Theme: Our Oceans, Our Future: Partnering for the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14.
Our oceans, our future: partnering for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14
The high-level United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development will be convened at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 5 to 9 June 2017, coinciding with World Oceans Day, to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14. The Governments of Fiji and Sweden have the co-hosting responsibilities of the Conference.
The Conference aims to be the game changer that will reverse the decline in the health of our ocean for people, planet and prosperity. It will be solutions-focused with engagement from all. The Conference shall:
- Identify ways and means to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14;
- Build on existing successful partnerships and stimulate innovative and concrete new partnerships to advance the implementation of Goal 14;
- Involve all relevant stakeholders, bringing together Governments, the United Nations system, other intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions the scientific community, the private sector, philanthropic organizations and other actors to assess challenges and opportunities relating to, as well as actions taken towards, the implementation of Goal 14;
- Share the experiences gained at the national, regional and international levels in the implementation of Goal 14;
- Contribute to the follow-up and review process of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by providing an input to the high-level political forum on sustainable development, in accordance with resolutions 67/290 of 9 July 2013, 70/1 of 25 September 2015 and 70/299 of 29 July 2016, on the implementation of Goal 14, including on opportunities to strengthen progress in the future;
The Conference shall comprise plenary meetings, partnership dialogues and a special event commemorating World Oceans Day. The Conference shall adopt by consensus a concise, focused, intergovernmentally agreed declaration in the form of a “Call for Action” to support the implementation of Goal 14 and a report containing the co-chairs’ summaries of the partnership dialogues, as well as a list of voluntary commitments for the implementation of Goal 14, to be announced at the Conference. The President of the General Assembly will convene a two-day preparatory meeting, on 15-16 February 2017, at United Nations Headquarters in New York, to be chaired by H.E. Mr. Alvaro Mendonya Moura, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the UN, and H.E. Mr. Burhan Gafoor, Permanent Representative of Singapore to the UN, the two co-facilitators, with a view to considering the themes for the partnership dialogues and elements for a “Call for Action”.
Mr. Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations is the Secretary-General of the Conference. Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel is the special advisor to the Presidents of the Conference on oceans and legal matters.
| 5th June | 11.00 am -12.30 pm | Financing for the Blue Economy in Small Island Developing StatesGovernment of Grenada and OECD | Room A |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.15-3.00 pm | Regular Process Side and Media Events Government of Barbados, New Zealand and DOALOS | Room B and S-237 | |
| 1.15-2.30 pm | Transitioning to the Blue Economy: Partnerships, Innovation and Approaches for Small Island States Government of Grenada, Government of the Cabo Verde, UNDP, The Nature Conservancy, and the Organization of the Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) | Room 1 | |
| 3-4.30 pm | The Belize Model for Sustainable Small Scale Fisheries: a partnership success storyGovernment of Belize and the Environmental Defense Fund | Room B | |
| 3-6 pm | PARTNERSIP DIALOGUE 1: ADDRESSING MARINE POLLUTION | ROOM 4 | |
| 6th June | 1.15-2.30 pm | Harnessing the Blue Economy to increase Economic Benefits for SIDS and LDCs Secretariat of the African and Pacific Group of States in partnership with the Commonweealth Secrtariat, the Government of Seychelles, the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism and Secretarait of the Pacific Island Forum | Room B |
| 10 am- 1 pm | PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE 2: MANAGING , PROTECTING, CONSERVING AND RESTORING MARINE AND COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS | ROOM 4 | |
| 3.00-4.30 pm | UNCLOS as the cornerstone in the implementation of SDG 14 Governments of Jamaica and Singapore | Express Bar 3rd Floor | |
| 3.00-4.30 pm | Small Island Developing States: Taking the Lead for Sustainable Ocean Communities NGO Committtee on Sustainable Development-NY, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Vanuatu to the UN, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Maldives to the UN, Permanent Mission of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations, Peace Boat US, Global Foundation for Democracy and Development, Form and Matter Foundation | Room 12 | |
| 3-6 pm | PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE 3: MINIMISING AND ADDRESSING OCEAN ACIDIFICATION | ROOM 4 | |
| 6.30-7.45 pm | Food from the OceanGovernments of Norway and Grenada, UN Environment, UN Committee on world Food Security (CFS), FAO, WHO, Norwegian National Institute for Seafood and Nutrition Research (NIFES), Norweigian Centre of Expertise Seafood Innovation Cluster, Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism | Room A | |
| 7th June | 10 AM- 1 P.M | PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE 4: MAKING FISHERIES SUSTAINABLE | |
| 3-6 pm | PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE 5: INCREASING ECONOMIC BENEFITS TO SIDS AND LDCS AND PROVIDING ACCESS FOR SMALL SCALE ARTISNAL FISHERS TO MARINE RESOURCES AND MARKETS Government of Grenada, Government of Estonia | ROOM 4 | |
| 5-6.15 pm | Ocean Governance and SIDS Sustainable Development Government of Belize, Government of Barbados, CARICOM Secretarit and the University of the West Indies | Room 12 | |
