Amb. Peter Thomson, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean stated “We need to augment our efforts to achieve the “30x30” target and a 100% sustainably managed ocean by galvanizing government and stakeholders’ commitment and action for marine biodiversity conservation and sustainable management of marine resources, said in the first interview of our COP16 series.”

Mr. Tiago Pitta e Cunha, Chief Executive Officer of Oceano Azul Foundation emphasized that he was proud to announce the newly created marine protected area around Azores Islands in Portugal and noted that marine protected areas increase biomass and help stakeholders to sustainably use marine resources, and underlined the importance of accelerating efforts to achieve the “30x30” target.

Dr. Lizzie McLeod, Global Ocean Director at the Nature Conservancy stressed that the international community must work together to achieve the 30x30 target, ratify and implement the BBNJ agreement, eliminate IUU fishing, and so much more to work together for the ocean as a global common, and stated that the Nature Conservancy supports the Micronesian island countries in implementing the Micronesia Challenge and taking a lead in the global initiative for achieving a sustainable ocean.

Mr. Ralph Regenvanu, Special Envoy for Climate Change and Environment of Vanuatu emphasized that monitoring frameworks, access to financing, and capacity development for science-based policy development are some of the aspects for which firm decisions need to be made here at COP16 in order to accelerate the efforts to conserve biodiversity and sustainably manage biological resources.

Dr. Francisco Arias Isaza, Director General of the Institute for Marine and Coastal Research (INVEMAR) of Colombia commented “Colombia has diverse marine and coastal ecosystems both on the Pacific and the Atlantic side, and the conservation and sustainable management of marine and coastal ecosystems and natural resources requires science-based policy measures and sustainable traditional practices.”

Mr. Vidar Helgesen, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO stated "Science is an important basis for developing and implementing effective policy measures to promote the conservation and sustainable management of marine and coastal ecosystems and resources and need to bolster capacity development to enhance science-policy nexus.”

H.E. Minister Thoriq Ibrahim, Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy of the Republic of Maldives underlined “A small island country needs to manage land and ocean and tackle climate change in an integrated manner. It is vital to swiftly operationalize the financing mechanism to support such undertakings, particularly by small island developing countries.”

藤田香 日経ESGシニアエディター・東北大学教授 「日本の多くの企業が自然や生物多様性と企業活動の関連性についての情報開示に積極的に取り組む姿勢が今回の生物多様性条約第16回締約国会議で示されていた」、「企業活動と自然環境との関連性についての情報開示に関する取組であるＴＮＦＤや生物多様性クレジットなど様々な課題に参考になる議論が展開され、今後の取組の発展に期待したい」と話をしてくれました。

Mr. Tyrell Gittens, a member of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN), a national of Trinidad and Tobago said “It was a very useful experience discussing biodiversity policy issues with youth delegates from around the world and interacting with government representatives and experts,”. Mr. Gittens presented GYBN’s policy messages at the Ocean Days event, held on Sunday, October 27, during CBD/COP16.