On April 6, 2023, the Ocean Policy Research Institute organized the International Forum "Sustainable Ocean and G7 - Toward the G7 Sapporo Climate, Energy and Environment Ministers' Meeting in 2023" at the International Conference Hall of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. The Forum was attended by ministers, high level representatives and experts from the government, NGOs and international organizations from Japan and abroad in the Conference Hall and online together with public audience.
 
In his opening remarks, Dr. Atsushi Sunami, President of the Foundation, welcomed H.E. Mr. Akihiro Nishimura, Minister of the Environment, Japan, H.E. Mr. Tsuyoshi Hoshino, State Minister of Cabinet Office, Government of Japan and many other dignitaries, and expressed his hope that this Forum would provide useful insights for the G7 Sapporo Ministerial Meeting. Environment Minister Akihiro Nishimura referred to the Japan's efforts related to the oceans and active involvement in international conferences and negotiations for a sustainable ocean. Minister Nishimura emphasized his aspirations for the G7 Sapporo Ministerial Meeting, stating that he would lead the discussions to strengthen multiple efforts including those aimed at marine biodiversity conservation and sustainable use as well as countermeasures against plastic marine pollution.

H.E. Mr. Tsuyoshi Hoshino, State Minister of Cabinet Office, Government of Japan, underline the Japan’s commitment to maintaining and strengthening the maritime order, referring to Japan's utilization of oceanographic big data, the planned launch of an Arctic research vessel, and international cooperation for climate change mitigation and adaptation through the Green Climate Fund (GCF). Amb. Peter Thomson, United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, expressed his hope that G7 leaders and ministers, who have played a leading role in the High-level Panel on Sustainable Ocean Economies, will galvanize efforts to realize sustainable ocean policies.

Ms. Angela Paolini Ellard, Deputy Director-General, World Trade Organization (WTO), stated that the adoption of the Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies last June was a attestation of WTO members' determination to pursue multilateralism and sustainability, and stressed the need for early ratification and implementation of the Agreement. Ms. Ellard mentioned that it is vital to continue negotiations on outstanding issues such as overfishing capacity and emphasized that the WTO will continue to pursue negotiations on such issues.
 
Ambassador Rena Lee, President of the Intergovernmental Conference on an International Legally Binding Instrument on Marine Biodiversity in the Areas beyond National Jurisdiction and Ambassador for Oceans and Law of the Sea Issues and Special Envoy of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore, underpinned that the agreement reached last March is a great milestone and a reaffirmation of the international community's commitment to promote marine conservation and sustainable use of marine biological resources in the high seas. She stated that international cooperation is needed to ratify and implement the agreement, as well as to support capacity building for developing countries in this regard.

Mr. Shingo Ohta, Advisor to the Minister, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Japan, commended on the adoption of the WTO Fisheries Subsidies Agreement. Mr. Ohta noted that the prohibition of harmful fisheries needs to be ensure and at the same time it is useful to use subsidies towards improving fisheries management and implement plans to restore fishery resources. To ensure the effectiveness of fisheries subsidies, Mr. Ohta indicated that subsidies can be suspended if such plans are not implemented.
 
Mr. Yutaka Matsuzawa, Director-General, Global Environment Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, Japan, referred to the "Osaka Blue Ocean Vision" launched at the 2019 G20 Osaka Summit to promote measures against marine plastic pollution around the world. Mr. Matsuzawa also mentioned that the government representative is a member of the bureau for the ongoing negotiations on a plastic pollution agreement to support the negotiations. Mr. Matsuzawa also emphasized the importance of collaboration with multi-stakeholders to achieve the 30x30 marine conservation goal.

Ms. Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Executive Secretary, Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for Plastics Pollution, underlined her expectations to the G7 leaders including Japan to demonstrate leadership in facilitating the negotiations on the agreement regarding marine plastic pollution control. Ms. Mathur-Filipp stated that the first negotiating session was held last December and the second next session will be held in Paris next May. Ms. Mathur-Filipp mentioned that it is expected to have a draft agreement text for the third session this year. Ms. Minna Epps, Director, Ocean Team, IUCN, stressed the importance of promoting international cooperation to promote concrete actions in response to the 30x30 and BBNJ and the agreement on international targets and agreements that will support marine biodiversity conservation.

Mr. Tetsuji Ida, Senior Editor and Reporter, Kyodo News, stated that IUU fishing not only hinders sustainable management of fishery resources, but also aggravates social problems such as forced labor and human rights abuses, and that the international community needs to cooperate to eliminate IUU fishing from a more comprehensive perspective. Mr. Torsten Thiele, Founder and Executive Director, Global Ocean Trust, emphasized the need to strengthen national and international measures to combat marine pollution by chemicals, heavy metals, and other harmful substances other than plastics, and to develop initiatives to address the linkage between climate change and the ocean, nature-related financial disclosure, and other issues. Mr. Thiele also proposed that there must be a document entitled “Ocean Deal Plus”, a renewed version of the Ocean Deal adopted at the G7 Summit in Germany last year.

During the discussions, it was pointed out that it is of utmost importance for major fishing countries to implement measures such as banning harmful fishing subsidies and eliminating IUU fishing. It was also underlined that it is vital to promote conservation and sustainable use of marine biological resources by taking into account local and regional characteristics and conditions. It was also mentioned that regional organization and industrial groups are collaborating on resolutions and guidelines to eliminate forced labor and human rights abuses in the fishery sector. Mr. Masanori Kobayashi, Senior Research Fellow, Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, who moderated the panel discussions, recapitulated the thrust of discussions and expressed his hope that the key points of the discussions would be useful for future collaboration and the upcoming G7 Sapporo Climate, Energy and Environment Ministerial Meeting.

In his closing remarks, Dr. Hide Sakaguchi, President, Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, reflected on the very intensive discussions of this Forum and expressed his gratitude to the speakers and participants. Dr. Sakaguchi also expressed his gratitude that the participants renewed the importance of concerted actions for promoting the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans that are global commons on our planet.

It was suggested at the International Forum to develop a draft text of the Ocean Deal Plus. The Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, serving as a secretariat of the International Forum, developed a draft and refined the text based on the comments from the speakers and panelists. You can find a text of the draft Ocean Deal Plus here.

the Ocean Deal Plus (draft, rev1)（178.7KB）

The recording of this Forum is now available from SPF YouTube site.