The upcoming United Nations Oceans Conference (UNOC3) taking place next month in Nice, France (June 9-13) will take up overall health of oceans in the world as well as some key issues relating to challenges confronted by the marine life. The conference aims to generate transformative action and provide solutions the ocean needs, supported by ocean science and funding for SDG 14 (life below water).

The Embassy of France in Islamabad in this regard arranged an online meeting of the local journalists with the key representatives and organizers of the UNOC3: French Ambassador for the Ocean and French President’s Special Envoy for UNOC3, Olivier Poivre d’Arvor and Ministerial Adviser for the UNOC 3, Ms Gabrielle Rousseau. An interactive discussion in &A format took place on the occasion moderated by Political Counsellor, Embassy of France Mr Henry Sokrarith.

The journalists asked questions regarding the deteriorating condition of the oceans in general and Pakistan’s ocean water in particular. They asked about rising water level, rising water temperatures, plastic menace and acidification etc. they also asked questions relating to climate change, unpredictable weather conditions resulting in flash floods, heatwaves, etc Whether in the upcoming UNOC3 any panel discussion or debate will be taking place on this issue, asked the Pakistani journalists.

Ms Gabrielle replying in the affirmative said all these and other issues are part of the agenda as more than 50 world leaders are expected on the Côte d’Azur, alongside 1,500 delegates from nearly 200 countries. The programme she informed includes 10 plenary meetings, 10 thematic roundtables, a blue zone is reserved for official delegations, and a series of parallel forums during five days of negotiations will be a highlight of the event.

About the decisions to be made on the occasion, she said long-term strategies will be agreed upon to protect oceans from major threats and to mobilize the stakeholders across all the sectors and borders to deliberate on how to safeguard the marine life and prevent the collapse of the planet’s largest and arguably the most vital ecosystem.

According to Mr Olivier Poivre d’Arvor, it is not going to be one routing gathering of experts but will in fact shape the future of the ocean through the decisions and actions to be made on the historic occasion. To a question regarding blue economy, he said blue economy would also be on the agenda of the panel discussions and decisions will be takes for a way forward in this regard.

The conference is taking place on Sustainable Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development (the 2025 UN Ocean Conference) and will be co-hosted by France and Costa Rica.

In the words of Permanent Representative of France to the UN, Mr Jérôme Bonnafont, “This is an emergency: An ecological emergency: We are witnessing the deterioration of the quality of the oceans as an environment, as a reservoir of biodiversity, as a carbon sink.”

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)