Pacific Islands Forum

Oceans Action Day took place on 11 November 2017, in Bonn, Germany, on the sidelines of the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 23) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It was organized by the: Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO); Global Ocean Forum; Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO); International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN); Ocean and Climate Platform; Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Japan; and Oceano Azul Foundation/Oceanário de Lisboa, Portugal, in collaboration with Conservation International; Future Ocean Alliance; Government of Chile; Government of Grenada; Government of Seychelles; Plymouth Marine Laboratory; International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies; ROCA Initiative; Scripps Institution of Oceanography; and The Nature Conservancy. Participants at Oceans Action Day heard addresses from Tommy Remengesau, President of Palau, and Enele Sopoaga, Prime Minister of Tuvalu. Other high-level delegates also addressed Oceans Action Day. These included: Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs, and Fisheries; Inia Seruiratu, Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, Fiji; and Peter Thomson, Fiji, UN Special Envoy for the Ocean and President of the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly. The event highlighted progress on the most pressing topics in relation to oceans and climate change, and reflected on the diverse efforts of the ocean community to identify and implement swift solutions. Participants heard lessons learned, examples, and best practices for replicating and transferring successful experiences on a multitude of ocean-related topics including: ecosystem-based management; scientific research; fisheries and aquaculture; blue carbon; migration; risk management; and financial mechanisms. At the end of the closing session, representatives from the UK, Finland, Honduras and Romania proceeded to sign the “Because the Ocean” declaration: towards ocean-related NDCs, joining 28 other signatories supporting the inclusion Oceans in NDCs IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, provided web and video coverage from Oceans Action Day. In addition, IISD Reporting Services has published a summary report from this event in HTML and PDF. Photos by IISD/ENB | Herman Njoroge Chege For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page. Opening Plenary L-R: Biliana Cicin-Sain, President, Global Ocean Forum, and Roadmap to Oceans and Climate Action (ROCA) Initiatiave; Inia Seruiratu, Minister for Agriculture, Rural and Maritime Development and National Disaster Management, Fiji, High-Level Champion for Climate Change Action; Rene Castro Salazar, Assistant Director General of FAO; and Karmenu Vella, European Commission; Ronald Jumeau, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Seychelles to the United Nations   Jochen Flashbarth, State Secretary, Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany Arif Havas Oegroseno, Indonesia Matti Nummelin, Finland   Taholo Kami, COP 23 Presidency Secretariat Laura Tuck, World Bank   Julio Cordano, Chile Eric Banel, President, Ocean and Climate Platform   Inia Seruiratu, Fiji, interacts with participants Science and Oceans: IPCC Report and Other Developments L-R: Margareth S. Copertino, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG); Hans-Otto Pörtner, Alfred Wegener Institute; Suchana Chavanich, Thailand; Carol Turley, Plymouth Marine Laboratory; Françoise Gaill, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Vladimir Ryabinin, UNESCO; Lisa Levin, Distinguished Professor, Scripps Institution of Oceanography; Phillip Williamson, University of East Anglia; and Jay Manning, International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification. Carol Turley, Plymouth Marine Laboratory Suchana Chavanich, Thailand     Lisa Levin, Distinguished Professor, Scripps Institution of Oceanography Françoise Gaill, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, France Phillip Williamson, University of East Anglia A view of the room during the event Building Climate Resilience for Fisheries and Aquaculture L-R: Manuel Barange, FAO; Oumar Guèye, Senegal, Italy; Sylvie Goyet, Secretariat of the Pacific Community; Gabriella Bianchi, Norwegian Institute of Marine Research; Ernesto Peñas-Lado, European Commission; Angus Garrett, Seafish; and Yogi Yanuar, Indonesia Manuel Barange, FAO Ernesto Peñas-Lado, European Commission   Ocean Energy and Offshore Renewable Energy Technologies as Enablers of Environmental/Economic Development of SIDS L-R: Dolf Gielen, IRENA; Cristelle Pratt, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat; Rémi Gruet, Ocean Energy Europe; Roland Roesch, IRENA; Berend Jan Kleute, Bluerise; and Thomas Siebenbrunner, Swimsol GmbH Dolf Gielen, IRENA Rémi Gruet, Ocean Energy Europe Roland Roesch, IRENA Participants during the event Blue Carbon Dorothée Herr, IUCN, speaks during the Blue Carbon event Dorothée Herr, IUCN Joshua Wycliffe, Fiji   Accessing Financial Resources and Mobilizing Financial Institutions L-R: Karin Kemper, World Bank; Alastair Morrison, Green Climate Fund; Jonathan Taylor, European Investment Bank; Torsten Thiele, Global Ocean Trust; Manuel Barange, FAO; Tiago Pitta e Cunha, Oceano Azul Foundation; Amedi Camara, Mauritania; and Peter Gilmer, Planet:Tech Participants during the event Karin Kemper, World Bank Jonathan Taylor, European Investment Bank   Ecosystem-Based Adaptation in Ocean and Coastal Zones L-R: Inger Andersen, IUCN; Chu Van Chuong, Vietnam; Abdullahi Majeed, Government of Maldives; Jan Szysko, Minister of Environment, Poland; Adérito Santana, Government of São Tomé and Príncipe; Isabel Torres de Noronha, Executive Secretary, Future Ocean Alliance; Kedrick D. Pickering, British Virgin Islands; Arlindo Ceita de Carvalho, Government of São Tomé and Principe; Manuel Barange, FAO; and Peter Ricketts, Acadia University Participants during the event   Chu Van Chuong, Viet Nam   Arlindo Ceita de Carvalho, São Tomé and Principe     Migration and Displacement: Risk Reduction and Preparedness Members of the panel on migration and displacement Closing Plenary L-R: Tommy Remengesau, President, Republic of Palau; Ronald Jumeau, Seychelles; Peter Thomson, Fiji; Biliana Cicin-Sain, Global Ocean Forum; and Manuel Barange, FAO Anote Tong, Former President of Kiribati   Tommy E. Remengesau Jr., President, Republic of Palau Thérèse Coffey, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), UK Oumar Guèye, Senegal     Manuel Barange, FAO João Mira Gomes, Ambassador of Portugal in Berlin   Jay Inslee, Governor, Washington State, US Eva Svedling, Sweden   Atsushi Sunami, President, Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation Philippe Vallette, Director General, World Ocean Network Signing of the “Because the Ocean" declaration Representative from Honduras after signing the “Because the Ocean” declaration Representative from Romania after signing the “Because the Ocean" declaration

The following side events were covered by ENBOTS for CBD Parnerships Coverage on Wednesday, 7 June 2017: Sustainable Ocean Initiative Global Dialogue with Regional Seas Organizations and Regional Fishery Bodies Facilitating Cross-Sectoral Regional Collaboration to Support Implementation Towards SDG 14: Sustainable Ocean Initiative Global Dialogue with Regional Seas Organizations and Regional Fishery Bodies This event took place on 7 June 2017 at the UN Headquarters in New York. The meeting was co-organized by the Government of Costa Rica and the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), and included a screening of the Sustainable Ocean Initiative Film. Speakers in the event included: Cristiana Pașca Palmer, CBD Executive Secretary; Juan Carlos Mendoza, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the UN; Christophe Lefebvre, the French Biodiversity Agency; Luis Guillermo Solís Rivera, President of Costa Rica; Jihyun Lee, the CBD Secretariat; Vivienne Solis Rivera, International Collective in Support of Fishworkers; Puri Canals, Mediterranean MPA Network (MedPAN); Dixon Waruinge, Nairobi Convention Secretariat; Cristelle Pratt and Jeremy Hills, Pacific Islands Forum. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ meeting coverage, has provided a briefing note and digital coverage of this event. The briefing note is now available in HTML and PDF format. Photos by IISD/ENB For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Strengthening National Capacity and Empowering Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to Accelerate Implementation Towards SDG 14 Presented by the Government of Costa Rica and CBD Panel (L-R): Vivienne Solís–Rivera, International Collective in Support of Fishworkers; Christophe Lefebvre, the French Biodiversity Agency; Juan Carlos Mendoza García, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the UN; and Jihyun Lee, CBD Secretariat. Jihyun Lee, CBD Secretariat Juan Carlos Mendoza, Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the UN Christophe Lefebvre, French Biodiversity Agency Vivienne Solis Rivera, International Collective in Support of Fishworkers Dixon Waruinge, Nairobi Convention Secretariat Puri Canals, MedPAN Loreen Bannis-Roberts, Commonwealth of Dominica Jeremy Hills, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat Contacts: Jihyun Lee (Environmental Affairs Officer, CBD Secretariat) | jihyun.lee@cbd.int More Information: https://oceanconference.un.org/index.php?page=view&type=20000&nr=2018&menu=3327

