Latest news with #3rdUNOceanConference
Scoop
15-06-2025
- General
- Scoop
UN Recognizes World Restoration Flagships In East Africa, Mexico, And Spain
Nice, France, 11 June 2025 – The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) have named the first World Restoration Flagships for this year, tackling pollution, unsustainable exploitation, and invasive species in three continents. These initiatives are restoring almost five million hectares of marine ecosystems – an area about the size of Costa Rica, which, together with France, is hosting the 3rd UN Ocean Conference. The three new flagships comprise restoration initiatives in the coral-rich Northern Mozambique Channel Region, more than 60 of Mexico's islands and the Mar Menor in Spain, Europe's first ecosystem with legal personhood. The winning initiatives were announced at an event during the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, and are now eligible for UN support. 'After decades of taking the ocean for granted, we are witnessing a great shift towards restoration. But the challenge ahead of us is significant and we need everyone to play their part,' said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP. 'These World Restoration Flagships show how biodiversity protection, climate action, and economic development are deeply interconnected. To deliver our restoration goals, our ambition must be as big as the ocean we must protect.' The World Restoration Flagship awards are part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration – led by UNEP and FAO – which aims to prevent, halt, and reverse the degradation of ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean. The awards track notable initiatives that support global commitments to restore one billion hectares – an area larger than China – by 2030. FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said: 'The climate crisis, unsustainable exploitation practices and nature resources shrinking are affecting our blue ecosystems, harming marine life and threatening the livelihoods of dependent communities. These new World Restoration Flagships show that halting and reversing degradation is not only possible, but also beneficial to planet and people." The Northern Mozambique Channel This small region boasts 35 per cent of the coral reefs found in the entire Indian Ocean and is considered its seedbed and nursery. Agricultural run-off, overfishing, and climate change threaten this economically and ecologically important stretch of ocean. Comoros, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Tanzania are already working together to manage, protect, and restore almost 87,200 hectares of interconnected land- and seascapes, benefitting both nature and people. Actions undertaken today to maintain it include restoration of blue and green forests by creating interconnected restoration corridors, mangroves, and coral reef ecosystems, and improving fisheries management. These efforts, championed by the NGO World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and UN agencies alike, encompass multiple levels and sites, spanning both land and seascapes. With adequate financing, 4.85 million hectares are expected to be restored by 2030. This is expected to improve communities' well-being and socio-economic development, including a 30 per cent increase in household income in target areas, and create over 2,000 jobs and 12 community-based enterprises, while integrating indigenous practices. Madagascar's mangroves already store more than 300 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (COe), comparable to the annual electricity use in over 62 million homes in the United States. The restoration is expected to increase these countries' capacity to absorb carbon dioxide (CO) and help tackle climate change. Mexico's seabird islands Recognized worldwide as vital hotspots for biodiversity, particularly for being home to one-third of the world's seabird species, the Mexican islands had long suffered the negative impacts of invasive species. Then, twenty-six years ago, Mexico's National Commission for Natural Protected Areas (CONANP) and the civil society organisation Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas (GECI) launched an ambitious, comprehensive ecological restoration program, in collaboration with partners from government agencies, civil society, academia, and local communities. Efforts include removing 60 populations of invasive species and restoring seabird colonies, as well as forest landscape restoration. Coupled with implementing biosecurity protocols, the comprehensive programme restores the island's endemic richness and supports local island communities. Thanks to restoration efforts, 85 per cent of formerly extirpated seabird colonies have returned to the islands, including species at risk of extinction. The initiative will complete the restoration of over 100,000 hectares by the end of the decade – equivalent to almost a million hectares of continental land in terms of biodiversity value — encompassing almost 100 islands, and protecting over 300 endemic species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and birds. An enduring relationship with local communities ensures their involvement in the initiative and their benefits: enhanced resilience facing extreme weather events, sustainable fisheries, and ecotourism. Spain: The Mar Menor lagoon With its famously transparent water, the Mar Menor lagoon is essential to the region's identity, local tourism, small-scale fishing and unique flora and fauna, including water birds. Surrounded by one of Europe's key agricultural regions, it is the continent's largest saltwater lagoon, and its biodiversity has successfully adapted to conditions of extreme temperatures, high salinity, and low levels of