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06.27.22

UN Ocean Conference Advances Science and Innovation to Protect the Ocean

This week I am attending the second United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal. The Ocean Conference is being co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal and is bringing together leaders, scientists and conservationists around the world to highlight the global importance of ocean conservation. The overarching theme of the conference is “Scaling up ocean action based on science and innovation for the implementation of Goal 14: stocktaking, partnerships and solutions.” 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.

I am looking forward to meeting with a number of Surfrider’s global partners including Surfer’s Against Sewage, Save the Waves, the Ocean Foundation, Surfrider Europe and the strong and growing network of Surfrider chapters in Portugal.

I will also be participating in a number of panels including one Accessible Ocean Action: Ocean Communities Driving Citizen Science & Conservation in the Ocean Decade on Tuesday, June 28 at 4pm – 5.30pm (UTC +1). This panel is virtual and can be joined here.

Another is Surf Protected Area Networks: An Innovating Approach to Protect Coastal Ecosystems Harnessing the Power of Surfing in the Blue Economy on Wednesday. June 29 from 3pm - 6pm (UTC +1). 

On Thursday, June 29 I am joining the City of Lisbon and Surfrider Lisbon for a beach clean up at 8 AM local time at the mouth of the Trancão river, near the conference venue.

Sustainable Development Goal 14 is about “Life below water” and is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015. The official wording is to “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.”

Key topics at the conference include climate change,  pollution, unsustainable fishing, invasive species and the loss of marine habitats and biodiversity.  Each of these threats is ultimately rooted in weak ocean governance at various geographic scales. 

The conference caps Ocean Month, which kicked off with World Ocean Day and President Biden declaring June National Ocean Month in the United States and took a series of steps to increase US ocean protection.