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Oceans Action Day at UNFCCC-COP24

2018.12.22

The Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (OPRI-SPF) hosted the “Oceans Action Day” event on December 8, 2018, during the 24th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC-COP24), attracting around 400 participants. Oceans Action Day has been held annually since 2015 as a special event to discuss issues related to the oceans and climate, co-organized with the Global Ocean Forum (GOF), Oceano Azul Foundation, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO-IOC), among others. This year, under the theme of the “oceans and climate nexus,” more than 60 speakers involved in climate change and the oceans from international agencies, governments, research institutes, NGOs, and others, gathered for effective discussion from the point of view of the oceans regarding issues including mitigation and adaptation to climate change, scientific knowledge, financing mechanisms, and displacement.

For more information on Oceans Action Day, please see the report provided by the Earth Negotiations Bulletin.

(Left) Tomasz Chruszczow, COP 24 Special Envoy for Climate Change and High-level Climate Champion, Poland (Center) Peter Thomson, UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, Fiji (Right) Atsus
(Left) Tomasz Chruszczow, COP 24 Special Envoy for Climate Change and High-level Climate Champion, Poland
(Center) Peter Thomson, UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, Fiji
(Right) Atsushi Sunami, President, Ocean Policy Research Institute and Executive Director, Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Japan
View of the venue during the Opening High Level Session. (Bottom) Dr. Yoshihisa Shirayama (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology: JAMSTEC and OPRI-SPF) makes an intervention.
View of the venue during the Opening High Level Session.
(Bottom) Dr. Yoshihisa Shirayama (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology: JAMSTEC and OPRI-SPF) makes an intervention.
View of Session 2 that took place in the afternoon at the Japan Pavilion. (Top left) OPRI President Dr. Atsushi Sunami made the opening remarks. (Bottom left) Dr. Miko Maekawa, Senior Research Fellow,
View of Session 2 that took place in the afternoon at the Japan Pavilion.
(Top left) OPRI President Dr. Atsushi Sunami made the opening remarks.
(Bottom left) Dr. Miko Maekawa, Senior Research Fellow, served as the chair of the “Adaptation and Population Displacement” segment.
The High Level Closing Session that took place at the Pacific and Koronovia Pavilion. Dr. Atsushi Sunami, President of OPRI-SPF (top left), chaired the session, which included an intervention by H.E.
The High Level Closing Session that took place at the Pacific and Koronovia Pavilion.
Dr. Atsushi Sunami, President of OPRI-SPF (top left), chaired the session, which included an intervention by H.E. Susi Pudjiastuti, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Indonesia (top right), and a summary of the afternoon session on “Adaptation and Population Displacement” by Dr. Miko Maekawa, senior research fellow, OPRI-SPF (bottom left).
Speakers and other high-level participants from the closing session, including H.E. Susi Pudjiastuti, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Indonesia (7th from right), Mr. Peter Thomson, UN Secret
Speakers and other high-level participants from the closing session, including H.E. Susi Pudjiastuti, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Indonesia (7th from right), Mr. Peter Thomson, UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, Fiji (5th from left), Ms. Helen Ågren, Ambassador for the Ocean, Sweden (6th from left), and Dr. Hans-Otto Pörtner, Working Group II Co-Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (far left).
OPRI-SPF, along with Conservation International, GOF, IUCN, and UNESCO-IOC, also co-hosted an event titled “Blue Carbon – Linking the Latest Science and Policies” on December 7, 2018, at the Japan Pavilion as part of the networked Oceans Action Day events. The event introduced new publications featuring the latest understandings on science and policy regarding blue carbon in coastal wetlands and shallow coastal ecosystems, and saw lively discussion on these findings.
Group photo of the speakers, moderators, and other participants of the event, “Blue Carbon – Linking the Latest Science and Policies” from December 7. (From left) Mr. Gavin Singleton (Dawul Wuru Abori
Group photo of the speakers, moderators, and other participants of the event,
“Blue Carbon – Linking the Latest Science and Policies” from December 7.
(From left) Mr. Gavin Singleton (Dawul Wuru Aboriginal Corporation), Dr. Kirsten Isensee (UNESCO-IOC), Dr. Emily Pidgeon (Conservation International), Dr. Stephen Crooks (Silvestrum Climate Associates), Dr. Tomohiro Kuwae (PARI), Dr. Yoshihisa Shirayama (JAMSTEC and OPRI-SPF), Dr. Atsushi Sunami (OPRI-SPF) and Dr. Miko Maekawa (OPRI-SPF).

Contact:

For more information on OPRI-SPF’s participation in these events, as well as its other activities at COP24, please contact the representatives below.

 

The Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation (OPRI-SPF)
Dr. Miko Maekawa, Senior Research Fellow
Mr. Tomohiko Tsunoda, Senior Research Fellow
E-mail: oceanpolicy @ spf.or.jp

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