12 FEBRUARY 2022 /
ONE OCEAN SUMMIT /
“The planet is facing the triple crises of climate disruption, biodiversity loss and pollution, the ocean shoulders much of the burden,” says UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in the One Ocean Summit on 11 February 2022.
“Polar ice is melting and global weather patterns are changing. More than three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods.
Fish stocks are being threatened by over and destructive fishing practices, along with illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. We must change track,” the UN chief was delivering a keynote address in the ‘One Ocean Summit’ held in Brest, France to mobilise the international community to take tangible action for a healthy and sustainable ocean, reports the UN News.
Summit under the aegis of the United Nations marks it’s first big international commitments to protect the ocean and reverse its declining health.
More than thirty events like workshops, forums, roundtables have been initiated during 9th and 10th of this month for unlocking ocean solutions for sustainable development.
It is not just “the lungs of the planet’ but also it’s the largest carbon sink – a vital buffer against the impacts of climate change and nurtures unimaginable biodiversity.
The Ocean covers 70 per cent of the Earth’s surface, is the planet’s largest biosphere, and is home to 80 per cent of all life in the world, says the UN ahead of the second UN Ocean Conference 2022 to be held in Lisbon from 27 June to 1 July 2022 to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and implement the Paris Agreement on climate change.
It is the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future addressing the challenges including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.
The Sustainable Goals covers key factors such as providing quality education, good health and well-being, waste less food and support local farmers, gender equality, creating job opportunities for youth and sustainable cities and communities.
In the UN Conference on the Ocean Summit, the UN Chief encouraged all citizens of all nations to “deliver collective promise of a healthy blue planet for the future generations.”
