World Oceans Day1 took place on Saturday June 8th, which for IDDRI marked the launch of a series of events to be held throughout the month of June. These events provide opportunities for IDDRI’s Ocean Programme to implement its triple ambition: (1) to support ongoing negotiations and processes related to the conservation and sustainable management of oceans, particularly the development of an ambitious agreement at the United Nations in relation to the high seas; (2) to identify ways to ensure the better regulation of activities, such as tourism or offshore oil and gas exploitation, which are subject to deficient or insufficiently structured governance; (3) to integrate oceans into other international agendas related to sustainable development (climate, Sustainable Development Goals, biodiversity).
The first event, on June 13th at the French National Museum of Natural History (MNHN), will be a conference co-organised by the Climate Services Convention and IDDRI, in partnership with the National Centre for Space Studies (CNES). The event will provide a science/policy dual perspective on issues related to the management of the high seas and the challenges that diplomats will have to address in the ongoing negotiations within the United Nations. It will represent a rare moment for exchanges between marine and political science specialists, that will feed into the next negotiation session scheduled for August 19-31 in New York. At the same time, a regional workshop bringing together the Abidjan and Nairobi conventions will be held in Cape Town (South Africa) from June 10th-12th, to discuss the issues related to regional planning and high seas governance.
The month of June will also be an opportunity to question the impact of tourism on the marine environment. In partnership with the Eco-Union environmental association, the French Agency for Environment and Energy Management (ADEME), and the French Facility on Global Environment (FFEM), IDDRI will co-organise a forum devoted to blue tourism on June 20th. Bringing together marine environment managers, private sector representatives, and members of national and international organisations, this forum will provide an overview of experiences from different marine regions, and will highlight ways to make this growing sector compatible with environmental requirements.
Finally, on the sidelines of the current island cultures and peoples of Oceania exhibition, curated by the Quai Branly Museum, the New Zealand Embassy and IDDRI will organise a conference on June 26th on Ocean and Climate issues in the Pacific. An event that will not only enable the highlighting of the challenges facing Pacific communities today, but also the discussion of policy responses to be implemented.
To register for these events:
