On 4 December 2010, the Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts and Islands in association with the Global Environment Facility, the Secretaries of Environment and Natural Resources of the Mexican States of Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatan, and the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources Ministry (SEMARNAT), Mexico, and in collaboration with UN-Oceans and the United Nations Development Programme organised, in the context of the Sixteenth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (29 November-10 December 2010), the Oceans Day exclusively devoted to the oceans and coasts. The event brought together Parties and Observer States, along with representatives of intergovernmental organizations, NGOs, academia, the scientific community, and the private sector.
The ultimate purpose of the Oceans Day at Cancun was to emphasize the importance of having the oceans and coasts issues featured prominently on the agenda of the climate negotiations of the UNFCCC, given that the world’s oceans play a vital role in global climate processes – regulating temperature and climate, generating oxygen and absorbing and storing carbon dioxide – and that those life-sustaining oceans’ services are nowadays at risk due to climate change serious effects (i.e. sea level rise, increases in warming and acidity).
Canc?n Oceans day included three panel discussions, two special addresses, and three workshops focused on developing an integrated approach to climate and oceans. The conclusions and key messages, stemmed from the Canc?n Oceans day sessions, are as follows:
- the international community should continue drawing its high-level attention to the oceans and coasts and working towards the development and implementation of a global comprehensive strategy on oceans and climate building on already existing regional and local adaptation and mitigation strategies, and synergies;
- much weight should be attached to the inextricable linkages between climate change and the health of the oceans, the loss of biodiversity and the well-being of the coastal communities. To this end, global and regional research networks and synergies should be further developed and exploited as well as advanced and comprehensive scientific studies be conducted;
- adequate financial means should be ensured to support mitigation and adaptation measures and actions including innovative projects aimed at minimising the climate change pronounced consequences on marine ecosystems and coastal regions;
- an integrated approach to climate and oceans should be promoted and encouraged at regional and national level with special emphasis given to mitigation and adaptation measures, including regulatory targets for shipping industry, standards for carbon capture and storage, marine spatial planning as well as to financing, technology transfer and capacity-building;
To be noted that Canc?n Oceans day was the second Oceans Day to be held in the context of a UNFCCC COP, building on Oceans Day at UNFCCC COP 15 in Copenhagen, held on December 14, 2009. The Sixth Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts and Islands is to be held in March 2012 and will assess the status of and issues in ocean governance, including climate change responses, and provide a vision for action on the green economy and international environmental governance, in conjunction with Rio+20.
Main source: Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts and Islands
For further information:
http://www.globaloceans.org/
http://www.iisd.ca/download/pdf/sd/ymbvol186num1e.pdf
About the author
MEPIELAN Centre
MEPIELAN Centre is an international research, training and educational centre established by Professor Evangelos Raftopoulos at the Panteion University of Athens in 2008.
Before its establishment as a University Centre, MEPIELAN operated as a successful international research, training and informational programme (2002-2007) under the scientific direction of Professor Evangelos Raftopoulos and the aegis of the Panteion University of Athens, supported by the Mediterranean Action Plan/UNEP and the Greek Ministry of the Environment, Physical Planning and Public Works.
MEPIELAN Centre is an accredited UNEP/MAP PARTNER (since 2013), a Member of the Mediterranean Commission on Sustainable Development (MCSD) (since 2016), and a Member of the Steering Committee of the MCSD (since 2019).
On 22 May 2022, MEPIELAN Centre proceeded to the development of MEPIELAN as a Non- Profit Civil Organization (INGO) for the more effective and efficient advancement of its Goals and Missions and furtherance of its activities. MEPIELAN Centre as a Non- Profit Civil Organization (INGO) is registered in Greek Law (Hellenic Business Registry, Reg. No. 16477300100) in accordance with Laws 4072/2012 & 4919/2022 as applicable
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