nutrients. However, nitrate discharges from intensive agricultural activity, as well as other polluting land and marine activities, have led to the lagoon's rapid degradation, including the emergence of damaging algal blooms. A positive turn came when over half a million citizens mobilized in response to episodes of 'green soup' and fish kills and supported a Popular Legislative Initiative to make the Mar Menor a legal entity with rights. Actions were also promoted from the justice system to demand the application of environmental liability regulations and possible criminal liability into the pollution. The Spanish Government launched an ambitious intervention through the Framework of Priority Actions to Recover the Mar Menor (MAPMM), aimed at restoring the natural dynamics and solving the problem from the source, articulated in 10 lines of action and 28 measures, by creating wetlands, supporting sustainable agriculture, constructing a wide green belt around it, cleaning up abandoned and polluted mining sites, improving flood risk management, increasing its biodiversity, and sustaining social participation. The total area targeted for restoration amounts to 8,770 hectares, representing 7 per cent of the entire basin flowing into the Mar Menor. This area would support Spain's climate change objectives, including its overall national target of restoring 870,000 hectares by 2030. For one of the proposed interventions, the Green Belt, it is estimated to absorb more than 82,256 tonnes CO by 2040 – the equivalent of the annual greenhouse gas emissions from almost 14,000 people in Spain. World Restoration Flagships are chosen as the best examples of ongoing, large-scale and long-term ecosystem restoration by a group of ecosystem restoration experts from the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration's network. Selection follows a thorough review process with 15 criteria, embodying the 10 Restoration Principles of the UN Decade. In 2022, the inaugural ten World Restoration Flagships were recognized as part of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, followed with the recognition of seven initiatives in 2024.
Maroc
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Maroc
French Expert Praises HM King Mohammed VI's Vision for Africa's Maritime Strategy
Franco-Swiss political analyst Jean Marie Heydt on Wednesday hailed the strategic vision of HM King Mohammed VI in strengthening Africa's maritime role, calling it a timely and ambitious initiative to harness the continent's oceanic potential. 'His Majesty King Mohammed VI has called for an innovative vision to develop Africa's oceanic assets,' Heydt said in comments to MAP following the Sovereign's message to the 'Africa for the Ocean' summit, held in Nice as part of the 3rd UN Ocean Conference. The message was delivered by Her Royal Highness Princess Lalla Hasnaa, representing HM the King at the event. Heydt described HM the King's approach as 'bold and strategic,' aimed at repositioning Africa within the global maritime landscape while promoting sustainable development and reinforcing African sovereignty over marine resources. Despite being home to 38 coastal states and vast maritime zones, Africa remains underrepresented in international ocean governance, Heydt noted. The Sovereign's appeal, he said, advocates for a strategic reassessment of the continent's maritime priorities, grounded in shared responsibility and enhanced regional cooperation. The Royal vision, he added, focuses on three main pillars: technological innovation, environmental sustainability, and strengthened regional collaboration. He also commended Morocco's 'exemplary' commitment to sustainability and marine protection. Heydt cited the launch of the Atlantic African States Process under the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI as a key milestone. 'The initiative aims to establish collective governance along Africa's Atlantic seaboard,' he said. Regional cooperation will be essential to advancing this agenda, Heydt added, noting Morocco's strategic geographic position at the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, as well as its stability and diplomatic reach, make it a key facilitator. He concluded that HM the King's call for a renewed African maritime strategy reflects a comprehensive and forward-looking vision, positioning Morocco as a credible and influential actor in shaping Africa's ocean policy. MAP: 12 June 2025
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
India calls for urgent global action to protect ocean, commits to early ratification of High Seas Treaty
Image used for representative image NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday called for urgent global action on ocean health at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France, with Union minister of earth sciences Jitendra Singh urging the international community to invest in innovation, ratify the 'High Seas Treaty', and finalise a legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution. 