Related Events
UN Ocean Conference Reef Action Hub
From 27 June through 1 July, on the side-lines of the UN Ocean Conference, the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR) and the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) will host the ‘Reef Action Hub’. The Hub will feature coral-focused side events, including workshops and roundtable meetings, aiming to accelerate action for coral reefs and showcase solutions.
Events will be held in-person in the Hub, located at R. do Bojador 47 in Lisbon. Public events will be streamed live on the GFCR YouTube channel: Link. Below please find the full agenda. The Reef Action Hub Space is a contribution from the Mirpuri Foundation. Times below are listed according to local time in Lisbon, Portugal (GMT+1).
High-Level Briefing on the 2022 UN Ocean Conference
In the run-up to the 2022 UN Ocean Conference, the Geneva Blue Talks aim to engage stakeholders in the process by focusing on key issues related to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 that are both at the heart of International Geneva and of the upcoming conference.
2022 United Nations Ocean Conference - Online Stakeholder Briefing: Updates and Preparations
Online Stakeholder Briefing – UPDATES AND PREPARATIONS
On 3 May 2022, at 9:00 a.m. (EDT), the UN DESA Division for Sustainable Development Goals, as the Secretariat of the 2022 UN Ocean Conference, will organize an online briefing to share information with stakeholders about the Conference, including opportunities to participate and expected outcomes.
The online briefing is open to all stakeholders.
Interested stakeholders should register online by 2 May 2022 using this form:
2022 ECOSOC Youth Forum - Thematic Breakout Session: Youth Action for SDG 14
UN DESA, the Oceans Youth Constituency of the Major Group of Children and Youth, UNEP and UN Global Compact are organizing a special session on Youth Action for SDG 14, given the critical role that young people have in the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. This session will provide a unique platform for youth to showcase ideas, recommendations, innovations, youth-led solutions and actions, to “Save our ocean, Protect our future”. It will also contribute to raising awareness among youth of the 2022 United Nations Ocean Conference in late June and the review of SDG 14 at 2022 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), the implementation of the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, as well as other related processes.
4th Oceans Forum on trade-related aspects of Sustainable Development Goal 14
The ocean’s resources sustain the livelihoods of about 3 billion people worldwide, the vast majority of whom live in developing countries. But those livelihoods are under threat, as the ocean and its ability to sustain life are in grave danger due to human activities, such as pollution and overfishing. Every year, an estimated 5 to 12 million metric tonnes of plastic flow into the ocean, which represents 95% of our planet’s biosphere. And due to overfishing, the percentage of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels fell from 90% in 1990 to less than 66% in 2017. The 4th Oceans Forum, to be held from 6 to 8 April 2022, is a unique platform to identify ways to change course. It’s an opportunity to find solutions for using trade as a tool to protect our ocean and its resources, accelerating the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14’s trade-related targets.
Online Stakeholder Briefing: Inputs to the Political Declaration Zero Draft
On 23 March 2022, from 10:30 – 11:30 AM (EDT, New York), an online briefing will be convened to provide an opportunity for stakeholders to share their inputs with the co-facilitators on the zero draft of 2022 UN Ocean Conference political declaration.
The co-facilitators value specific inputs on the elements in the text, keeping in mind the theme of science and innovation for SDG14 implementation.
All interested stakeholders are now invited to the online stakeholder briefing. Stakeholders who are interested in providing inputs should indicate this on the registration form, and are strongly encouraged to register by 16 March 2022. Requests to speak after this date may not be accommodated. Considering the limited amount of time, preference will be given to interventions made on behalf of organized groups and constituencies.
Note: This briefing will not address practical information regarding the Ocean Conference, including participation, side events, etc. Separate webinars will be organized to provide information on these issues.
Virtual Briefing on Local and Regional Governments and SDG 14 implementation: Mobilizing commitments towards the 2022 United Nations Ocean Conference
Many coastal cities and regions around the world are directly threatened by climate change and related risks, including sea-level rise, as well as the increase in extreme weather events that affect people’s lives, ecosystems and economies. While several coastal cities and regions are developing plans on how to adapt to climate change, not all are prepared well enough. Furthermore, many citizens of coastal cities and regions depend directly on the ocean for their livelihoods, making it important to promote peer learning and sharing of good practices amongst cities and regions on how to promote a Blue Economy, encourage the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improve livelihoods and jobs, while protecting the ocean ecosystem health.
The 2022 UN Ocean Conference offers a unique opportunity for coastal cities and regions to mobilize and demonstrate leadership in taking action to protect our ocean and ensure that the ocean and its accompanying coast are sustainably managed.
Funding the Sustainable Blue Economy
The transition to a sustainable blue economy is an opportunity for financial institutions, governments and other stakeholders to re-cast how we use, manage, and protect ocean resources, while contributing to climate change mitigation in line with the UN SDGs 13 – Climate Action, 14 – Life Below Water and 15 - Life on land. The immense potential of the ocean’s contribution to mitigation of and adaptation to climate change is being more widely appreciated, but funding for the Sustainable Blue Economy (SBE) remains at exceptionally low levels thereby limiting its potential. For most financial institutions, whether investors, insurers, or banks, and regardless of focus, size or breadth, the ocean and marine ecosystems are unchartered territory.
