Mr. Chair,Excellencies,Distinguished Delegates,Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am honoured to deliver a statement on behalf of Under-Secretary-General Wu Hongbo, who is unable to attend today due to official travel outside Headquarters.
The Department of Economic and Social Affairs welcomes the opportunity to address the eighteenth meeting of the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea, which will focus its discussions on “The effects of climate change on oceans”.
Oceans, seas and their resources are crucial for sustainable development. They support human well-being and livelihoods. Oceans underpin poverty eradication, food security, employment, and provide protection from natural disasters. They supply humans with water and oxygen. They also act as the primary regulator of the global climate and an important sink for greenhouse gases.
However, marine- and land-based human activities are increasingly degrading and destroying oceans, seas and marine resources. Major adverse impacts stem from climate change, destruction of marine and coastal areas and marine pollution.
These impacts are interrelated and they must therefore be tackled in an integrated manner. We are also conscious of the interrelated nature of SDGs and that progress in one SDG will impact progress in others and vice versa.Climate change leads to ocean warming, ocean acidification, sea level rise and an increased frequency and intensity of weather and climate extremes. The socioeconomic impacts of climate change include increased vulnerability of local communities, increased food insecurity and reduced sources of livelihoods and employment. These related issues are tackled in several SDGs.
The deterioration of coastal and marine ecosystems and habitats is negatively affecting human well-being worldwide, with more severe and immediate impacts on vulnerable groups, including people living in poverty, women, children, and indigenous peoples.The Secretary-General’s report prepared for this meeting, note that the environmental, economic and social impacts of ocean warming and acidification undermine the ability of States to achieve sustainable development. This is particularly true for least developed countries and Small Island developing States. In some cases, it threatens the viability and survival of communities and even nations, in particular in low-lying coastal countries.
Therefore, through targeted capacity building, DESA assists Member States, in particular the most vulnerable, in building their capacity to restore the health of oceans, while at the same time building resilience to the negative impacts of climate change and addressing environmental degradation.
We know that social and economic development depends on the sustainable management of our planet’s natural resources. So we are assisting Member States to build capacity to conserve and sustainably use oceans and seas and protect biodiversity, ecosystems and wildlife.
At the same time, we do it without losing sight that SDGs are indivisible and interrelated. Tackling the SDG 14 requires progress towards many other goals, SDG 13 on climate, SDG7 on energy and SDG12 on responsible consumption and production to name a few. It also requires alignment with the Paris Agreement and Sendai Framework.
For these reasons, we are working to assist Member States build capacity to tackle the 2030 Agenda in an indivisible and integrative way in order to bring prosperity and well-being to all and to leave no one behind.
Distinguished Delegates,
Voluntary commitments are an essential outcome of the Ocean Conference. I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to register any commitments, partnerships or initiatives to support Goal 14 via the Conference website, or to announce the commitments in the Conference.
It is expected that the Ocean Conference will provide solid inputs to the high-level political forum on sustainable development, which will take place from 10-19 July 2017 in New York. The theme will be “Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world” and a set of SDGs will be reviewed, including SDG 14. I hope you will be able to participate in this important meeting to ensure effective follow-up and review of SDG 14.
In conclusion, we look forward to continuing our support to this Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Seas and to our collaborative efforts in promoting the conservation and sustainable use of ocean and seas for the benefit of current and future generations. We hope to make it part of ecosystem of processes that will contribute to the achievement of SDG14.
We wish you a very successful meeting.
This concludes the statement of Mr. Wu.
Thank you.
I am honoured to deliver a statement on behalf of Under-Secretary-General Wu Hongbo, who is unable to attend today due to official travel outside Headquarters.
The Department of Economic and Social Affairs welcomes the opportunity to address the eighteenth meeting of the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea, which will focus its discussions on “The effects of climate change on oceans”.
Oceans, seas and their resources are crucial for sustainable development. They support human well-being and livelihoods. Oceans underpin poverty eradication, food security, employment, and provide protection from natural disasters. They supply humans with water and oxygen. They also act as the primary regulator of the global climate and an important sink for greenhouse gases.
However, marine- and land-based human activities are increasingly degrading and destroying oceans, seas and marine resources. Major adverse impacts stem from climate change, destruction of marine and coastal areas and marine pollution.
These impacts are interrelated and they must therefore be tackled in an integrated manner. We are also conscious of the interrelated nature of SDGs and that progress in one SDG will impact progress in others and vice versa.Climate change leads to ocean warming, ocean acidification, sea level rise and an increased frequency and intensity of weather and climate extremes. The socioeconomic impacts of climate change include increased vulnerability of local communities, increased food insecurity and reduced sources of livelihoods and employment. These related issues are tackled in several SDGs.
The deterioration of coastal and marine ecosystems and habitats is negatively affecting human well-being worldwide, with more severe and immediate impacts on vulnerable groups, including people living in poverty, women, children, and indigenous peoples.The Secretary-General’s report prepared for this meeting, note that the environmental, economic and social impacts of ocean warming and acidification undermine the ability of States to achieve sustainable development. This is particularly true for least developed countries and Small Island developing States. In some cases, it threatens the viability and survival of communities and even nations, in particular in low-lying coastal countries.
Therefore, through targeted capacity building, DESA assists Member States, in particular the most vulnerable, in building their capacity to restore the health of oceans, while at the same time building resilience to the negative impacts of climate change and addressing environmental degradation.
We know that social and economic development depends on the sustainable management of our planet’s natural resources. So we are assisting Member States to build capacity to conserve and sustainably use oceans and seas and protect biodiversity, ecosystems and wildlife.
At the same time, we do it without losing sight that SDGs are indivisible and interrelated. Tackling the SDG 14 requires progress towards many other goals, SDG 13 on climate, SDG7 on energy and SDG12 on responsible consumption and production to name a few. It also requires alignment with the Paris Agreement and Sendai Framework.
For these reasons, we are working to assist Member States build capacity to tackle the 2030 Agenda in an indivisible and integrative way in order to bring prosperity and well-being to all and to leave no one behind.
Distinguished Delegates,
Voluntary commitments are an essential outcome of the Ocean Conference. I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to register any commitments, partnerships or initiatives to support Goal 14 via the Conference website, or to announce the commitments in the Conference.
It is expected that the Ocean Conference will provide solid inputs to the high-level political forum on sustainable development, which will take place from 10-19 July 2017 in New York. The theme will be “Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world” and a set of SDGs will be reviewed, including SDG 14. I hope you will be able to participate in this important meeting to ensure effective follow-up and review of SDG 14.
In conclusion, we look forward to continuing our support to this Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Seas and to our collaborative efforts in promoting the conservation and sustainable use of ocean and seas for the benefit of current and future generations. We hope to make it part of ecosystem of processes that will contribute to the achievement of SDG14.
We wish you a very successful meeting.
This concludes the statement of Mr. Wu.
Thank you.
File date:
Monday, Mai 15, 2017