The following special event was covered by ENBOTS on Wednesday, 7 June 2017: Our Oceans, Our Islands, Our Future: Partnering for implementation of SDG14 High Level Reception The following side events were covered by ENBOTS on Wednesday, 7 June 2017: Launch of the Blue Action Fund Second Annual Global Multi-stakeholder SIDS Partnership Dialogue Joining Hands to Help Achieve SDGs 6 and 14 – a Win-Win for Freshwater and Oceans Co-Designing Game-Changing Ocean Solutions for Sustainable Development Solutions to Combat Marine Litter IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin on the Side (ENBOTS) Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web coverage of selected side events at the Ocean Conference. Photos by IISD/ENBOTS | Francis DejonFor photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Launch of the Blue Action Fund Presented by the Blue Action Fund, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development - BMZ, Government Offices of Sweden, and the KfW Development Bank Opening the event, Harald Braun, Permanent Representative of Germany to the UN, saluted the launch of the Blue Action Fund by the Government of Germany and the German national bank (KfW Development Bank). Anote Tong, former president of Kiribati, announced that Kiribati closed 200,000 km2 to fishing activities in 2015 and said the Blue Action Fund is essential to filling the financing gap in safeguarding marine biodiversity. Tania Rödiger-Vorwerk, BMZ, said the Blue Action Fund will step up action for the implementation of SDG 14, with an initial fund of €24 million. She explained that the Initiative will support national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in their efforts to conserve oceans and coastlines, by promoting: the safeguarding of marine biodiversity, through creating new protected areas and improving the management of existing ones; and the sustainable use of marine biodiversity in fisheries, aquaculture and tourism. Isabella Lövin, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Climate, and Deputy Prime Minister, Sweden., noted that by 2020, 60% of the world’s population will live in coastal areas. She said that by forming a network of marine protected areas (MPAs), the Blue Action Fund will enable the protection of migratory species. Lövin further stressed the need for working together with local communities, and announced that Sweden will contribute US$ 5.4 million to the Blue Action Fund. Stephan Opitz, KfW Development Bank, explained that the Blue Action Fund selection process for NGOs was designed to be lean and competitive. He said the Initiative will fund projects that: have an integrated approach, not only setting MPAs but also involving communities in the sustainable management of marine biodiversity; have a regional focus; and be scalable and transformative. Opitz added that projects will initially be funded with €1-3 million and NGOs are expected to contribute 25% of the necessary funding for their realization. In a panel discussion moderated by Carl Gustaf Lundin, IUCN, John Tanzer, WWF International, stressed the importance of regional networks. Greg Stone, Conservation International, spoke about the importance of setting long-term principles for MPAs. Gerald Miles, RARE, stressed the need to embed these sustainable use principles in social norms and ensure local communities’ buy in. Providing closing remarks, Cristián Samper, President, Wildlife Conservation Society, stressed the need for sustained investment to ensure that the partnerships created between governments, NGOs and local communities will have the desired results. Isabella Lövin, Minister for International Development Cooperation and Climate, and Deputy Prime Minister, Sweden., announced that Sweden will contribute US$ 5.4 million to the Blue Action Fund. Cristián Samper, President of Wildlife Conservation Society, stressed the need for sustained long-term investment. Anote Tong, former president of Kiribati, said the Blue Action Fund is essential to filling the financing gap in safeguarding marine biodiversity. Tania Rödiger-Vorwerk, BMZ, said the Blue Action Fund will step up action for the implementation of the SDG 14 with an initial fund of €24 million. Panel (L-R): Gerald Miles, RARE; Greg Stone, Conservation International; John Tanzer, WWF International; Anote Tong, former president of Kiribati; and Tania Rödiger-Vorwerk, BMZ. Contacts: PERSON_NAME (Moderator Coordinator) | EMAIL_ADDRESS PERSON_NAME (Moderator Coordinator) | EMAIL_ADDRESS PERSON_NAME (Moderator Coordinator) | EMAIL_ADDRESS More Information: www.blueactionfund.org Second Annual Global Multi-stakeholder SIDS Partnership Dialogue Presented by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and UN-OHRLLS, in consultation with the Steering Committee on Partnerships for SIDS, co-chaired by the Governments of the Maldives and Italy Sebastiano Cardi, Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN, opened the event, saying this second SIDS Partnership Dialogue aims to galvanize voluntary commitments for the implementation of SDG 14 among the SIDS partnership community. In his keynote address, Peter Thomson, President of the UN General Assembly, stressed the relevance of welcoming the SIDS Dialogue at the Ocean Conference, underscoring that partnerships for SIDS are strongly Ocean-related. He stated that SDG 14 was created by SIDS, overcoming strong opposition. Mohamed Shainee, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, Maldives, highlighted that the 2014 Samoa Pathway, the blueprint for achieving sustainable development in SIDS, requires more partnerships. Silvia Velo, Italy, stressed her country’s strong partnership with SIDS and the durable and transparent relationships between equal partners, currently in place in the Samoa Pathway. Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General, DESA, remarked that the SIDS Partnership Framework is open to all member states, UN agencies and stakeholders, and stressed that dialogue five of the Ocean Conference targets SIDS specifically. Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States, emphasized OHRLLS actions on: developing public-private partnerships for SIDS; and strategizing on how the UN system can best coordinate on SIDS issues. A dialogue followed on the theme “Partnering with SIDS and Oceans,” moderated by Ahmed Sareer, Permanent Representative of Maldives to the UN. Henry Puna, Prime Minister, Cook Islands, announced that his country will establish a two million km2 marine park and a new 300, 000 km2 marine reserve where no commercial activity is allowed. He stressed the need to innovate for financing the costs of such actions and ensure their success. Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Minister for International Development and Pacific, Australia, highlighted the importance of defining clear Ocean jurisdiction and stressed his country’s support to Pacific SIDS in this matter under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). She announced a AUS $2 million to the SIDS Partnership Framework for the next two years. Karen Ellemann, Minister for Equal Opportunities and Nordic Cooperation, Denmark, shared examples of her country’s support to SIDS, including: the “Mangroves for the Future” project; a climate change adaptation project; and support to the Green Climate Fund. Tone Skogen, State Secretary, Norway, highlighted her country’s actions for the implementation of the FAO Port State Measures Agreement. Ngedikes Olai Uludong, Permanent Representative of Palau to the UN, spoke about the creation of a 500, 000 km2 marine sanctuary, accessible only to small fisheries. Rebecca Loustau Lalanne, Seychelles, stressed the relevance of the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) and proposed Seychelles as host for its secretariat. Cristelle Pratt, Deputy-Secretary-General, Pacific Islands Forum, spoke on a review of the 300 partnerships for SIDS, saying 74 engage Pacific SIDS but 44 do not have national oversight. She called for the inclusion of partnerships in national plans. Grete Faremo, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), highlighted a water resources management programme involving six SIDS of the Atlantic and Indian oceans. Nik Sekhran, UNDP, said that UNDP committed to 77 SIDS partnerships, of which 12 are Ocean-related. Sebastiano Cardi, Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN, said the SIDS Partnership Dialogue aims to galvanize voluntary commitments for the implementation of SDG 14. Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS), highlighted several actions of her Office Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Minister for International Development and Pacific, Australia, announced new financial commitments to SIDS Henry Puna, Prime Minister, Cook Islands, stressed the need to create innovative mechanisms to finance conservation actions in SIDS. Panel (L-R): Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS); Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General, DESA; Sebastiano Cardi, Permanent Representative of Italy to the UN; and Ahmed Sareer, Permanent Representative of Maldives to the UN. Contacts: Ola Göransson (Sustainable Development Officer & Partnerships Coordinator, Division for Sustainable Development, UN DESA) | goranssono@un.org Shifaana Thowfeequ (Programme Management Officer, UN-OHRLLS) | thowfeequ@un.org More Information: www.sids2014.org/partnership Joining Hands to Help Achieve SDGs 6 and 14 – a Win-Win for Freshwater and Oceans Presented by UN-Water, UN-Oceans and the Action Platform on Source-to-Sea Management (S2S Platform) Federica Pietracci, Interim Secretary, UN-Water, chaired the event. Andrew Hudson, UNDP, reviewed close linkages between SDGs 6 and 14, concluding that their ambitious targets will require transformational change. Habib El-Habr, UNEP, provided an overview of how the Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA) had been addressing land and ocean connections since 1995, highlighting the work of the Global Partnership on Marine Litter, Global Partnership on Nutrient Management and Global Wastewater Initiative. Angela Cordeiro Ortigara, UN World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP) and UNESCO, noted that water demand is increasing annually, implying an increase in untreated wastewater production carried to the sea. She highlighted UN-Water work in improving monitoring and the recent UN-Water synthesis report on SDG 6 linkages to other SDGs. A panel discussion was moderated by Torkil Clausen, Chair, S2S Platform. Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, UN Office of Legal Affairs, discussed the work of UN-Oceans. She called for being mindful of, inter alia : the need for vertical integration linking national, regional and global actions; and linkages between SDGs 6 and 14 and climate change. Martha Rojas-Urrego, Secretary-General, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, suggested that wetlands are a good lens for looking at the linkages between SDGs 6 and 14, and noted that the Wetlands Outlook due in 2018 will report on both inland and coastal wetlands. Jack Moss, Executive Director, Aquafed, said if all wastewater was properly treated, a large portion of pollution would never reach the sea. He noted the difficulty of addressing diffuse pollution sources such as agricultural runoff. Christine Valentin, CEO, World Ocean Council (WOC), said WOC is in the process of identifying the SDGs that impact businesses associated with oceans. She urged translating the SDGs into concrete targets the business community can understand and meet. Maria van Berlekom, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), spoke about various challenges, including siloed thinking and linking national and regional actions. Birgitta Liss Lymer, UNDP-Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) Water Governance Facility and S2S Platform, underscored the need to identify incentives to the investments needed to address marine pollution’s root causes. In her capacity as chair of the UN in-house dialogue on water, Katalin Annamária Bogyay, Permanent Representative of Hungary to the UN, invited more member states, researchers and other stakeholders to join the dialogue. Martha Rojas-Urrego, Secretary-General, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, suggested wetlands are a useful lens for dealing with the linkages between SDGs 6 and 14. Andrew Hudson, UNDP, provided an overview of the linkages between SDGs 6 and 14. Ambassador Katalin Annamária Bogyay, Permanent Representative of Hungary to the UN, urged more parties to join the UN in-house dialogue on water. Angela Cordeiro Ortigara, UNESCO, discussed water quality monitoring and the 2017 Water Development Report, “Wastewater, The Untapped Resource.” Panel (L-R): Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, UN Office of Legal Affairs; Birgitta Liss Lymer, UNDP-Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) Water Governance Facility; Maria van Berlekom, SIDA; Martha Rojas-Urrego, Secretary-General, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands; Habib El-Habr, UNEP; Angela Cordeir Ortigarao, UNESCO; Andrew Hudson, UNDP; Federica Pietracci, Interim Secretary, UN-Water; and Torkil Clausen, Chair, S2S Platform. Contacts: Birgitta Liss Lymer (Stockholm International Water Institute) | birgitta.liss.lymer@siwi.org More Information: www.unwater.org www.unoceans.org www.siwi.org/what-we-do/source-to-sea/ Co-Designing Game-Changing Ocean Solutions for Sustainable Development Presented by Conservation International Moderator Aulani Wilhelm, Conservation International (CI), opened the event, welcoming participants to an “interactive session.” Highlighting that approximately 50% of matter taken from the Ocean is said to be wasted, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, former President, Iceland, spoke on technical innovation from Iceland that has shown the enormous economic opportunities to reuse and enhance the commercial value of what comes from the Ocean. He described examples from his country, including Kerecis, a company that has developed a bandage made of fish skin that can heal wounds, which has recently been taken up by the US military. Nishan Degnarain, World Bank, spoke on experiences from Mauritius, which has discovered large-scale economic opportunities around the Ocean since establishing a Ministry of Ocean Economy. He described innovative solutions that had been found to address issues such as illegal fishing, and spoke on a vision to develop an open access system to harness the aspiration of small islanders to create high-tech, sustainable fisheries. Evan Rapoport, X - The Moonshot Factory, explained his company’s innovative approach to finding creative and radical solutions for problems. He explained the “moonshot culture,” which recognizes that real solutions are more likely to come from a group of people that embrace the process of finding innovations. He further explained that bonuses are awarded to employees when they discontinue a project as a recognition that running with a bad idea is an unhelpful approach, noting that 97% of ideas they float do not make it to the second phase of the project development process. For the remainder of the session, participants brainstormed in small groups on radical project ideas for sustainable development issues, such as: solving hunger for 800 million people using a massive open online course; or solving ocean pollution of the food system using desalination. Rapoport stressed that the focus should be on the process of idea generation itself, rather than the actual output. Emerging “radical” ideas included: an autonomous car that would only drive to restaurants that used sustainably sourced food; and underwater internet that would enable young people to share underwater photos on social media to raise awareness on ocean conservation issues. In the ensuing discussion, several participants said they had found the process a useful and “inspirational” eye-opener, and others suggested the need to harness the ideas coming from the Ocean Conference through developing a space where the knowledge is integrated to lead to a “real solutions” database. Evan Rapoport, X - The Moonshot Factory, said his organization looked for people that fell in love with problems rather than their solutions. Aulani Wilhelm, CI, said her organization works to find global and local solutions to Ocean problems. Nishan Degnarain, World Bank, spoke on experiences from Mauritius. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, former President, Iceland, said his country’s recovery from the economic crisis was largely due to the commercial strength of the transformation of its fishing sector. (L-R): Evan Rapoport, X - The Moonshot Factory; Aulani Wilhelm, CI; and Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, former President, Iceland. Contacts: Aulani Wilhelm (Moderator) | awilhelm@conservation.org More Information: www.conservation.org/ocean http://mymoonshot.com/ Solutions to Combat Marine Litter Presented by the Governments of Germany and Norway This event, moderated by Lilian Busse, German Environment Agency, began with opening remarks from Jürgen Schulz, Permanent Mission of Germany to the UN. Explaining that a transition from theory to practice in terms of marine litter reduction may be possible, Schulz said the success of this transition would be “the benchmark on which we will be judged by future generations.” Gunther Adler, State Secretary for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany, underlined the last two years as crucial for sustainable development, highlighting the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and G20 Action Plan to combat marine litter. He also stressed the work done regionally through the Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic (OSPAR) and the HELCOM on that matter. Tone Skogen, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway, spoke about the impacts of plastic pollution on the Barents Sea and on the Artic sea ice. She announced the adoption of a white paper on the place of the oceans in Norwegian foreign and development policy and an associated programme on combating marine litter and microplastics Steven Russell, American Chemistry Council, said marine litter poses an important issue for plastic manufacturers and who want to be part of the solution. He said the first thing to do was to invest in waste infrastructure management in countries where plastic use is currently exploding. He also mentioned: 65 commitments by trade associations to undertake action in their country; and a platform of plastic industry’s CEOs, committing to create common principles for recycling and waste management. Afroz Shah, UN Environment’s Champion of the Earth 2016, spoke about an event in Mumbai, which led to the cleaning of a beach with the help of hundreds of volunteers. He presented a short film, “A Date with the Ocean,” and underlined that such actions can lead to a change of mindset and are complementary to and as effective as new regulation. Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UNEP, stressed that every environmental problem has a solution and spoke of examples of success, including waste management in Rwanda and the work of the high-tech company Dell in reducing its packaging. Helge Wendenburg, Ministry for the Environment, Germany, explained his country’s efforts to convince G20 countries to adopt the Action Plan to combat marine litter and finding concrete ways to make it effective. In the ensuing discussion, participants discussed: how to replicate Germany’s and Norway’s efficient waste management policies; ways to channel financial organizations’ funds to key levels that bring broader industrial and compartmental changes; and the necessity to act every day to reduce plastic litter. Jürgen Schulz, Permanent Mission of Germany to the UN, discussed ways to transition from theory to practice in the management of marine litter. Gunther Adler, State Secretary for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany, highlighted the adoption by G20 countries of an Action Plan to combat marine litter. Afroz Shah, UNEP’s Champion of the Earth 2016, presented his work in engaging people to clean Mumbai’s beaches from litter. Lilian Busse, German Environment Agency, moderated the session. Panel (L-R): Afroz Shah, lawyer, UNEP’s Champion of the Earth 2016; Steven Russell, American Chemistry Council; Helge Wendenburg, Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany; Lilian Busse, Germany Environment Agency; and Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UNEP. Contacts: Jens-Michael Bopp (Permanent Mission of Germany to the UN) | jens-michael.bopp@diplo.de More Information: www.new-york-un.diplo.de