'The ocean is our shared heritage and responsibility,' said Singh, expressing India's readiness to work with all stakeholders - govts, the private sector, civil society, and indigenous communities - to ensure a sustainable ocean future. He was delivering the country's statement at the conference. One of the core objectives of the five-day conference, which is co-hosted by France and Costa Rica, is to help bring into force the landmark 'High Seas Treaty' - Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement - adopted in 2023 to safeguard life in international waters through long-term protection of marine biodiversity in the high seas. Once ratified by 60 countries, it will become law of the sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction. Fifty members (49 countries and the EU) have already submitted their ratifications, while 15 others, including India, committed to doing it soon, paving the way for its coming into force in the next four months. Singh, while addressing the conference, also highlighted the multiple measures being taken by India in sync with its commitment to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Life Below Water, and outlined how the country's initiatives are aimed at reversing ocean degradation through science, innovation, and inclusive partnerships. He shared the progress made on India's Deep Ocean Mission and its 'Samudrayaan' project, which is expected to deploy the country's first manned submersible by 2026. The project aims to explore ocean depths up to 6,000 meters and is seen as a major leap in India's scientific capability. A nationwide ban on single-use plastic items of high littering potential, implementation of over $80 billion worth of 'Blue Economy' projects, supporting a legally binding global plastics treaty, and the launch of the 'SAHAV' digital ocean data portal are some of the initiatives which found prominence in the minister's speech at the global forum. The SAHAV portal - a GIS-based decision support system - works as a tool to empower policymakers, researchers, and communities with real-time spatial data, enabling smarter planning and stronger marine resilience. Singh also spoke of expanding India's marine protected areas, which now cover 6.6% of the Exclusive Economic Zone, contributing to global biodiversity goals. He underlined that India has integrated ocean-based climate actions into its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
Scoop
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Prime Minister Of Tuvalu Calls For Global Action On Sea Level Rise At Ocean Summit In France
Press Release – Tuvalu Government Prime Minister Teo's remarks came as he joined other leaders and stakeholders, at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference currently convened in Nice, France, who are committed to enhancing resilience in coastal communities through innovative partnerships and … Nice, France – Saturday, June 7, 2025 – During his address at the Ocean Rise and Resilience Coalition Summit, Prime Minister Hon. Feleti P. Teo of Tuvalu highlighted the urgent need for global collaboration to combat the existential threat posed by climate change and rising sea levels. Prime Minister Teo emphasized the unique vulnerabilities faced by low-lying nations like Tuvalu, stating, 'Sea level rise poses the greatest existential threat to Tuvalu's economies, to our culture and heritage, and to the future viability of the very land that nourished and sustained our ancestors for centuries.' He urged global leaders to recognize their collective responsibility, asserting, 'No nation, no city, and no community are immune to the impacts of climate change, nor should they be required to address the devastating effects of sea level rise on their own.' Prime Minister Teo expressed strong support of the newly formed Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience Coalition's mission and advocated for the promotion of key objectives. He called for mobilizing leaders and practitioners to share innovative solutions, integrating local and scientific knowledge for tailored adaptation strategies, and facilitating access to finance for infrastructure resilience. 'Finding the right solutions will require statesmanship and empathy, beginning with an acknowledgment that a situation globally caused must also have a globally just and equitable solution,' he stated. Prime Minister Teo's remarks came as he joined other leaders and stakeholders, at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference currently convened in Nice, France, who are committed to enhancing resilience in coastal communities through innovative partnerships and shared solutions.
Scoop
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Prime Minister Of Tuvalu Calls For Global Action On Sea Level Rise At Ocean Summit In France
Nice, France – Saturday, June 7, 2025 – During his address at the Ocean Rise and Resilience Coalition Summit, Prime Minister Hon. Feleti P. Teo of Tuvalu highlighted the urgent need for global collaboration to combat the existential threat posed by climate change and rising sea levels. Prime Minister Teo emphasized the unique vulnerabilities faced by low-lying nations like Tuvalu, stating, 'Sea level rise poses the greatest existential threat to Tuvalu's economies, to our culture and heritage, and to the future viability of the very land that nourished and sustained our ancestors for centuries.' He urged global leaders to recognize their collective responsibility, asserting, 'No nation, no city, and no community are immune to the impacts of climate change, nor should they be required to address the devastating effects of sea level rise on their own.' Prime Minister Teo expressed strong support of the newly formed Ocean Rise and Coastal Resilience Coalition's mission and advocated for the promotion of key objectives. He called for mobilizing leaders and practitioners to share innovative solutions, integrating local and scientific knowledge for tailored adaptation strategies, and facilitating access to finance for infrastructure resilience. 'Finding the right solutions will require statesmanship and empathy, beginning with an acknowledgment that a situation globally caused must also have a globally just and equitable solution,' he stated. Prime Minister Teo's remarks came as he joined other leaders and stakeholders, at the 3rd UN Ocean Conference currently convened in Nice, France, who are committed to enhancing resilience in coastal communities through innovative partnerships and shared solutions.
