Joint Initiative Highlights
Joint Initiative Comments on National Ocean Policy Draft Implementation Plan
February 27, 2012
On behalf of the Joint Initiative Leadership Council, Co-Chairs Bill Ruckelshaus and Norm Mineta submitted comments to the National Ocean Council on the Draft National Ocean Policy Implementation Plan. The Joint Initiative applauds the draft plan as an important step toward a cohesive framework for National Ocean Policy implementation. The letter includes recommendations to ensure the final plan provides the needed specificity and clear, actionable guidance to enable coordinated and efficient implementation of the policy. The Joint Initiative urges the National Ocean Council to move quickly to finalize the plan and proceed with implementing the National Ocean Policy in a timely manner.
Joint Initiative Comments on National Ocean Policy Draft Implementation Plan here
Joint Initiative hosted Ocean Community Strategy Meeting
February 13, 2012
On January 25-27, the Joint Initiative convened a diverse group of over 60 leaders, representing business, conservation, and science and research interests for an ocean community strategy meeting in Annapolis, MD. The meeting was officially hosted by Joint Initiative Co-Chairs Bill Ruckelshaus and Norm Mineta. Leadership Council members John Podesta, Andy Rosenberg, and Sherri Goodman also served as moderators or panelists during the event, in addition to other distinguished members of the ocean community. The meeting focused on priorities for action to sustain ocean policy reform prior to the election and strategies for maintaining momentum and strengthening support for the National Ocean Policy and the advancement of other ocean and coastal policy and funding priorities through the election and into the next administration and congress. Action items were discussed in terms of their relevance and importance to the economy and jobs, balanced with sound environmental stewardship, with special attention paid to opportunities for coordination among the ocean community.
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.
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.
