Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association

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WIOMSA at UN Conference, 5-9 June, 2017

2017, June - WIOMSA at UN Conference, 5-9 June, 2017

Following the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with 17 Sustainable Development Goals  (SDGs) and 169 underlying targets, including SDG 14 ‘to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine
resources for sustainable development’, in September 2015, the Governments of Fiji and Sweden co-hosted the first high-level United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14. This was held at United Nations Headquarters in
New York from 5 to 9 June 2017, coinciding with World Oceans Day.

The Conference aimed to be the game changer that will reverse the decline in the health of our ocean for people, planet and prosperity. The main outcomes of the Conference were a concise, focused, inter-governmentally 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.

WIOMSA was involved in the development of three Voluntary Commitments: ‘Ocean Literacy for All’ (https://oceanconference.un.org/commitments/?id=15187); ‘Regional Partnerships for Implementing SDG14 in the Western Indian Ocean’ (https://oceanconference.un.org/commitments/?id=15788); and the MARECO Project: Increasing the awareness of children for the
sustainable use of coral reefs and their resources in the SW Indian Ocean (https://oceanconference.un.org/commitments/?id=18623).

WIOMSA was also amongst the organizing partners of two Side Events that took place during the conference:

  • ‘Solutions to marine plastic litter’ (https://oceanconference.un.org/index.php?page=view&type=20000&nr=2120&menu=3327) and
  • ‘Regional Marine Protected Area networks in action’ (https://oceanconference.un.org/index.php?page=view&type=20000&nr=2057&menu=3327).

WIOMSA used this global platform to share the WIO’s experience in developing innovative solutions in addressing challenges facing management of coastal and marine environments, most of which WIOMSA is either leading, or is an active partner in.