The fourth International Marine Protected Areas Congress (IMPAC4) concluded with Call for Action for the Oceans that identified the need to: ensure appropriate financial mechanisms for MPAs; integrate climate change considerations into MPAs; and engage with women, youth and local communities to enhance MPA creation and management.

Organized by the Government of Chile and IUCN, and with the World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), IMPAC4 brought together over 1000 representatives from governments, international and non-governmental organizations, and local communities, as well as members of civil society. The event took place in La Serena – Coquimbo, Chile, from 5-8 September 2017, and concluded with a high-level event in Valparaiso, Chile, on 9 September 2017.

Discussions focused on the theme ‘Marine Protected Areas: Bringing the people and ocean together,’ with a particular focus on: 

• MPAs and global change, including climate change and ocean acidification;
• MPAs and coastal communities, including empowerment of women, and development and economic growth;
• effective, successful management of MPAs, including sustainable development initiatives and finance for MPAs; and
• MPAs and shared future visions, including marine spatial planning and youth-led collaborative action.