 "'Save our Ocean, Protect our Future': UN Ocean Conference begins Monday")
United Nations Ocean Conference is set to take place in Lisbon, Portugal from June 27-July 1 and will be co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal, said the UN in its press release.
The Ocean Conference comes at a critical time as the world is seeking to address many of the deep-rooted problems of our societies laid bare by the COVID-19 pandemic. These problems require major structural transformations and common shared solutions that are anchored in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
"To mobilize action, the Conference will seek to propel much needed science-based innovative solutions aimed at starting a new chapter of global ocean action," it added.
Liu Zhenmin, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, will serve as the Secretary-General of the Conference, and Miguel de Serpa Soares, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, will serve as the Special Adviser to the Presidents of the Ocean Conference on the ocean and legal matters.
In 2017, the United Nations Secretary-General Guterres appointed Ambassador Peter Thomson of Fiji as his Special Envoy for the Ocean, aiming at galvanizing concerted efforts to follow up on the outcomes of the 2017 United Nations Ocean Conference, maintaining the momentum for action to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
The United Nations has designated 8 June as World Oceans Day - a day for humanity to celebrate the ocean.
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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres noted, "The ocean can be our biggest ally in responding to planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. Next week's UN Ocean Conference is an opportunity to commit to a sustainable blue economy that can create jobs while protecting our planet."
The ocean covers over 70 per cent of the planet. It is our life source, supporting humanity's sustenance and that of every other organism on earth.
The ocean produces at least 50 per cent of the planet's oxygen, it is home to most of earth's biodiversity, and is the main source of protein for more than a billion people around the world. Not to mention, the ocean is key to our economy with an estimated 40 million people being employed by ocean-based industries by 2030. Even though all its benefits, the ocean is now in need of support.
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