Distinguished Co-Chairs,Excellencies,Distinguished Delegates,Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am honoured to deliver opening remarks at this twentieth meeting of the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea.
The Department of Economic and Social Affairs welcomes the topic, "Ocean Science and the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development".
Indeed, we consider ocean science to be of fundamental importance to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14. The Decade can make an invaluable contribution to this end.
The increasing threats to the ocean and its resources arising from anthropogenic activities at sea, require stronger efforts to advance ocean science with a view to better managing these activities.
Climate change and its impacts add further urgency to such efforts. Therefore, it is imperative to enhance our understanding of the ocean and its response to external pressures.
It is equally critical to expand efforts to predict the consequences of climate change and guide mitigation and adaptation actions.
In fact, in its outcome document “Our Ocean, Our Future: Call for Action”, the 2017 UN Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14, stressed the need to further increase marine scientific research to inform and support decision-making.
It also emphasized the need to promote knowledge networks to enhance the sharing of scientific data, best practices and know-how, and called for urgent action in this regard.
DESA considers that the Decade plays a crucial role in implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The preparation of the well-defined implementation plan for the Decade, by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), is therefore critical. DESA intends to work closely with the IOC in this regard.
Distinguished Delegates,
The Decade provides a unique opportunity to drive inclusive and participatory development of ocean science and fill existing gaps in this field.
To maximize the positive impacts of the Decade, it is necessary to seek synergies and avoid duplications with other related processes.
In particular, I wish to urge effective coordination and collaboration in the following three respects.
First, as you are all aware, the General Assembly decided to convene the second United Nations Conference, from 2-6 June, to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
I am pleased to note the overarching theme of the Second Ocean Conference: "Scaling up Ocean Action based on science and innovation for the implementation of Goal 14: stocktaking, partnerships and solutions".
As preparations for the implementation plan for the Decade and those for the Conference proceed in parallel and are inevitably linked to each other, I urge Member States to take full advantage of this opportunity to enhance co-benefits between these two processes. As the Conference Secretary-General, I stand ready to provide all necessary support to Member States.
Second, the Global Sustainable Development Report, focusing on interlinkages across the SDGs, examines how the ocean is impacted by current practices in other systems, such as energy, food, or the production of material goods. Its recommendations constitute a call to action by all stakeholders – governments, businesses, academia, technologists, innovators and individuals.
Many of these communities are represented here today. In its approach to the ocean and to all facets of sustainable development, the report emphasizes the critical importance of rooting policies in evidence and science. It calls for expanded investment in science and research that will gather information for all actors to accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda.
Third, the Communities of Ocean Action, in particular those for scientific knowledge, research development and transfer of marine technology, serve as an excellent forum to bring together Member States and stakeholders to facilitate ocean action relevant to ocean science.
In fact, over 600 voluntary commitments relate to increasing scientific knowledge, capacity-building and technology transfer.
These commitments include activities to develop capacity for research, training and professional development, access to data and transfer of marine technologies.
In this regard, I am pleased to report to you that, just less than two weeks ago, DESA organized a Meeting of the Communities of Ocean Action in Incheon, Republic of Korea. The meeting, entitled “From Commitments to Action: Implementing SDG 14”, exchanged best practices and lessons learned in the implementation of voluntary commitments.
I believe that we can draw upon the experiences of the Communities of Ocean Action towards the implementation of the Decade.
Distinguished Delegates,
I am fully aware that many challenges and gaps in the field of ocean science exist. Nevertheless, I remain confident that the discussions in this informal consultative process over the next few days will lead to a better understanding of the problems we are facing, and their solutions.
DESA stands ready to support to Member States in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and ocean-related SDGs – in particular in connection with the advancement of ocean science and the effective implementation of the Decade.
I wish you a very successful meeting.
Thank you.
I am honoured to deliver opening remarks at this twentieth meeting of the United Nations Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea.
The Department of Economic and Social Affairs welcomes the topic, "Ocean Science and the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development".
Indeed, we consider ocean science to be of fundamental importance to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in particular, Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14. The Decade can make an invaluable contribution to this end.
The increasing threats to the ocean and its resources arising from anthropogenic activities at sea, require stronger efforts to advance ocean science with a view to better managing these activities.
Climate change and its impacts add further urgency to such efforts. Therefore, it is imperative to enhance our understanding of the ocean and its response to external pressures.
It is equally critical to expand efforts to predict the consequences of climate change and guide mitigation and adaptation actions.
In fact, in its outcome document “Our Ocean, Our Future: Call for Action”, the 2017 UN Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14, stressed the need to further increase marine scientific research to inform and support decision-making.
It also emphasized the need to promote knowledge networks to enhance the sharing of scientific data, best practices and know-how, and called for urgent action in this regard.
DESA considers that the Decade plays a crucial role in implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The preparation of the well-defined implementation plan for the Decade, by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), is therefore critical. DESA intends to work closely with the IOC in this regard.
Distinguished Delegates,
The Decade provides a unique opportunity to drive inclusive and participatory development of ocean science and fill existing gaps in this field.
To maximize the positive impacts of the Decade, it is necessary to seek synergies and avoid duplications with other related processes.
In particular, I wish to urge effective coordination and collaboration in the following three respects.
First, as you are all aware, the General Assembly decided to convene the second United Nations Conference, from 2-6 June, to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
I am pleased to note the overarching theme of the Second Ocean Conference: "Scaling up Ocean Action based on science and innovation for the implementation of Goal 14: stocktaking, partnerships and solutions".
As preparations for the implementation plan for the Decade and those for the Conference proceed in parallel and are inevitably linked to each other, I urge Member States to take full advantage of this opportunity to enhance co-benefits between these two processes. As the Conference Secretary-General, I stand ready to provide all necessary support to Member States.
Second, the Global Sustainable Development Report, focusing on interlinkages across the SDGs, examines how the ocean is impacted by current practices in other systems, such as energy, food, or the production of material goods. Its recommendations constitute a call to action by all stakeholders – governments, businesses, academia, technologists, innovators and individuals.
Many of these communities are represented here today. In its approach to the ocean and to all facets of sustainable development, the report emphasizes the critical importance of rooting policies in evidence and science. It calls for expanded investment in science and research that will gather information for all actors to accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda.
Third, the Communities of Ocean Action, in particular those for scientific knowledge, research development and transfer of marine technology, serve as an excellent forum to bring together Member States and stakeholders to facilitate ocean action relevant to ocean science.
In fact, over 600 voluntary commitments relate to increasing scientific knowledge, capacity-building and technology transfer.
These commitments include activities to develop capacity for research, training and professional development, access to data and transfer of marine technologies.
In this regard, I am pleased to report to you that, just less than two weeks ago, DESA organized a Meeting of the Communities of Ocean Action in Incheon, Republic of Korea. The meeting, entitled “From Commitments to Action: Implementing SDG 14”, exchanged best practices and lessons learned in the implementation of voluntary commitments.
I believe that we can draw upon the experiences of the Communities of Ocean Action towards the implementation of the Decade.
Distinguished Delegates,
I am fully aware that many challenges and gaps in the field of ocean science exist. Nevertheless, I remain confident that the discussions in this informal consultative process over the next few days will lead to a better understanding of the problems we are facing, and their solutions.
DESA stands ready to support to Member States in the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and ocean-related SDGs – in particular in connection with the advancement of ocean science and the effective implementation of the Decade.
I wish you a very successful meeting.
Thank you.
File date:
Monday, 六月 10, 2019