council Applauds President Obama’s Executive Order to Create a National Ocean Policy
July 19, 2010
Today, President Obama took a critical step toward meaningful ocean policy reform to protect and restore our oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes by signing an Executive Order establishing a National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes. The Executive Order directs federal agencies to adopt and implement the final recommendations of the Ocean Policy Task Force, released earlier today and available here. The Task Force recommendations call for the establishment of a national ocean policy with a strong federal coordinating structure and an effective framework for implementation based on coastal and marine spatial planning. The Task Force recommendations center around the creation of a National Ocean Council which will be the major decision making body responsible for overseeing the implementation and coordination of the national ocean policy. The Joint Initiative enthusiastically supports the President’s action and the Task Force recommendations and urges Congress to take action to secure a dedicated funding source for the national ocean policy. Recent events in the Gulf of Mexico contribute dramatically to the evidence that our oceans and coasts are in dire need of this policy in order to provide a common vision for ocean management in the United States.
Read the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative press statement here.
Read a letter from the Joint Initiative Leadership Council Co-chairs thanking President Obama here.
Oceans and coasts are severely threatened, domestically and around the world. The Joint Initiative’s primary goal is to accelerate the pace of change that results in meaningful ocean policy reform. The Joint Initiative brings extraordinary expertise, perspective, and diversity of interests to the ocean policy dialogue. The Joint Initiative works with people and organizations at the national, regional, state, and local levels to build durable support for ocean policy reform at all levels of decision making. Through its work the Joint Initiative seeks to expand our collective understanding of the threats facing our oceans and to enable actions that address them so that our oceans remain vibrant and healthy for current and future generations.
