| The Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands Announces the 5th Global Oceans Conference |
| May 3-7,
2010, UNESCO, Paris, France |
PARIS, FRANCE, April 21, 2010
--/WORLD-WIRE/-- The Global Oceans Conference 2010 will
provide a vital forum for high-level leaders, experts,
scientists, and policy-makers to address the major policy issues
affecting the oceans at global, regional, and national levels,
and to make progress in advancing the global oceans agenda,
particularly in light of climate change. Conference leaflet (in
six different languages):
http://www.globaloceans.org/content/goc5-2010-leaflet The global oceans play a unique role in sustaining life on Earth by generating oxygen, absorbing atmospheric carbon dioxide, regulating climate and temperature, and providing the global population with food, livelihoods, energy, and transportation. The Global Conference will address the major challenges facing oceans today, with a focus on three main themes: 1) Ensuring Survival: Oceans, Climate and Security; 2) Preserving Life: Marine Biodiversity; and 3) Improving Governance at National and Regional Levels and in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction. The timing of the conference is critical, especially considering the absence of a strong outcome from the 15th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC, Copenhagen, 2009. Without a clear way forward, the global oceans community has an opportunity and an obligation to chart the next steps forward in helping nations around the globe address climate change and ocean acidification, which severely endanger coastal and island communities and ocean-based livelihoods, in 183 coastal nations. Likewise, world experts and leaders will address marine biodiversity loss during the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity, Marine biodiversity has received much less attention than its counterpart on land, even though the richest sources of biodiversity on Earth are found both in tropical rainforests and the ocean. Marine biodiversity is essential to the survival of all life, and its maintenance is expected to increase the resilience of marine ecosystems to climate change. Underpinning these issues is the theme of integrated governance, and, in particular, the need to make progress on the global goal of applying integrated, ecosystem-based approaches to the governance of oceans and coasts by 2010. A special challenge in meeting this goal is the application of ecosystem-based approaches to the governance of areas beyond national jurisdiction, representing 64% of the global oceans. These areas are of significant importance to global, regional, and national economies and industries, and can have high levels of biodiversity, particularly around seamounts, hydrothermal vents, methane seeps, and deepwater coral communities. However, challenges for the long-term sustainability of these areas remain, including the need to ensure greater coherence and integration across sectors and management organizations. To meet challenges across the three themes, expected outcomes of the conference will focus on detailed, solutions-based, recommendations that can be implemented in the near-term to propel the global oceans agenda into the next decade. The Global Oceans Conference 2010 is organized by the Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands, the Government of France, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO, and 30 co-organizers from governments, international agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and research institutions from around the world, with generous financial support from the Global Environment Facility, the Government of France (Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Ministry of Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development and the Sea, Secretary General of the Sea, and French Marine Protected Areas Agency), and other donors. The Conference will include 600 leaders from over 80 countries, both developed and developing, and from all regions of the world. Senior officials expected to participate at the conference include: H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco; H.E. President Anote Tong of Kiribati, Mr. Bernard Kouchner, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, France; Monique Barbut, CEO of the Global Environment Facility; Maria Damanaki, European Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries; H.E. Nguyen Pham Khoi, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Vietnam; H.E.. Fadel Muhammad, Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, Indonesia; Mr. Norifumi Idee, Secretary General, Secretariat of the Headquarters for Ocean Policy, Japan; H E Mr. Ahmed Aslam, Minister for Environment, Maldives, among others. The initial two days of the Conference will be devoted to Symposium sessions dedicated to exploring the major themes of the Conference. A special workshop during the Symposium will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and address challenges of the next 50 years. A High-Level National Ocean Leaders Roundtable will take place on May 5, with concurrent Roundtables of The Ocean Parliamentarians and The Regional, Provincial, and Local Authorities. The final two days (May 6-7) will chart the way ahead for the international oceans community with the all-plenary Policy Conference, featuring high-level speakers focusing on the main themes. The Global Oceans Conference 2010 Program: http://www.globaloceans.org/sites/udel.edu.globaloceans/files/pdfs/Draft-Conference-Program-April21.pdf Press are invited to attend the Policy, Science and Technical Symposium Sessions (May 3-4) and the Policy Conference (May 6-7). Press are also invited to participate in three Press events: At the conclusion of the Symposium on May 4 (6:00 to 7:00 PM); a discussion and press event following the three Roundtables on May 5 (6:00 to 7:15 PM), and a concluding press conference on the morning of May 7 (12:15 to 1:15 PM). Press wishing to attend should contact Lauren McCollough, Media Coordinator for the Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts and Islands, at laurenmcmo@gmail.com or +1-202-355-3575, or Ms. Isabelle Le Fournis at i.le-fournis@unesco.org or +33(0)14568 1748. The Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands http://globaloceans.org was first mobilized in 2001 in anticipation of the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. The Global Forum brings together ocean leaders from governments, non-governmental and international organizations, scientists, and the private sector to achieve the sustainable development of oceans, coasts, and islands and to advance the global oceans agenda. Contact: Lauren McCollough +1 202-255-3575 laurenmcmo@gmail.com |
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