SDSN Activities at the UN Oceans Conference

From June 5 to 9, an unprecedented event was held at the United Nations: the UN Oceans Conference. This event brought together diverse stakeholders to discuss pressing challenges to achieving SDG 14 (conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources), as well as share solutions from around the world. The SDSN hosted several side events and listened to many fascinating presentations.

The SDSN Mediterranean hosted a side event on June 8 on multi-stakeholder governance models to tackle the issue of marine litter. Maria Cristina Fossi presented the network’s solution initiative Plastic Busters, which aims to both determine the impact of marine litter on the Mediterranean ecosystem, as well as foster new partnerships between Mediterranean countries to reduce the flow of plastic waste into the sea.

SDSN Northern Europe was also present and published short video interviews with Christina Fossi from SDSN Mediterranean; Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries; Andrew Merrie from the Stockholm Resilience Center; and Isabella Lövin , Sweden’s Minister for International Development Cooperation and Climate, and Deputy Prime Minister.

On June 8th Patrick Paul Walsh, Professor at SDSN member University College Dublin, spoke in the plenary on behalf of the SDSN. His statement is available in text format or you can watch the video from UN TV (at 3:04:13).

On June 9th the SDSN, Future Earth, University College Dublin, and Future Ocean (a project based at Kiel Marine Sciences) co-hosted a side event on how to build successful multi-stakeholder partnerships around innovation and technology to support the achievement of SDG 14.