By Seiya Mutreja
The UN Ocean Conference was held from June 27th to July 1st in Lisbon, Portugal. The conference concluded with governments and state heads agreeing on a new declaration to save the oceans.
During the conference, world leaders recognized the terrible condition and treatment of the ocean. Due to this treatment, some challenges that the Ocean faces are: coastal erosion, rising sea levels, marine pollution, decreased marine biodiversity, and more acidic waters. After recognizing their “collective failure to achieve ocean-related targets,” the leaders worked on reaffirming their commitments and acknowledging the issue.
"The conference has allowed them to unpack critical issues and generate new ideas. It also made clear the work that remains and the need to scale up that work for the recovery of our ocean," UN Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Miguel de Serpa Soares said.
During the conference, many member states made voluntary commitments. A minimum of 1 billion USD will be invested by 2030 to support the creation, expansion, and management of marine protected areas. The European Investment Bank will invest 150 million euros across the Caribbean to improve climate resilience and water management. Furthermore, Portugal will ensure that all marine areas under Portuguese jurisdiction qualify as a Good Environmental State. Portugal will also ensure that thirty percent of aquatic regions under their authority are in a GES by 2030. Kenya has committed to developing a national blue economy program and an additional plan to manage sea-based plastic litter. Finally, India has committed to a Coastal Clean Seas Campaign and will work toward banning single-use plastics.
“I am impressed by the new commitments [countries made]. Commitments must be implemented at pace and monitored," Mr. Serpa Soares said at the closing ceremony.
By the end of the conference, over 150 member states made similar voluntary commitments to preserve and protect at least 30% of the ocean within the MPAs by 2030.
Sources:
United Nations. (n.d.). UN Ocean Conference ends with call for greater ambition and global commitment to address dire state of the ocean in the Caribbean. United Nations. Retrieved July 9, 2022, from https://caribbean.un.org/en/188541-un-ocean-conference-ends-call-greater-ambition-and-global-commitment-address-dire-state
News, U. N. (2022, July 5). UN Ocean Conference ends with call for Greater Global Commitment. IGCAT. Retrieved July 9, 2022, from https://igcat.org/un-ocean-conference-ends-with-call-for-greater-global-commitment/#:~:text=UN%20Ocean%20Conference%20ends%20with%20call%20for%20greater%20global%20commitment,-4%20July%202022&text=Following%20a%20week%20of%20discussions,declaration%20to%20Save%20Our%20Ocean
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