The UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon enters its second day today with sessions on sustainable economics and conservation of marine ecosystems, side events on regulation of the law of the sea and “blue tourism” and an “oceanic promise”
The magna meeting, co-organized by Portugal and Kenya, ends on Friday and aims to boost countries’ action to protect the oceans.
The second day’s program includes discussion sessions on sustainable ocean-based economies, in particular for small island developing States and least developed countries, and on the management and conservation of marine and coastal ecosystems.
The Prime Minister, António Costa, and the Minister of Economy and the Sea, António Costa Silva, participate in a lunch of leaders within the scope of the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy.
Former President and Prime Minister of Timor-Leste Xanana Gusmão and the Executive Secretary of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries, Zacarias da Costa, will attend a side event on the regulation of the law of the sea.
The side events also extend to tourism in the blue economy, energy transition and green maritime transport and cooperation. The Minister of the Environment and Climate Action, Duarte Cordeiro, is the “host” of an initiative dedicated to cooperation between Portugal and Argentina in the fight against pollution of the seas through environmental education.
Today, with the presence of UN Under-Secretary-General Usha Rao-Monari, the “Ocean Promise of the United Nations Development Programme” will also be launched, which aims to support the recovery of socio-economic losses caused by the mismanagement of the oceans.
Outside Lisbon, in Estoril, the Sustainable Blue Economy Investment Forum is held.
The UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon brings together world leaders, scientists, leaders of non-governmental organizations, academics and entrepreneurs, as well as representatives of UN Member States, under the theme “Increasing action in the oceans based on science and innovation ”.
Voluntary commitments on Sustainable Development Goal 14 on the protection of marine life are expected from the Conference, the second after the one in New York in 2017.
