At the occasion of the UN Biodiversity Summit on 30 September 2020, the High Level Side Event entitled “Biodiversity: The Ocean’s Role” was held. Mr. Peter Thomson, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean moderated the Side Event and expressed his hope that there would be useful discussions.

H.R.H. The Prince of Wales stated in his video message that we need a Marshall Plan for restoring nature and called for increased international action towards conserving interdependent marine ecosystems. He advocated concrete actions such as (i) climate change mitigation and adaptation, (ii) elimination of subsidies to overfishing and IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) fishing, (iii) achieving the 10% target for marine protected areas and setting the 30% target for MPAs by 2030, (iv) enacting and enforcing laws to regulate overfishing/destructive fishing methods, seagrass meadow dredging, mangrove deforestation and conserving corals, (v) developing infrastructure to treat sewage and prevent marine pollution, (vi) promoting sustainable fishery resource management, (vii) researching marine living organisms, (viii) developing sustainable systems and resilient urban areas, and (ix) advancing a paradigm shift including sustainability financing for promoting a sustainable ocean-based or blue economy. He stated that it is vital to carry out actions that are solution oriented, science led, preventive, inclusive and effective towards conserving and promoting the sustainable use of the ocean. He said that our earth is injured, and that the tapestry-like ocean is now like a patient who needs urgent care. He called for cooperation to strengthen actions globally to conserve and promote the sustainable use of the ocean.

H.E. Danny Faure, President of Seychelles, stated that COVID-19 reminded us of the global interconnectivity. He mentioned that according to recent reports, there have been unprecedented and accelerated anthropogenic impacts on nature and many species are at risk of extinction. He underlined that humanity cannot thrive without nature. He emphasized that we need to implement biodiversity strategies to live in harmony with nature, and that the Seychelles are promoting debt swaps for nature and blue bonds as innovative policy initiatives towards conserving the ocean.

Mr. Liu Zhenmin, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, mentioned that in order to overcome biodiversity challenges it is vital to develop a post 2020 biodiversity conservation target that will be in line with the UN 2030 Development Agenda and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. He underlined his hope that the discussions at this Side Event and the Biodiversity Summit would be productive.

Ms. Elizabeth Mrema, Executive Secretary for the Convention on Biological Diversity, underlined the need to understand biodiversity from a holistic viewpoint rather than as a separate issue. She said that there is no need to sacrifice biodiversity to meet human needs. She stated that we need to promote sustainable fisheries and tackle food loss issues. She emphasized that the process to set up the post 2020 biodiversity conservation target is a useful opportunity to make a transition towards achieving a sustainable ocean and making our planet healthy, resilient, and productive.

Mr. Andrew Forrest, Chairman, the Minderoo Foundation mentioned that to conserve biodiversity, it is important to achieve the 10% target of marine protected areas (MPAs) and agree upon the 30% target for MPAs by 2030. To achieve such goals, he stated that global leaders need to demonstrate their leadership roles. 

Ms. Dona Bertarelli, UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), underlined the importance of achieving the 10% target for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by the end of 2020 and building consensus on the proposed 30% target for MPAs by 2030. She emphasized that global leaders need to play a leading role in realizing those aims.

Dr. Atsushi Sunami, President, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and President, Ocean Policy Research Institute of SPF, stated that according to the report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), biodiversity has accelerated. He also recalled the report launched by the CBD Secretariat in September 2020 that the Aichi Biodiversity Targets have not been met. For these reasons, he pointed out a need to accelerate actions for conserving biodiversity and promoting policy dialogues and policy development based on science. He also referred to the webinar that OPRI organized this summer. He mentioned that in order to conserve the ocean, it is vital to reduce greenhouse gases and explore solutions to ocean related issues such as ocean warming and changing marine and coastal environments, taking into account the characteristics of local communities. He also underlined that OPRI is a member of the Advisory Network of the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy and intends to contribute to policy discussions and consensus building; for instance, at the forthcoming Our Ocean Conference in Palau this December and the 2nd UN Ocean Conference, with a view to promoting conservation and sustainable use of the ocean as a global commons.

Dr. Enric Sala, Explorer in Residence of the National Geographic Society pointed out that the ocean is becoming acidic and is warming, and to protect the ocean it is vital to reduce the use of fossil fuels, promote sustainable fishery resources management, and expand marine protected areas. He emphasized that marine protected areas can boost marine biomass by 6 times, and fish can swim out from there in what is called a spill over effect. He also stated that bottom trawling fishing can release carbon stored by marine living organisms. For such reasons, he advocated restricting bottom trawling fishing methods and setting a 30% target for marine protected areas.

H.E. Isabella Lövin, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Environment and Climate of Sweden, underlined that there is no life without the ocean. She stated that it is difficult to see the changes under the sea surface, such as coral beaching, fish stock depletion, and marine plastic. Nonetheless, she mentioned the recent incidents in the news that remind us of ocean changes: the disastrous oil spills in the sea of Mauritius, the many dead albatrosses full of plastics, and the numerous whales stranded on the shore in Tasmania. She stated that in 2017 Sweden and Fiji co-hosted the 1st UN Ocean Conference that was a game changer, as the Conference catalysed numerous voluntary commitments and partnerships. She underlined that it is vital to regulate activities detrimental to the ocean, incentivize sustainable actions, enhance traceability in supply chains, eliminate harmful subsidies, encourage direct investment towards sustainability, and promote science and act on its findings. She emphasized that it is important to promote economy recovery under COVID-19 and achieve sustainable ocean simultaneously. She stated that we need to be committed, determined and bold in achieving such objectives. She expressed her hope that myriad accounts of progress will be reported at the 2nd UN Ocean Conference that Portugal and Kenya will host next year.

Participants underscored that the economic recovery under COVID-19 needs to be promoted with consideration for the planetary environment, and called for greater cooperation to ensure the UN Biodiversity Summit is successful and further progress made towards achieving a sustainable ocean.

You can view the UN webpage on this event here: https://sdgs.un.org/events/biodiversity-oceans-role-24649