It is no exaggeration to say that the ocean is the ultimate biodiversity hotspot:
- The ocean constitutes 95% of the biosphere.
- We know 250,000 different marine species, and many more will come to our attention in future as we continue to explore the ocean – especially the deep-sea: every expedition to the deep sea returns with species that are new to science.
- Life on the rest of the planet – including land-locked areas and countries – depends on the sustainability and health of the ocean.
The Let’s Be Nice to the Ocean team will attend the Sixteenth Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP16) in Cali, Colombia, from 24 October to 2nd November.
Sunday 27 October will be Ocean Day in Cali, and our coordinator Rémi Parmentier is invited to speak at the afternoon session Synergies and Partnerships for Impact: Uniting for the Ocean, Accelerating Action for Biodiversity Goals. 16h00-17h30 COT in the GBF Pavilion (Blue Zone)
Wednesday 30th October, we are organizing two side events, hosted respectively in the Pavilion of Chile and the #ForCoral Pavilion of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), both located in the Blue Zone:
- Let’s Be Nice to Coral Reefs 11h00-12h30 COT in the #ForCoral Pavilion. This event will feature three segments:
- Coral Reefs: Guardians of Marine Biodiversity and Coastal Protection – An overview of why being Nice to coral reefs is crucial for marine biodiversity and for the survival of millions of people. Segment will delve into global frameworks supporting their conservation. With Ambassador Peter Thomson, Special Envoy for the Ocean of the UN Secretary General and Katherine Arroyo, Executive Director, MarViva (Costa Rica).
- Justice for Coral Reefs: Enforcing Protection Against Plastic Proliferation – Featuring the issue of plastic proliferation and its direct impact on reef health, with a discussion on how legal frameworks and enforcement can curb damaging activities. With Siri Bjune, Head of the UNODC Global Maritime Crime Programme and André Abreu, Head of International Policy at the Tara Ocean Foundation.
- Bottom Trawling’s Lasting Destruction of Coral Reefs – This segment will highlight the devastating impact of bottom trawling on coral habitats, offering insights into policy interventions and sustainable alternatives. With Sian Owen, Executive Director of the Deep-Sea Conservation Coalition (DSCC) and Pierre Cannet, Global Head of Public Affairs and Policy at ClientEarth.
Facilitated by Rémi Parmentier and Isabel Leal, Let’s Be Nice to the Ocean Secretariat.
- Advancing the Protection Principle 15h00-16h00 COT in the Pavilion of Chile A discussion on next steps to advance ocean protection as momentum is building toward the Third UN Ocean Conference. We shall discuss our new paper, Advancing the Protection Principle, which outlines how the Protection Principle seeks to make ocean protection the norm, not the exception.
With:
Rémi Parmentier, Coordinator, Let’s Be Nice to the Ocean initiative
Patsy Contardo, Ocean Affairs Attorney, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chile
Hans-Otto Pörtner, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Marine Biology/Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology, Alfred Wegener Institute, Germany
Puri Canals, Biology and Marine Ecosystems, Underwater Gardens International, Spain
Note: We recommend that you register in advance for both events, due to restricted space capacity.
RSVP via email at letsbenicetotheocean@gmail.com