| 8th June | 11.00 am-12.30 pm | Energy Services from organic waste: integrated waste management solutions for coastal, marine and freshwater protection in SIDS Caribbean Centre for Renewable Energy and Efficiency (CCREE), SIDSDOCK, UNIDO and the CARICOM Energy Programme, Governments of Austria and Spain | Room A |
| 3-6 pm | PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE 6: INCREASING SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND DEVELOPMENT, RESEARCH CAPACITY AND TRANSFER OF MARINE TECHNOLOGY | ROOM 4 | |
| 5.00-6.15pm | Achieving SDG 14: Scaling-up Successful Approaches to Sustainable Fisheries Development and Management in the Caribbean SIDS Region through cooperation and partnerships Governments of Belize and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Government of Norway, Iceland through the United Nations University –Fisheries Training Programme, Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism and CARICOM Secretariat | Room A | |
| 5.00-6.15 pm � | Achieving SDG 14 Goals: Sustainable Management of Marine Protected Areas Permanent Missions of Italy, Poland, The Bahamas, Kenya and Palau | Room 12 | |
| 615-7.30 pm | Blue Bioeconomy in Small Islands and SDG 14 Government of Grenada, Government of Iceland, Cabo Verde, Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism; FAO; Faore Islands, Jamaica , Nordic Council of Ministers; Norway; Seychelles; Sweden; UNU Fisheries Programme | Room 11 | |
| 6.15 -7.30 pm | Addressing Oceans and Climate Building the Blue Economy: Essential to SDG 14 Implementation International Coastal and Ocean Organisation Global Ocean Forum Secretarait; Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, Oceano Azul Foundation, Portugal, Ocean Policy Research Institute, Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Governments of Grenada and Seychelles | Room 1 | |
| 9th June | 10 am- 1 pm | PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE 7: ENHANCING THE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF OCEANS AND THEIR RESOURCES BY IMPLEMENTATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW AS REFLECTED IN THE UNCLOS | ROOM 4 |
There will be seven Partnership Dialogues during the Conference
The themes for these Partnership Dialogues have been identified as follows –
- Addressing marine pollution (SDG 14 Target 14.1);
- Managing, protecting, conserving and restoring marine and coastal ecosystems (SDG 14 Targets 14.2 and 14.5);
- Minimising and addressing ocean acidification (SDG 14 Target 14.3);
- Making fisheries sustainable (SDG 14 Targets 14.4 and 14.6);
- Increasing economic benefits to SIDS and LDCs and providing access for small scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets;
- Increasing scientific knowledge and developing research capacity and transfer of marine technology (SDG 14 Target 14a); and
- Implementing international law as reflected in UNCLOS (SDG 14 Target 14c).
VISION FOR WAY AHEAD
The high-level United
Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable
Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and
marine resources for sustainable development, aims to be the game
changer that will reverse the decline in the health of our ocean for
people, planet and prosperity. It will be solutions-focused with
engagement from all, including Member States and the broader
community. Towards achieving this objective, the Ocean Conference
calls for the engagement of all relevant stakeholders, bringing
together Governments, the United Nations system, other
intergovernmental organizations, academic institutions, the scientific
community, the private sector, philanthropic organizations, civil
society, mayors, children, youth and others who will utilize this
momentum to galvanize action-oriented partnerships at all levels –
local, national and global – that provide lasting and long term
solutions.
BACKGROUND & BASICS
- Date and venue: 5-9 June 2017, New York, UN Headquarters. To be kick-started by World Environment Day (5 June) & integrate World Oceans Day celebration (8 June).
- Theme: “Our oceans, our future: partnering for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14”
- Key objective: Support the implementation of SDG14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
- Format: 8 plenary meetings, 7 partnership dialogues, and a special event commemorating World Oceans Day.
- Presidents of the Conference: Fiji and Sweden
- Secretary-General of the Conference: Mr. Wu Hongbo, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations
- Special advisor to the Presidents of the Conference on oceans and legal matters: Mr. Miguel de Serpa Soares, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel
- Co-facilitators of the preparatory process: H.E. Mr. Álvaro Mendonçae Moura, Permanent Representative of Portugal to the United Nations, and H.E. Mr. Burhan Gafoor, Permanent Representative of Singapore to the United Nations
- Preparatory meeting: 15 – 16 February 2017, New York, UN Headquarters, stakeholders are welcome as observers
OUTCOMES
- Political outcome: Call for Action – A concise, focused, intergovernmentally agreed declaration. The deliberations will start in the preparatory meeting in February 2017. A draft will be presented by the co-facilitators no later than March 2017, with consultations to be concluded by May 2017
- Co-chairs’ summaries of the partnership dialogues: The partnership dialogues will be multi-stakeholder and interactive. They will aim on strengthening cooperation, scaling up and replicating existing successful initiatives and launching concrete and new partnerships that will advance the implementation of SDG14. Themes to be determined at preparatory meeting in February
- Voluntary Commitments: Voluntary commitments for the implementation of SDG 14 will be announced at the Conference and online in advance of the Conference
OPPORTUNITIES
- Raising Awareness: The Conference provides significant potential to raise awareness on the importance of the Ocean and implementing SDG14. Meaningful events that complement the Conference that enhance global attention and action are encouraged, including side events in the margins of the Conference and the preparatory meeting, media and social media engagement, such as the SDG media zone or press conferences and exhibitions at the United Nations during the conference.
