Small island developing States stressed that international law, strong partnerships and honoured commitments chart the way to sustainable ocean management, calling for broader legal rules and demanding greater action from those responsible for increased pressure on marine ecosystems as high-level discussion continued in the historic maritime city.
The 2022 United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and Sustainably Use the Oceans, Seas and Marine Resources for Sustainable Development entered its second day, bringing together representatives of Government as well as civil society in a range of conversations, from a high-level plenary to multi-stakeholder dialogues.
Flavien Joubert, Minister for Agriculture, Climate Change and Environment of the Seychelles, pointed out that the world is grappling with “giants” such as marine pollution and climate change and stressed that his country’s survival is linked to the health of the ocean. This matter concerns all States — big or small — and global initiatives, like the Ocean Conference, provide important platforms with which to advocate for change and communicate a collective aspiration for a better future. A small number of dedicated leaders can turn the tide in the fight against threats to the oceans, he added.