UN Ocean Conference 2022 Flashcards
Why in News?
Recently, the UN (United Nations) Ocean Conference 2022 was held to ensure global cooperation towards protection and sustenance of the Ocean ecosystem of the world.
The conference was co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal.
Minister of Earth Sciences led the Indian delegation at UN Ocean Conference. India promised to provide science and innovation-based solutions for the implementation of Goal 14 through partnerships and environmentally friendly.
The UN Ocean conference 2022 is aligned to SDG (Sustainable Develpment Goals) 14 ‘life below water’ and stresses on the critical need for scientific knowledge and marine technology to build ocean resilience.
Leaders from 120 countries assembled in LISBON capital of Portugal in attempt to reach an agreement to save global oceans as climate change takes a toll.
About the news
The UN has claimed earlier that oceans on the planet are facing unprecedented threats as a result of
human activities and that its health and ability to sustain life will only get worse as the world population
grows and human activities increase.
The Ocean Conference, co-hosted by the Governments of Kenya and Portugal, comes at a critical time as
the world is seeking to address the many deep-rooted problems of our societies which requires major
structural transformations and common shared solutions.
What does un hope to achieve at ocean conference 2022?
Oceans cover some 70% of the earth’s surface and provide food and livelihoods for billions of people.
Some activists refer to them as the largest unregulated area on the planet.
The conference is set to adopt a declaration that, though not binding on its signatories, could help
implement and facilitate the protection and conservation of oceans and their resources, according to the
U.N.
That treaty is being negotiated within the framework of the United Convention on the Law of the Sea,
which is the main international agreement governing human maritime activities.
Why are oceans critical?
While they cover 70 per cent of the planet, the oceans form the largest biosphere and is home to up to 80
percent of all life in the world.
They generate 50 percent of the oxygen we need, absorb 25 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions and
capture 90 percent of the additional heat generated from those emissions.
The conference is “an important opportunity to accelerate” steps toward a high seas treaty.
The conference is also expected to reaffirm and build upon some 62 commitments made by governments
at the previous summit in Nairobi, Kenya in 2018.
It was focused on the issues ranging from protecting small island states with ocean-based economies to
sustainable fishing and combatting warming waters
What are the Key Agenda of the Conference?
Moratorium on Deep Sea Mining:
Push for a moratorium on deep-sea mining of rare metals needed for a boom electric vehicle battery construction.
Carbon Sequestration:
Focus on carbon sequestration to boost the ocean’s capacity to soak up CO2, by either enhancing natural sinks such as mangroves or through geoengineering schemes.
Blue Deal:
A “Blue Deal” was promoted to enable the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth.
It includes global trade, investment and innovation to create a sustainable and resilient ocean economy.
Focus on blue food to ensure marine harvests from all sources are sustainable and socially responsible.
High Seas are Unregulated:
No comprehensive legal framework covers the high seas. Oceans cover some 70% of the earth’s surface and provide food and livelihoods for billions of people.
Some activists refer to them as the largest unregulated area on the planet.
Threat to Ocean:
Threats to the oceans include global warming, pollution (including plastic pollution), acidification, marine Heatwaves etc.
What are the Initiatives to Ensure Sustainable Ocean Ecosystem?
Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development:
The UN has proclaimed a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) to support efforts to reverse the cycle of decline in ocean health and gather ocean stakeholders worldwide behind a common framework.
World Oceans Day:
8th June is World Oceans Day, the United Nations day for celebrating the role of the oceans in our everyday life and inspiring action to protect the ocean and sustainably use marine resources.
Marine Protected Areas:
In general terms, a Marine Protected Area (MPA) is a marine area that provides protection for all or part of the natural resources it contains.
GloLitter Partnerships Project:
It is launched by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UNs (FAO) and initial funding from the Government of Norway. It is aimed to prevent and reduce marine plastic litter from shipping and fisheries.
INITIATIVES WITH INDIA.
India- Norway Ocean Dialogue:
In 2019, the Indian and Norwegian governments agreed to work more closely on oceans by signing a MoU and establishing the India-Norway Ocean Dialogue.
India’s Deep Ocean Mission:
it is a mission mode project to support the Blue Economy Initiatives of the Government of India.
India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI):
It is an open, non-treaty based initiative for countries to work together for cooperative and collaborative solutions to common challenges in the region.
WORLD OCEAN DAY
The idea for a World Ocean Day was proposed for the first time by Canada at the Earth Summit that took place in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Its aim would be celebrating our world’s ocean and our personal connection to the sea, as well as raising awareness on the essential role it plays in our lives and the overall health of the environment.
World Ocean Day has since been celebrated by many countries around the world, and was then officially recognized by the United Nations in 2008.
The 2022 theme for the World Ocean Day is Revitalization: Collective Action for the Ocean: “Shedding light on the communities, ideas, and solutions that are working together to protect and revitalize the ocean and everything it sustains.”
INDIA’s ROLE.
Union Minister of Earth Sciences, will attend the five-day conference and deliver a keynote address from
India.
It will be on the theme “Scaling up ocean action based on science and innovation for the implementation
of goal 14: stocktaking, partnerships and solutions”.
India would be providing science and innovation-based solutions for the implementation of Goal 14
through partnerships and environmentally friendly solutions.
MAP
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