Expanding Ocean Acidication Observing Capacity to Take Action
This event will be a call for action to governments, industries and scientists to increase ambition for ocean acidification action, and to expand ocean acidification observing capacity required to minimize the impacts on ocean and human health.
Linkages Between Environmental Conferences
Join us live from #COP26 to hear how our biggest ally in the fight against climate change - the ocean - has featured so far in the discussions and what the outcomes might be from this landmark event. Discover the role that the ocean is playing in the critical climate negotiations by joining: Ambassador Peter Thomson, the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean Richard Brisius, Race President of The Ocean Race … and special guests live from the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow on Monday 8th November.
Seaweed as a Nature-based Solution for Climate Change
This session discusses how seaweed, or marine macroalgae, can be a significant nature-based climate solution with large scaling potential that can directly sequester carbon and indirectly displace greenhouse gas emissions in numerous ways. Moreover, sustainable seaweed production and farming has clear economic and ecological co-benefits that make it a form of “charismatic carbon” and a holistic nature-based climate solution. Discussions center on the UN Global Compact recently launched ‘Seaweed as a Nature-based Solution for Climate Change’ vision statement.
Presentation of the Second World Ocean Assessment (WOAII)
This event consisted of a brief virtual introduction by Dr. Carlos Garcia-Soto, Joint Coordinator of the Group of Experts of the UN Regular Process, after which the 3-minute video on the Second World Ocean Assessment (WOA II) was launched.
Blue Food: Businesses Bridging Nutrition Needs with Climate Action
The 2022 UN Ocean Conference
The UN Ocean Conference will take place from 27 June to 1 July 2022 in Lisbon, Portugal, and that the Governments of Kenya and Portugal shall retain co-hosting responsibilities. Substantive and logistic arrangements are underway to make the Conference the vibrant global gathering required to produce the science-based solutions, innovations and partnerships required to meet the challenges of the climate crisis and the decline of the ocean’s health. This side-event features presentations by high-level representatives of the Portuguese and Kenyan Governments, UN DESA and Ambassador Peter Thomson, on the preparations and visions for the 2022 UN Ocean Conference and the interlinkages between SDG13 and SDG14 in advancing the 2030 Agenda and Paris Agreement.
Peace Boat Ecoship - Sailing for the SDGs and Climate Action
This event will reflect a wide-ranging collaboration with speakers including civil society, youth and NGO leaders, covering diverse topics from clean transport and the energy transition, ocean conservation, education for the SDGs to youth empowerment and voices from SIDS.
The Ocean Decade: A Global Science Movement to Unlock Climate Action
This event looks at the challenges and possible solutions for the Ocean Decade to generate the science we need for the ocean we want, including a specific focus on priority regions of Africa and Pacific SIDS. It presents a series of flagship Ocean Decade Actions that are actively working to generate the science we need for the ocean we want in a changing climate and explains how the Ocean Decade will convene diverse actors across the globe over the next ten years to fill remaining knowledge gaps. The event also marks the release of an IOC-UNESCO publication on the role of the Ocean Decade in climate action at COP26.
High-Level Thematic Debate in Support of SDG14: Life Below Water
It has been more than three years since the first UN Ocean Conference. With the second Conference still delayed due to the ongoing pandemic, and four SDG14 targets having matured in 2020, Member States and the international community will benefit from a progress update on the achievement of SDG14, and the ocean related goals. As such, the President of the General Assembly will convene a high-level thematic debate at United Nations Headquarters on 1 June 2021, to support the positive momentum of implementation of SDG14.
Implementing SDG 14 with the Communities of Ocean Action
The forthcoming Ocean Conference, co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal, will come at a critical time as the world is strengthening its efforts to mobilize, create and drive solutions to realize the 17 Sustainable Development Goals by 2030 in the context of an ongoing global pandemic. How we respond to COVID-19 beyond the immediate and necessary recovery of health and livelihoods will likely determine not only whether we will reach SDG 14, but also how sustainable the world of tomorrow will be.
Investing in SDG 14
The objectives of this webinar are threefold. First, it will explore the ways in which the public and private sectors, including NGOs and philanthropies, can more effectively finance the implementation of SDG14. Second, it will discuss how the important link between the Ocean and the Climate can be strategically factored into public and private investment decisions for the Sustainable Blue Economy. Third, this webinar aims to share best practices and examples of innovative financing tools and instruments that are showing positive results.
Third Asia Pacific Day for the Ocean
The secretariat hosted its Third Asia-Pacific Day for the Ocean to continue to support member States, and key stakeholders, through systematic and inclusive dialogue on priority areas and challenges in our region.