The following side events were covered by ENBOTS on Tuesday, 6 June 2017: Oceans in the 2030 Agenda: The Role of Regional Governance - Advancing Regional Partnerships for SDG 14 Implementation Innovative and Sustainable Ocean Based Economy Swedish Initiatives for Agenda 2030 Ocean’s 8: One Planet, One Ocean – Celebrating Global Cooperation On Ocean Science Environmentally Sound Waste Management as Action against Marine Litter IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin on the Side (ENBOTS) Meeting Coverage, is providing daily web coverage of selected side events at the Ocean Conference. Photos by IISD/ENBOTS | Francis DejonFor photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Oceans in the 2030 Agenda: The Role of Regional Governance - Advancing Regional Partnerships for SDG 14 Implementation Presented by the Federal Government of Germany, Government Offices of Sweden and UN Environment (UNEP) Moderator Alexander Müller, Managing Director, TMG - ThinkTank for Sustainability, opened the session, underscoring that the implementation of SDG 14 cannot be done in isolation. In opening remarks, Gunther Adler, State Secretary for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany, underscored the need to go further than reiterating existing commitments, including by undertaking ambitious, concrete actions. He highlighted the need for effective implementation structures for SDG 14 and greater focus on international ocean governance. Karolina Skog, Minister for the Environment, Sweden, underlined the importance of cooperation between regional seas agreements and working together to implement measures, since those undertaken in one region are likely to affect other regions. She pointed to three key aspects for success: political commitment at the state level; science-based assessments and targets; and cooperation across sectors. Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment (UNEP), gave examples from regional sea conventions in UNEP, stating the need to focus not just on solving problems but harnessing opportunities, including the oceans’ potential to provide food and a sustainable way of transporting goods. Moving into the session on advancing regional partnerships for SDG 14 implementation, João Aguiar Machado, Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission (EC), stressed the instrumental nature of regional cooperation, since “no-one alone can solve the problems affecting our oceans.” He outlined actions promoted by the EC to reinforce regional level cooperation, including the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy, which now takes a regionalized approach to management. Didier Dogley, Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Seychelles, and Chair of the Nairobi Convention, spoke on the need to take care of the “blue capital” provided by resources in the sea that many rely on for their livelihood. He stressed the importance of bringing together the plethora of organizations that exist to avoid segmentation of policies that are implemented by different groups. Klaus Töpfer, Founding Director, TMG, said that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development had put oceans at the center of sustainability. He called for a vision of “the kind of regional cooperation we want to see,” and to then develop a bottom-up approach for how to achieve that goal. Meg Taylor, Secretary General, Pacific Islands Forum, underscored that an integrated approach for climate and ocean issues was needed, and hoped it would be recognized at the 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP 23) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), meeting under the Fijian Presidency in November 2017. Árni Mathiesen, FAO, said “we are only currently touching the surface of harnessing the value of what we get from the sea, and that we need to move up the value scale by devising new uses for things we currently throw away.” He also underscored the need to develop better financing systems, underscoring the lack of resources for many regions. Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment (UNEP), said that “together we can solve all issues.” Meg Taylor, Secretary General, Pacific Islands Forum, said it was important that issues of partnership are looked at not only to implement SDG 14, but also SDG 17 to strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development. Gunther Adler, State Secretary for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany, said the international community was on the verge of squandering an opportunity since the Call for Action does not contain the ambitious, concrete commitments needed. Moderator Alexander Müller, Managing Director, TMG, stressed linkages to other SDGs and the need for international mechanisms due to the many transboundary issues. Panel (L-R): Meg Taylor, Executive Secretary, Pacific Island Forum; Árni Mathiesen, FAO; Alexander Müller, Managing Director, TMG; Klaus Töpfer, Founding Director, TMG; João Aguiar Machado, Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, EC; and Didier Dogley, Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Seychelles, and Chair of the Nairobi Convention. Jamil Ahmad, Deputy Director, UN Environment (UNEP); Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UNEP; Klaus Töpfer, Founding Director, TMG Gunther Adler, State Secretary for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety, Germany, delivered opening remarks at the event Contacts: PERSON_NAME (Moderator Coordinator) | EMAIL_ADDRESS More Information: www.prog-ocean.org Innovative and Sustainable Ocean Based Economy Presented by the Government Offices of Sweden and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) This event, moderated by Anna Petersson, Swedish Transport Agency, highlighted innovative sustainable technologies, and sustainable business and platform models for an ocean-based economy. Sven-Erik Bucht, Minister for Rural Affairs, Sweden, discussed finding the necessary balance between economic growth and environmental protection in a sustainable ocean-based economy. He stressed the maritime role of Sweden and its innovation hubs around sustainability and circularity. Douglas Frantz, Deputy Secretary-General, OECD, spoke about the urgent obligation to save the Ocean. He stressed the potential of the Ocean-based industry, from US$1.5-3 trillion by 2030 and over 40 million jobs, and the necessity to take actions considering the whole Ocean ecosystem. Felismina Antia, National Director, Maritime and Fisheries Policy, Mozambique, spoke about the Northern Mozambique Channel (NMC) Partnership Initiative. She stressed the need to develop an integrated management of the NMC, based on a long-term vision and on regional collaboration. She highlighted four areas of focus: strengthening capacity for maritime spatial planning; sharing best practices in community-based marine resources management; promoting sustainable standards for the oil and gas industry; and empowering civil society. Representing the shipping industry, Carl Carlsson, Zero Vision Tool (ZVT) Platform, spoke about the goals and achievements of the platform, which gathers 24 industry groups from Sweden and Finland towards a greener shipping sector. He underscored that the condition for this transition depends on the ability to create financial mechanisms to make it profitable. Joel Oresten, Smögenlax Aquaculture, and Sofie Allert, Swedish Algae Factory, as part of Sotenäs Symbioscentrum, presented two projects on “industrial symbiosis,” based on the principles of a circular economy. Oresten presented an aquaculture project based on the recycling of fisheries’ waste. Allert presented her work to develop a high-value product derived from algae biomass. In the ensuing discussion, panelists and participants considered the need to scale-up innovative projects and the legal constraints they often face. Mattias Landgren, State Secretary to the Swedish Minister for Infrastructure, closed the session, underlining the importance of respecting international commitments and that the blue economy is good for business. Carl Carlsson, ZVT, emphasized the need to create financing mechanisms for the shipping sector to make it sustainable and profitable. Joel Oresten, Smögenlax Aquaculture, presented his “fish flow model,” which supports salmon production using fisheries waste. Felismina Antia, National Director for Maritime and Fisheries Policy, Mozambique, stressed the need for integrated ocean management of the Northern Mozambique Channel. Panel (L-R): Sofie Allert, Swedish Algae Factory; Joel