Governments and civil society call for increased investments In sDG 14.3
Anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions are the direct and main cause of ocean acidification, thus directly linking the achievement of SDG14.3 to the UNFCCC process.
The most effective means for humanity to implement SDG14.3 is to stimulate much greater ambition and commitment to curtail anthropogenic GHG emissions. However, ocean acidification also requires increased investments from all stakeholders in both the SDG and UNFCCC processes to improve the measure of its global progression and develop coastal information that support national response. If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. Measuring the global advance of ocean acidification and assessing its unique local impacts requires international collaboration, strategic knowledge building and national/regional action plans supported by financial investment.
The side event, “Raising Ambition at COP26 to Deliver SDG14.3: To Minimize and Address the Impacts of Ocean Acidification,” hosted at the Commonwealth Pavilion during COP26, brought together major world policy and scientific leaders to increase ambition, cooperation and investment to minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification and further support increased investments from all actors across the SDG and UNFCCC frameworks.
During the event, Oceano Azul and UN Environment Programme both announced they were joining the OA Alliance and further committing to action on SDG 14.3.
Featured speakers included:
Dr. Vladimir Ryabinin, Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and Assistant Director General of UNESCO
Hon Ambassador Peter Thomson, UN SGD Special Envoy for the Ocean
Ambassador Fiona Clouder, Regional Ambassador for Latin America and the Caribbean, United Kingdom
Professor Ricardo Serrão Santos, Minister of the Sea, Portugal
Deputy Director Toby Fisher, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Environment and Resources Law Program
Professor Steve Widdicombe, Co-Chair of the Global Ocean Acidification-Observing Network & Director of Science at Plymouth Marine Laboratory
Dr. Nick Hardman-Mountford, Head of Oceans & Natural Resources at The Commonwealth
With interventions from:
Dr. Libby Jewett, Director of U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Ocean Acidification Program, USA
Director Leticia Carvalho, Marine and Freshwater Branch, UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
Mr. Tiago Pitta e Cunha, CEO and Founder, Oceano Azul Foundation
Ms. Sylvie Goyet, Special Advisor, Prince Albert ll of Monaco Foundation
Office of Governor Jay Inslee, State of Washington, USA
Co-Hosted on November 8 by: International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, IOC- UNESCO in partnership with: IAEA Ocean Acidification International Coordination Center, the Global Ocean Acidification- Observing Network and The Ocean Foundation.
