Eutrophication Working Group

Background and Rationale

Eutrophication, the process wherein water is enriched by nutrients, is particularly disruptive to the environment. This process can lead to increased growth, production and biomass of algae, changes in the balance of organisms and water quality degradation. This can lead to harmful algal blooms, hypoxia, fish kills, sea grass die off, loss of coral reef and nearshore hard bottom habitats and health hazards to swimmers and fishers. In both coastal and inland waters, excessive nutrient inputs come from anthropogenic sources including agricultural fertilizers, livestock waste and outlets from wastewater treatment plants. Eutrophication is ultimately undesirable as it can significantly degrade ecosystem health and/or the sustainable provision of goods and services.

There are several indicators which are used to assess the degree of eutrophication. These indicators can be measured directly by analyzing nutrients, or indirectly by analyzing processes that are caused by or are related to nutrient inputs (such as chlorophyll-a, water transparency and dissolved oxygen). Earth observation data derived from satellite imagery, remote sensing and in situ sources can be used to measure these proxy indicators. This data can also be used to facilitate the development of integrated systems capable of detecting and assessing the magnitude of eutrophication events. These systems can be employed by stakeholders to monitor and manage coastal and inland waters to reduce the impacts of eutrophication in vulnerable communities. Eutrophication proxy data derived from Earth Observation systems can also be used to impact national policy and decision making in response to climate change and progress towards sustainable development goals.

Current Actions

Past Actions

Understanding the State of the Ocean: A Global Manual on Measuring SDG 14.1.1, SDG 14.2.1 and SDG 14.5.1
GEO Blue Planet supported the development of the methodology for Sustainable Development Goal indicator 14.1.1a (coastal eutrophication potential).

THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS REPORT 2021
GEO Blue Planet supports the development of the storyline and data set submissions for global indicators for Sustainable Development Goal indicator 14.1.1a (coastal eutrophication potential).

Objectives

The objectives of GEO Blue Planet Eutrophication Working Group are to:

Work with stakeholders at the global, regional and local scales to identify data and information gaps (stakeholder engagement).

To achieve this objective, we will work with countries to identify the needs and gaps in data availability and knowledge sharing for the eutrophication observing community across local, regional and global levels. This will be done through the organization of user engagement workshops and virtual consultations with coastal and inland stakeholders.

Provide networking and coordination support to connect the eutrophication community (cooperation and co-design).

To achieve this objective, we will invite communities of practice together to share information, improve international communication, and leverage existing efforts. Networking practices involve identifying information needs from decision makers and connecting with existing groups.

Identify best practices in eutrophication related observations to inform policy recommendations and measure the impact of mitigation strategies (capacity development).

To achieve this objective, we will identify and share best practices of eutrophication related data collection and dissemination in an effort to promote standardization and interoperability of eutrophication data derived from inland, coastal and ocean observations. This will be done in coordination with the GEO AquaWatch effort and will focus on the applications of new techniques and technologies, such as remote sensing, as well as best practices for modeling of eutrophication.

Support UN Environment, international, regional organizations and Member States in the monitoring and reporting of SDGs. (cooperation and co-design).

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals includes a goal (SDG 14 – Life Below Water) to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. SDG 14 Target 14.1 “by 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds (…)” provides a deadline for progress on reducing marine litter which is informed by SDG indicator 14.1.1a, “Index of Coastal Eutrophication”. To support UN Environment, international and regional organizations, and Member States, we propose developing an integrated system featuring both inland and coastal observational data to aid in the monitoring and reporting of SDG 14.1.1 and other pertinent SDGs.

Resources

General Resources

This Working Group is supported by its members on a “best-effort” basis, who will provide scientific and technical expertise.
The GEO Blue Planet Secretariat will support the following Working Group activities: ensure actions are on track, schedule meetings, ensure Working Group activities are align with GEO Blue planet missions, provide connections to other GEO Blue Planet Working Groups and Activities, connect the Working Group co-chairs with the Steering Committee and the Executive Committee and connect Working Groups with relevant grants or funding opportunities available through GEO.
The implementation of actual partnerships and formal collaboration agreements aligned with the identified deliverables and involving members of this Working Group will require the identification of the appropriate funding opportunities inside or outside GEO Blue Planet’s and/or other member agencies domains.

Data Processing Support by Esri

Esri is supporting the data processing and visualizations of the Working Groups efforts related to Sustainable Development Goal indicator 14.1.1a (coastal eutrophication potential).

Working group Composition

Co-chairs

Coming soon!

Secretariat Lead

Emily Smail (GEO Blue Planet Executive Director) and Nikelene Mclean (GEO Blue Planet Knauss Fellow)

Members

Danny Ghafari (UN Environment)

Ekaterina Poleshchuk (UN Environment)

Keith VanGraafeiland (Esri)

Veronica Lance (NOAA)

Sathyadev Ramachandran (NOAA)

Blake Schaeffer (EPA)

Karina Von Shuckmann (Mercator Ocean International)

Thomas Jackson (Plymouth Marine Laboratory)

Additional members coming soon!

As a voluntary group, membership to the working group organizing committee and project task is open. To inquire about the working group, please contact the secretariat lead.

Deliverables 2022-2025

Action 1
Peer-reviewed publication on global SDG indicator 14.1.1a indicators
GEO Blue Planet developed two satellite- derived global indicators for indicator 14.1.1a. For this action, we will produce a peer-reviewed publication providing an overview and insights into the indicators.
Action 2
Reporting Support for SDG indicator 14.1.1a
GEO Blue Planet developed two satellite-derived global indicators for indicator 14.1.1a. In collaboration with Esri, this data is being supplied yearly to UN Environment for yearly reporting on the indicator as well as analyzed for the yearly SDG report. For this action, the data will continue to be analyzed yearly in collaboration with UN Environment.
Action 3
Eutrophication data dashboards, information hub and toolkits for SDG indicator 14.1.1a
This action involves producing visualizations of 14.1.1a indicator data and co-designing tools with users that assist with decision making. Ultimately, the aim of this activity is to combine the indicator data with other information such as land use change, riverine discharge and agriculture data to identify sources of eutrophication and inform management decisions.

This activity will be done in collaboration with other GEO groups such as EO4SDGs, GEO AquaWatch and potentially GEO GloWs, GEO GLAM and regional GEO groups and/or data cube initiatives.
Action 4
Support for higher resolution, locally-tuned products
The global SDG products have the benefit of being globally comparable but are at a fairly low spatial resolution. Some regions, such as the Northwest Pacific and Europe, have developed SDG 14.1.1a indicators that are specifically tailored to their specific region and use high resolution data and regionally-tuned algorithms. This action will involve working with regional stakeholders to support technology transfer and capacity development for the generation of specific eutrophication monitoring products in other regions.

EUTROPHICATION

Eutrophication Working Group

Background and Rationale

Current Actions

EUTROPHICATION INFORMATION HUB

Past Actions

Understanding the State of the Ocean: A Global Manual on Measuring SDG 14.1.1, SDG 14.2.1 and SDG 14.5.1

THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS REPORT 2021

Objectives

Resources

Working group Composition

Deliverables 2022-2025

Action 1

Peer-reviewed publication on global SDG indicator 14.1.1a indicators

Action 2

Reporting Support for SDG indicator 14.1.1a

Action 3

Eutrophication data dashboards, information hub and toolkits for SDG indicator 14.1.1a

Action 4

Support for higher resolution, locally-tuned products

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