Oresten, Smögenlax Aquaculture; Anna Petersson, Swedish Transport Agency; Carl Carlsson, ZVT; Felismina Antia, National Director, Maritime and Fisheries Policy, Mozambique; Douglas Frantz, Deputy Secretary-General, OECD; and Mattias Landgren, State Secretary to the Swedish Minister for Infrastructure. Contacts: Malin Jörnehag (Coordinator) | malin.jornehag@regeringskansliet.se More Information: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/15419Concept_note_Innovative_and_Sustainable_Ocean_Based_Economy.pdf Swedish Initiatives for Agenda 2030 Presented by the Confederation of Swedish Enterprise, Swedish Steel Producers’ Association, and Zero Vision Tool (ZVT), in cooperation with World Ocean Council (WOC), UN Global Compact, and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) This event, moderated by Christine Valentin, WOC, featured panelists speaking on projects falling under four initiatives: ZVT, an industry-driven public-private partnership (PPP) collaboration method and project platform for a safer, more environmentally and energy-efficient maritime transport; a partnership for a carbon-free steel industry; a partnership for resource-efficient water purification utilizing mineral-based by-products from steel and metal industries; and an innovative technology to achieve clean drinking water. In a discussion on how ZVT projects contribute to SDG 14, Per Bondemark, SSAB, explained work to reduce CO2 emissions from maritime transport. Erik Fridell, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, spoke on assessing the benefits of ZVT projects and calculating the reduced costs they bring to society. Dick Höglund, Terntank Shipping, spoke on piloting a special financial instrument to reduce the risks of investing in green infrastructure. Edvard Molitor, Port of Gothenburg, spoke of installing new generation scrubber technology. Tryggve Möller, Tärntank, said his company is committed to reducing ship emissions. Anna Petersson, Swedish Transport Agency, said her agency's participation aims to identify and eliminate potential regulatory barriers to developing a more sustainable future. On the steel initiative, Bondemark said the “disruptive technology” sought to significantly cut CO2 emissions and in the process help reduce ocean acidification. On the water projects, Niklas Lång, Höganäs AB, explained that the project seeks to reduce steel industry waste, purify water of certain substances and recycle them back into the value chain, while Tandukar Madan, Höganäs AB, explained the technology will reduce groundwater contamination and prevent contaminants from reaching the Ocean. Valentin asked panelists to identify the most important outcomes of their projects. On ZVT, Bondemark pointed to a 40-50% cut in CO2 emissions, Höglund said funding innovation, and Molitor replied securing safer and sounder technology for cleaner shipping. Möller said his project has brought together many stakeholders with the goal of minimizing the ecological footprint of maritime transport. Petersson said the ZVT collaborative model is now being duplicated within the Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission (HELCOM). On water purification, Lång and Madan emphasized how their processes promote resource efficiency and circular economy. In closing, Mattias Landgren, Sweden, emphasized that sustainability must be a priority in the blue economy, and underscored good business opportunities that a sustainable blue economy provides. Noting that Sweden was recently named by Forbes magazine as the number one ranked country for business, he said they aimed to keep that position and serve as a source of inspiration and innovation. Niklas Lång, Höganäs AB, explained how using mineral-based by-products from the steel industry can purify water, removing phosphorus, copper, nickel and zinc, which can then be recycled back into the value chain. Per Bondemark, SSAB, explained how a disruptive technology using hydrogen should revolutionize the steel industry, significantly cutting its CO2 emissions and contributing to reduced acidification of oceans. Dick Höglund, Terntank Shipping, explained his role in developing a pilot financial instrument that promotes innovation while reducing risks in investing in green infrastructure. Anna Petersson, Swedish Transport Agency, said the ZVT collaborative model is now being used regionally in HELCOM. Panel (L-R): Mattias Landgren, Swedish Ministry for Infrastructure; Erik Fridell, IVL Environmental Institute; Dick Höglund, Terntank Shipping; Edvard Molitor, Port of Gothenburg; Tryggve Möller, Tärntank; Anna Petersson, Swedish Transport Agency; Per Bondemark, SSAB; Niklas Lång, Höganäs AB; and Tandukar Madan, Höganäs AB. Contacts: Helén Jannson (ZVT) | helen@zerovisiontool.com Erik Fridell (IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute) | erik.fridell@ivl.se Sophie Carter (Swedish Steel Producers’ Association) | sophie.carter@jernkontoret.se More Information: http://www.zerovisiontool.com/event/agenda-2030-un-ocean-conference http://www.jernkontoret.se/sv/energi--miljo/vatten/havskonferens/?id=9501 Ocean's 8: One Planet, One Ocean – Celebrating Global Cooperation on Ocean Science Presented by Intergovernmental Oceanic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, with Sky News, UN Environment, UN General Assembly, Government of Peru and the Permanent mission of Iceland to the UN This event, moderated by David Eades, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), included a presentation ceremony followed by a panel discussion. Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General, set the stage for the celebration, saying that we need more global Ocean Science to achieve SDG 14 and respect the Paris Agreement. She called for 2021-2030 to become the International Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Eades then announced the laureates of Ocean’s 8 for Ocean Science: The Seychelles, for innovative financing; Norway, for promoting professional involvement in Ocean science; UN Environment, on behalf of thirteen countries, for developing science-based solutions to reduce plastic in the Ocean; Argentina, for sustained national investment in Ocean science; the US for promoting Ocean science for the benefit of the global community; Morocco, for promoting gender equality; Portugal, for international cooperation; and the Nippon Foundation (Japan) for education and outreach. Panelists then focused on the key question: “Does the Ocean need more science or more action? ” Peter Thomson, President of the UN General Assembly, spoke about the importance of science in achieving SDG 14. He underlined the strong involvement of the international community and from the business community in that struggle, drawing the parallel with the level of involvement for tackling climate change. Karolina Skog, Minister for the Environment, Sweden, said that policy makers sometimes need to take difficult decisions, without all the required knowledge available. She stressed the need for science-policy debates and for Ocean literacy among society. Bokova said that because the Ocean is transboundary by nature, we need international cooperation to be able to address knowledge gaps and build interdisciplinary science. Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UNEP, cited three reasons for focusing on plastic: it is a huge problem; it has big economic consequences; and it is easy to understand so people can act. Albert II, Prince of Monaco, spoke about the opportunity to have a decade-long focus on Ocean science to improve our knowledge on such a vast issue. He also announced the launch of a new scientific expedition by his country, covering all oceans over the next three years. Thomas Moore, Sky Ocean Rescue, emphasized the results of media campaigns about plastic pollution, resulting in plastic bans in several countries. Craig McLean, US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), stressed the important work of the IOC and the contribution of many countries in Ocean science to improve Ocean management. Ana Paula Vitorino, Minister of the Seas, Portugal, receives the Ocean’s 8 certificate for international cooperation in Ocean Science from Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General. Vincent Meriton, Vice-President of Seychelles, receives the Ocean’s 8 certificate for innovative financing for Ocean science. Adrian Grenier, actor, co-founder of the Lonely Whale Foundation and UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador, spoke about the importance of the UN Environment Clean Seas campaign. Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment (UNEP), receives the certificate for developing science-based solutions to reduce plastic in the Ocean. Panel (L-R): David Eades, BBC; Peter Haugan, President, IOC; Irina Bokova, Director-General, UNESCO; Peter Thomson, President, UN General Assembly; Erik Solheim, Executive Director, UN Environment; and Thomas Moore, Sky News and Sky Ocean Rescue Campaign. Contacts: Julian Barbière (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), UNESCO) | j.barbiere@unesco.org Clare Stark (Bureau of Strategic Planning (BSP), UNESCO) | c.stark@unesco.org More Information: http://en.unesco.org/united-nations-ocean-conference/ocean-s-8-celebration Environmentally Sound Waste Management as Action against Marine Litter Presented by the Swedish Government Offices and the World Bank Karin Kemper, the World Bank, said the Bank is ready to support governments and partners in achieving sustainable management of both land-based and sea-based marine litter. Highlighting that 80% of the marine litter comes from land-based sources, Isabella Lövin, Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Climate and Deputy Prime Minister, said Sweden will commit a package of contributions targeting marine litter, including: contributions to the UN Environment’s Global Programme of Action for the Protection of Marine Environment from Land-based Activites (GPA) and the UNEP Regional Seas Programme. She said the government will, for the first time, highlight sustainable oceans in its next global strategy for development, and will also scale up efforts in capacity building for sound waste management domestically and internationally. Karolina Skog, Minister for the Environment, Sweden, stressed that “securing a circular economy is the way forward,” and highlighted the need for designing effective plastic deposit schemes. She also suggested creating a system where waste services are included in the harbor fees, without the need for special fees. Arif Havas Oegroseno, Deputy Minister for Maritime Sovereignty in the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs of Indonesia, said Indonesia has undertaken a 15-city survey, finding that 20% of plastic leakage is going into the rivers and 80% into the Ocean. To address that, he noted Indonesia is developing domestic measures including: setting a tax on plastic bags; building 55,000 km of road from recycled plastic; and working with Nordic countries on developing waste energy projects. Noting that Ocean plastic pollution costs US$ 13 billion a year, Lisa Emilia Svensson, UNEP, presented the “#CleanSeas” campaign, which aims to achieve a global ban on microbeads in personal care and cosmetic products, and a substantial reduction in the use and production of single-use plastics. Linda Gårdstam, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, stressed that if one does not have an effective waste management strategy, then the waste will inevitably become marine litter. She presented several successful Swedish domestic measures, including refunding cans and plastic bottles and empowering consumers to take action through extensive public awareness campaigns. Anna Petersson, Chair of HELCOM Maritime, presented the HELCOM Action Plan on Marine Litter, which includes 30 regional actions (the HELCOM Collective Actions) and 27 voluntary national actions, as well as a reporting format for the implementation of actions. She explained that both regional and national actions are grouped in: land-based sources of marine litter; sea-based sources of marine litter; and education and outreach on marine litter. In the ensuing discussion, participants raised questions related to, inter alia, the actions taken by governments to stop the production of single-use plastics, and the design of policies and programs that address the synergies between SDG 14 on oceans and SDG 6 on water. Karolina Skog, Minister for the Environment of Sweden, said the time for questioning the use of single-use plastic products, which then stay for 450 years in the Ocean, has arrived. Arif Havas Oegroseno, Deputy Minister for Maritime Sovereignty in the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs of Indonesia, announced that Indonesia finalized a national plan of action on marine litter. Lisa Emilia Svensson, UNEP, stressed that “plastic in the Ocean is plastic on our plates.” Isabella Lövin, Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Climate and Deputy Prime Minister, noted that we are throwing away 13 million tons of plastic per year globally and that if the trend continues, by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the Ocean. Anna Petersson, Chair of HELCOM Maritime, presented the HELCOM Action Plan on Marine Litter. Linda Gårdstam, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, said only 1% of domestic waste in Sweden goes to landfill thanks to highly effective waste management systems. Panel (L-R): Karolina Skog, Minister for the Environment, Sweden; Isabella Lövin, Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Climate and Deputy Prime Minister; Arif Havas Oegroseno, Deputy Minister for Maritime Sovereignty in the Coordinating Ministry of Maritime Affairs of Indonesia; Karin Kemper, the World Bank; Lisa Emilia Svensson, UNEP; Linda Gårdstam, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency; and Anna Petersson, Chair of HELCOM MARITIME. Patrick Nickisch, Oceanos, posing question to the panel. Contacts: Jenny Hedman (Swedish EPA) | jenny.hedman@naturvardsverket.se More Information: https://www.naturvardsverket.se/Documents/ [PDF]

The following side events were covered by ENBOTS on Monday, 5 June 2017: High-level Dialogue on Oceans and Small Island States Interconnections Among the SDGs as a Force Multiplier for Implementation of SDG 14 Healers of Our Ocean: Asia-Pacific Women Leading Ocean Action to Achieve SDG 14 – How Can We Learn from Them? Ocean Health, Climate Change and Migration: Understanding the Nexus and Implications for People on the Move How Scientific Knowledge on Oceans Can Contribute to the Implementation of National Action Plans on Climate and Human-induced Changes Transitioning to the Blue Economy: Partnerships, Innovation and Approaches for Small Island States IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin on the Side (ENBOTS) Meeting Coverage, will provide daily web coverage of selected side events at the Ocean Conference. Kindly return to this site on Monday, 5 Jun 2017, for more information. Photos by IISD/ENBOTS | Francis DejonFor photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page High-level Dialogue on Oceans and Small Island States Presented by: the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), SIDS-DOCK and the UN Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS) Mohamed Shainee, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, Maldives, and Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), noted that Maldives will expand the Parley partnership and, through it, make a one million km2 area in the Indian Ocean plastic-free. Sylvia Earle, Oceanographer and Explorer, Mission Blue, Sylvia Earle Alliance, stressed that “we are at a critical crossroads as actions taken now will affect the health of the planet for thousands of years.” She highlighted the unique chance in history of the current generation to take action, stating that her generation was not aware of the problem due to the lack of spatial imaginary technology. Cyrill Gutsch, Founder, Parley for the Oceans, stressed that “we have all the technology that we need to save the Ocean,” but what is needed is someone to come with the necessary strategy to leverage it for current challenges. Highlighting that almost all environmental issues are failed economic schemes, he said that the creative industries are the ones who can come with the needed innovative solutions. Jonathan Taylor, European Investment Bank (EIB), said the EIB will invest USD 100 million in loans until 2020 to fund mitigation and adaptation projects in the Caribbean. Noting that the EIB is already supporting USD 2.5 billion worth of blue economy initiatives yearly, he stressed the need to make progress on blending private and public resources to meet the financing needs for saving the Ocean. Douglas Frantz, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), said the blue economy is the “blue bullet” needed to save the Ocean, requiring innovative investments and expertise from many different fields. He noted that the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee is giving “high priority” to reviewing the graduating conditions of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Middle Income Countries (MICs) and that the OECD will expand its work on biodiversity and ecosystems. Nishan Degnarain, World Economic Forum (WEF), introduced the “Tuna Traceability Declaration,” launched today, in which leaders of the world’s biggest retailers, tuna processors, marketers, traders and harvesters, with the support of civil society organizations and governments, pledge that, by 2020, all tuna products in their supply chains will be fully traceable to the vessel and trip dates, and that this information will be disclosed upon request at the point of sale either on the packaging or via an online system. In the ensuing discussion, participants addressed, inter alia, the problem of reduced access to concessional funding caused by SIDS graduation and the need for a comprehensive assessment of the UN development system’s support to SIDS. Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN OHRLLS) welcomed the participants. Mohamed Shainee, Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture, Maldives, and Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), higlighted the positive impacts of the Maldives expansion of the Parley partnership. Douglas Frantz, OECD, said the OECD will expand its work on biodiversity and ecosystems. Contacts: Louise Stoddard (Public Information Officer UN-OHRLLS) | stoddard@un.org More Information: http://unohrlls.org/event/high-level-dialogue-oceans-small-island-states/ Interconnections Among the SDGs as a Force Multiplier for Implementation of SDG 14 Presented by: International Council for Science (ICSU), in partnership with Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), Future Earth Ocean Knowledge Action Network, and the Cluster of Excellence “The Future Ocean” Douglas McCauley, University of California, noted that the first point of connectivity of SDG 14 is SDG 8 (economic growth), and explained that if the Ocean was an economy it would be the 7th economy in the world, at USD 24 trillion. He also presented examples of strong connections with SDGs 2 (on hunger), 1 (on poverty), 13 (on climate change), 7 (on energy), and 15 (on biodiversity). Stefanie Schmidt, IASS, spoke about challenges that appear in SDG implementation because the interlinkages between the goals are not mentioned in their targets and there is no guidance on how to effectively tackle them. She said her research shows strong connections between SDG 14 and SDGs 1, 2, 8, 13, 11 (on cities) and 12 (on sustainable consumption and production). David Obura, Coastal Oceans Research and Development – Indian Ocean (CORDIO) East Africa, identified several key action areas with regards to the interconnections between SDG 14 and the other SDGs, including: ensuring the sustainability of small-scale and artisanal fisheries and agriculture (related to SDGs 2 and 12); transitioning to a carbon-neutral environment (related to SDG 13); implementing integrated Ocean planning and management (related to SDG 8); and investing in social capital as pathway to future prosperity (related to SDG 5 on gender equality, SDG 3 on health, and SDG 4 on education). Leopoldo Cavaleri Gerhardinger, University of the Region of Joinville, Brazil, spoke about the importance of mobilizing non-state networks related to fisheries, marine protected areas and integrated coastal management to support an integrative approach to SDG 14’s implementation. He called for connecting transformative actions into coherent narratives and testing strategic advice derived from theories of transformative agency to promote regime shifts in Ocean governance systems. In the ensuing discussion, participants raised issues related to, inter alia: the importance of spreading the word on the interlinkages between SDG 14 and the other SDGs to advance the Ocean agenda; the need to set a governance review framework and a follow-up strategy on SDG 14; the importance of regional partnerships to address transboundary issues; and using the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) as a follow-up fora on SDG interconnectivity. Stefanie Schmidt, IASS, highlighted the need for a refined assessment of the interlinkages and tradeoffs between the SDGs. Douglas McCauley, University of California, stressed that “our faith is intrinsically linked with the faith of oceans.” Participants underscored the need to set a governance review framework and a follow-up strategy on SDG 14. Contacts: Denise Young (Head of Communications, International Council for Science) | denise.young@icsu.org More Information: https://www.icsu.org/events/interconnections-among-the-sdgs-as-a-force-multiplier-for-implementation-of-sdg14 Healers of Our Ocean: Asia-Pacific Women Leading Ocean Action to Achieve SDG 14 – How Can We Learn from Them? Presented by: World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF), Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), UN Environment, and partners This event was moderated by Tiffany Straza, UN Environment, who stressed that Ocean management without women will not work, and invited participants to share lessons and strategies on how women’s inclusion can create more effective ocean management for all. She urged everyone to visit the profiles of women leaders on the “Ocean Healers” page of the SPREP website. Karolina Skog, Minister for the Environment, Sweden, emphasized Sweden’s commitment to gender equality in all SDGs implementation. She highlighted: the need to consider how land actions affect Ocean health; the importance of women having an equal part in decision-making on sustainable development, whether on land or in oceans; and the importance of "Ocean Literacy" to SDG 14 implementation. Cristelle Pratt, Deputy Secretary-General, Pacific Islands Forum, said the involvement of women is essential to implementing SDG 14, and this principle is enshrined in the Ocean management instruments of the Pacific region. She noted the Pacific Ocean Alliance facilitated by the Pacific Ocean Commissioner and urged everyone interested in oceans to join it. Tarusila Veibi, Fiji Locally Managed Marine Area (FLMMA) Network, discussed her role as the sole female representative for her province on a resource committee. She highlighted local success stories in protecting mangrove habitats and in promoting sustainable fishing practices and alternative sustainable livelihoods. Rindah Melsen, President, Nusatuva Women’s Savings Club, Solomon Islands, spoke on the importance of fisheries to island livelihoods and food security, the role women play, and how her community savings club encourages women and girls to explore alternative sources of income and livelihood. Wendy Watson-Wright, CEO, Ocean Frontier Institute (OFI), Canada, discussed the importance of creating female heros, or “she-ros,” and OFI's efforts to promote greater female participation in ocean research and management. Carol Phua, WWF-Netherlands, introduced the “Ocean Witness” initiative seeking to amplify and empower the voices of people experiencing first-hand the changes to the Ocean. In the ensuing discussion, participants discussed, inter alia: the importance of incorporating gender dimensions in all Ocean Conference discussions and partnership dialogues; the need for strengthening “Southern” civil society organizations so they can take up the promotion of gender equity; the importance of addressing the special challenges facing indigenous women leaders; and the launch of a “Women for Oceans” global platform to support women involved in ocean management. Panel (L-R): Tiffany Straza, UN Environment; Cristelle Pratt, Pacific Islands Forum; Karolina Skog, Minister for the Environment, Sweden; Rindah Melsen, President, Nusatuva Women’s Saving Club, Solomon Islands; Wendy Watson-Wright, CEO, Ocean Frontier Institute, Canada; Tarusila Veibi, FLMMA Network; and Carol Phua, WWF-Netherlands. Karolina Skog, Minister for the Environment, Sweden, said women should have an equal part in decision-making on sustainable development, whether regarding land actions or the oceans. Cristelle Pratt, Deputy Secretary General, Pacific Islands Forum, said oceans management represents significant economic and leadership opportunities for women. Tarusila Veibi, FLMMA Network, discussed being the only woman presenting her province on a resources committee, and her role in helping organizing protection of mangroves habitats and promoting sustainable fishing practices. Carol Phua, WWF-Netherlands, introduced the launch of the “Ocean Witness” initiative seeking to amplify and empower the voices of people experiencing first hand the changes to the ocean. Contacts: Tiffany Straza (UN Environment) | tstraza@gmail.com Alfred Ralifo (WWF) | aralifo@wwfpacific.org More Information: www.sprep.org/pacific-voyage-un-ocean-conference-2017/ocean-healers http://oceanwitness.org/ Ocean Health, Climate Change and Migration: Understanding the Nexus and Implications for People on the Move Presented by: International Organization for Migration (IOM) and World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) This session, moderated by Rosiland Jordan, Al Jazeera, discussed the interlinkages between Ocean, migration and climate change. Opening the session, Ashraf El Nour, Director, IOM Office to the UN, said that meeting on World Environment Day was an important opportunity to voice concern about threats facing the Ocean. Naipote Katonitabua, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs, Fiji, spoke on the threats to oceans and coastal communities, including loss of livelihood linked to sea level rises, coastal erosion and others. He spoke on various phenomena that impact the migration of communities, giving the example of fishermen migrating inland, and natural disasters that displace many each year. Luis Oña Garcés, Permanent Mission of Ecuador to the UN, stressed the fundamental role of the Ocean in many key societal issues, including development, poverty eradication and food security. He stated the critical need to bring the human dimension to the debates, noting the risks to the survival of many societies as well as to the biological support system of the planet. Jean Edmond Randrianantenaina, Director General, Regional Maritime Information Fusion Center (RMIFC), Madagascar, stressed Madagascar’s strong dependence on maritime issues, since 41% of the land is coastal and 65% of the population lives in coastal areas. He spoke on Madagascar’s Ocean, climate change and mitigation initiatives, noting that more work needed to be done to improve data collection for interaction between these interlinked themes. Françoise Gaill, Ocean and Climate Platform, underscored the importance of interdisciplinary methods. She called for a two-step approach to first understand the Ocean system, to then develop tools to predict and identify impacts on ecosystems and their resulting economic and human consequences, among others. Stating the estimated USD 24 trillion value of Ocean assets, John Tanzer, WWF, said that while you cannot reduce the Ocean’s value to a monetary figure, it does have economic importance. He cautioned that this economic value of Ocean assets is declining, explaining the resulting negative impacts on those dependent on it. Mariam Traore Chazalnoel, IOM, spoke on her organization’s work on the Ocean dimensions of migration, underscoring that 220 million people currently live in coastal areas of the world and may be threatened by displacement due to future coastal erosion. She explained work on responses to this threat, including to help populations stay where they are, through disaster risk reduction management and climate change adaptation. John Tanzer, WWF, said the destruction of coral reefs is real and rapid, underscoring that those depending on that ecosystem are very exposed. Françoise Gaill, Ocean and Climate Platform, discussed the role of the research community in environmental sustainability and migration issues. Jean Edmond Randrianantenaina, RMIFC, Madagascar, said that Madagascar is already experiencing internal displacement of its population due to