Subject: Re: request for WJC to be on Pew Trusts' new Global Ocean Commission
From: Bruce Lindsey <[email-masked]>
To: Amitabh Desai <[email-masked]>, Laura Graham <[email-masked]>, Doug Band - PC <[email-masked]>, John Podesta <[email-masked]>
Cc: Dennis Cheng <[email-masked]>, Steven Rinehart <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2012 17:36:05 -0500

I agree with your approach.

Bruce

From: Amitabh Desai <[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>>
Date: Thu, 8 Mar 2012 17:19:42 -0500
To: "Bruce R. Lindsey" <[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>>, Laura Graham <[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>>, Doug Band <[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>>, John Podesta <[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>>
Cc: Dennis Cheng <[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>>, Steven Rinehart <[email-masked]<mailto:[email-masked]>>
Subject: request for WJC to be on Pew Trusts' new Global Ocean Commission

As described in the attachments, Pew Charitable Trusts is convening a new Global Oceans Commission – to focus on preserving the high seas, which cover 50% of the planet and are mostly international waters – and they are asking WJC to be a “patron” alongside 12 other leaders including David Miliband and Ted Waitt. They say the Law of the Sea provides a framework but it doesn’t go into detail on specific issues or activities happening on the high seas. As a result, there’s a lot of over/illegal fishing and no governmental effort to create protected areas in high seas. Soon there’ll be 40 year anniversary of the Law of the Seas. Pew’s goal is to have this Commission look at overfishing, and articulate cost-effective measures on what needs to be done over next 50 years. They have the funding (from Pew, a Dutch family foundation called Adessium who we know, and the OceansFive (which includes Oak Fdn, Leo Dicaprio Fdn, Ted Waitt, and others). The Univ of Oxford is the host of the Commission. Pew is asking for WJC to be a “patron,” which they say wouldn’t entail much: WJC would give his name to it; keynote the launch in Fall 2012; provide background advice to the Chair of the Commission. Would be 18-24 months; and they have hired an Executive Secretary, Simon Reddy (who used to work at the C40), who starts March 21. They say the commission will be independent of any government. Outcome would be action points for governments. I explained sensitivity of not putting WJC into a position where is making or associated with policy recommendations that contradict HRC or USG positions; and challenge of taking on new things as we try to stay focused on delivering on things he already is committed to; and we discussed idea of highlighting it at CGI and thereby enabling WJC to be supportive without having any formal role or title in the Commission. [As background, Oceana, which approached WJC also via Ted Danson and to which WJC committed to attend fundraising event in Fall 2012), focuses on waters WITHIN countries’ jurisdictions, whereas the Commission focuses on international waters. The Commission and Oceana know each other and have amicable relationship but they are distinct efforts.] My vote is to try to nurture this via CGI but for WJC not to take on a formal role with this Commission. I’ve already connected Pew folks with CGI folks to sort the details. Is it ok for us to proceed as suggested above, or would you or he like us to explore WJC being officially part of the Commission? Thanks, Ami

From: Karen Sack [mailto:[email-masked]]
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2012 3:45 PM
To: Amitabh Desai
Cc: Tamera Luzzatto
Subject: Global Ocean Commisssion

Dear Ami,

It was good speaking earlier.  Thanks so much for calling me back.  As discussed, attached is the letter that we have drafted for the President.  It lays out what we might hope a Patron could do for the Commission.  As I said, on the advice of both Tamera and Simon, we have tried to craft a role that threads the needles in terms of all of the pressures on the President, as well as some of the concerns he needs to take into account in terms of the U.S..

I am also very excited about the idea of pairing the launch of the Commission with the CGI if that might at all be a possibility, and look forward to hearing back from you once you have spoken to CGI staff.  We would fully understand the unique opportunity that working with CGI might offer and should this proceed well, be prepared to commit to holding off on any launch if we did agree to working together.  The backgrounder on the Commission, the partnerships we have secured and what it will try to do etc, is attached as well to this message.

Please feel free to call anytime with questions or thoughts.

All the best,

Karen

                Karen Sack
                Deputy Director, Pew Environment Group
                Director, International Ocean Conservation
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