climate change impacts on the Ocean. Ashraf El Nour, Director, IOM Office to the UN, drew attention to the importance of the climate change, migration and ocean nexus, and called for innovative and integrated approaches to these issues, both at the national level and at the UN level. Panel (L-R): Luis Oña Garcés, Permanent Mission of Ecuador to the UN; Ashraf El Nour, Director, IOM Office to the UN; Jean Edmond Randrianantenaina, Director General, RMIFC, Madagascar; John Tanzer, WWF; Rosiland Jordan, Al Jazeera; and Françoise Gaill, Ocean and Climate Platform. Contacts: Lanna Walsh (IOM) | lwalsh@iom.int More Information: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents /15218Ocean_Conference___Side_Event_on_Oceans_and_Migration_Concept_Note_05_June_2017_FINAL.pdf How Scientific Knowledge on Oceans Can Contribute to the Implementation of National Action Plans on Climate and Human-induced Changes Presented by: Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), UN Development Programme (UNDP), the Governments of the Dominican Republic and Argentina, and the Cousteau Society This event, moderated by Jessica Faieta, Assistant Secretary-General and Director, Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, UNDP, focused on current scientific knowledge on oceans to identify knowledge gaps and contribute towards national action plans on climate and human induced changes in the oceans. Francisco Domínguez Brito, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Dominican Republic, stressed the specific challenge of understanding what is happening in the ocean compared to terrestrial ecosystems. Noting that his country is among the 10 countries most affected by climate change, he outlined areas of particular importance for his country, including overfishing by local and foreign actors and plastic pollution. Diego Moreno, Vice Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Argentina, presented three policy tools: the Pampa Azul Initiative, which aims to produce more knowledge regarding the Argentine Sea; a marine spatial planning tool designed to share information from all activity sectors; and the national system of protected areas. Alberto Piola, Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), stressed the exceptional productivity of the Southern Ocean. He highlighted the project’s goals to: understand exchange processes between marine costal ecosystems and the deep ocean; characterize the temporal scales of variability of these processes; and build interdisciplinary bridges for that understanding. Jose Muelbert, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande and IAI, highlighted the need to better understand ecosystem functioning, especially regarding ocean acidification and processes leading to dead zones. He stressed that “we cannot manage what we do not observe” and outlined three needs: enhance science on the way climate change impacts oceans; improve technological development regarding ecosystem management; and enhance planning and strategic cooperation between countries. Rebecca Klaus, Cousteau Society, presented tools to support ecosystem-based management. She stressed the need to improve the way we communicate the data we have and the particular importance of realistic indicators for policy makers. Nik Sekhran, UNDP, highlighted that three main challenges facing oceans are unsustainable fisheries, climate change, and plastic accumulation. He pointed to two actions by UNDP in that domain: to demystify Ocean science for better incorporation into policy and to build capacity, notably in working on transboundary assessments and on finding solutions collectively. In the ensuing discussion, participants considered means of improving international cooperation and the role of business for enhancing capacity, notably through industry clusters. Jessica Faieta, UNDP, said the deadline for SDG 14 is 2020 and 2025, not 2030, and that is why it is one of the first conferences on the SDGs. Francisco Domínguez Brito, Environment Minister, Dominican Republic, said that, due to climate change, there is desertification in the oceans too but the difference is that we cannot see it. Alberto Piola, IAI, stressed that the Southern Ocean is among the most productive of the global oceans. Rebecca Klaus, the Cousteau Society, stressed the need for better communicating the knowledge we have and for developing tools for poor countries in order to influence the policy-making process and inform society. Diego Moreno, Argentina, stressed the huge potential of the Argentine Sea and the need to protect its resources. Jose Muelbert, IAI, presented on how science can be useful for policy makers and the societies that rely on the ocean. Panel (L-R): Ione Anderson, IAI; Diego Moreno, Vice Minister, National Secretary of Environment, Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Argentina; Jessica Faieta, Director, Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, UNDP; Nik Sekhran, UN Development Programme (UNDP); Francisco Domínguez Brito, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Dominican Republic; Alberto Piola, IAI; Rebecca Klaus, Cousteau Society; and Jose Muelbert, IAI. Contacts: Ione Anderson (UN Liaison Officer, Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research) | ianderson@dir.iai.int Renata Rubian (United Nations Development Programme) | renata.rubian@undp.org More Information: www.iai.int Transitioning to the Blue Economy: Partnerships, Innovation and Approaches for Small Island States Presented by: the Governments of Grenada and Cabo Verde, The Nature Conservancy, and the Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). Partners: The Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, The Nordic Council, OECD, UNDP, FAO, and the World Bank Small States Forum. Árni Mathiesen, Assistant Director General, FAO, opened the event that was moderated by Angus Friday, Ambassador to the US and Mexico and Permanent Representative of the Organization of American States. José da Silva Goncalves, Minister of Economy and Employment, Cabo Verde, stressed the importance of the blue economy for SIDS, highlighting the potential for his country in tourism, renewable energy, water provision and fisheries. Keisha McGuire, Permanent Representative of Grenada to the UN, highlighted various collaborations in place for building a blue economy in Grenada, including with the Netherlands, and the World Bank. Douglas Frantz, Deputy Secretary-General, OECD, spoke on the opportunities for a blue economy, stressing the role of the OECD in bringing a multistakeholder and evidence-based approach to this economy. Hans Hogeveen, the Netherlands. stressed the need for innovation and partnerships with the private sector and NGOs, leading to a blue economy that brings sustainable growth, inclusion and social equity. Speaking on innovation in finance, Kathy McLeod, The Nature Conservancy, gave an example of wave attenuation by mangroves and coral reefs, explaining how economic value can be created from these natural services. David Robin, Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, presented the OECS’ framework for fisheries governance, based on an inclusive and multistakeholder approach, stressing that Ocean resources are the last frontier for a self-reliant development for Eastern Caribbean States. Geir Oddsson, Nordic Council of Ministers, underscored the importance of telling success stories on how to create revenues from oceans resources. He also stressed that the Nordic Council was particularly dedicated to addressing plastic pollution and criminality in fisheries. Carlos Rocha, Cabo Verde, cited several axes of progress towards a blue economy, including integrated management of resources and resilient ecosystem management. Patrick Gomes, Secretary General, African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, stressed the importance of bringing the problem of harmful subsidies to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to ensure that overfishing is no longer perpetuated at the expense of SIDS countries. John Virdin, Duke University, highlighted the importance of small-scale fisheries as the largest employer in the blue economy, and the need to reinforce them. Doreen Kibuka-Musoke, World Bank Group, presented the priority areas of the Small States Secretariat, based on the necessities of job creation and attracting investment. Spencer Thomas, Grenada, underlined that the transition to a blue economy is a transformation from a fossil-fuel economy, and that issues of communication and capacity building are critical for SIDS. Tumi Tómasson, UN University, announced commitment assistance to SIDS through a transdisciplinary fisheries training programme that formed 350 fellows, among them 65 from SIDS. In closing remarks, Dessima Williams, Special Adviser on SDGs to the President of the UN General Assembly, stressed the importance of discussions around SDG 14 as a push for all other SDGs and the central role for the register of voluntary commitments. Kathy McLeod, The Nature Conservancy, said that coral reefs and mangrove are critical for wave attenuation and must be monetizised. Hans Hogeveen, the Netherlands, said that we need a paradigm shift for the blue economy, with the private sector and NGOs at the forefront of its implementation. Doreen Kibuka-Musoke, the World Bank Group, said that they consolidated seven priority action areas for a blue economy in Grenada. Panel (L-R): Douglas Frantz, OECD; Árni Mathiesen, FAO; Keisha McGuire, Grenada; José da Silva Goncalves, Cabo Verde; Hans Hogeveen, the Netherlands; and Angus Friday, Grenada. Contacts: Safiya Sawney (Coordinator) | safiya@bluegrowth.org Jorge Barbosa (Coordinator) | jgbarbos@gmail.com More Information: www.bluegrowth.org