UN Water Conference Side Event: Stronger together - Building resilience and prosperity through integrated and evidence-based management of the Ocean–Water continuum
Thu 23 Mar 2023, 1.15 pm
Background
A ‘Game Changing’ UN Water and UN Oceans Side Event
The importance of the ocean and seas in the water cycle cannot be overstated and their health depends largely on both direct sea-based and indirect land-based impacts. However, ecosystem management often exists in siloes without consideration of the broader implications or impacts to adjacent ecosystems. This is certainly the case in the aquatic realm where freshwater (inland) ecosystems including rivers and lakes are managed separately from coastal and marine ecosystems. Therefore, highlighting the synergies between Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 14 and 6, and their profound contributions across all other SDGs, is crucial to achieve the 2030 Agenda.
This Side Event will explore the interconnected nature and critical importance of the land – freshwater – coastal – ocean continuum, and the necessary steps and actions to systematically addressed the drivers of ecosystem degradation in an integrated manner. More specifically, the side event will aim to highlight the key gaps for holistic management in the areas of knowledge/capacity; finance; collaboration; and governance in the ocean-water continuum. Furthermore, the event will contribute to the Water Action Agenda by showcasing game changing solutions and key Voluntary Commitments for addressing the barriers towards holistic water and ocean action. The discussions planned are closely related to the UN Water Conference’s Interactive Dialogue 3: “Water for Climate, Resilience and Environment: Source to Sea, Biodiversity, Climate, Resilience and DRR (SDGs 6.5, 6.6, 7, 11.5, 13, 14, 15).
OBJECTIVES OF THE SIDE-EVENT
- To highlight the important interlinkages between SDGs 6 and 14 among others, and review actions that benefit the whole water cycle
- To highlight the critical importance of holistic, integrated approaches to addressing the challenges to aquatic ecosystem health from climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution
- To review possible collaborative action and game changers/voluntary commitments across the ocean-water continuum, including at the UN system level, to fill critical science and knowledge gaps that will support collective action to tackle the drivers of declining aquatic ecosystem health and loss of natural capital.
SIDE EVENT HOSTS / PARTNERS
- UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)
- UN Water
- UN-Oceans (OLA/DOALOS as focal points)
- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- UNESCO IOC
- Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI)
WATCH LIVE VIA UNTV: https://media.un.org/en/webtv
Announcements
Exciting news! The latest edition of the Ocean Action newsletter is out now, focusing on the theme of "Source to Sea" and just in time for the upcoming 2023 #UNWaterConference. The importance of ecosystem connectivity, particularly aquatic ecosystems, cannot be overstated when it comes to building resilience to climate change, enhancing biodiversity, and fostering economic growth. Adopting a source-to-sea approach is a critical step towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 6 and SDG 14.
Let's work together to protect our planet's most vital ecosystems!
#WaterAction #BlueEconomy #SaveOurOceans #EndPoverty #GlobalGoals
Read the newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/ggZNmDfZ
Sign up to receive the newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gDRf3wPX
A ‘Game Changing’ UN Water and UN Oceans Side Event
The current triple-planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution significantly impact the function and value of freshwater and coastal and marine ecosystems. While there are many ongoing efforts to resolve the crises, progress remains slow and limited in scale. Solving this requires more holistic, integrated and evidence-based approaches. However, today’s governance systems are too fragmented to halt the destructive practices that are putting the valuable natural capital of our ocean and fresh water in danger. What is needed is action to bring system-wide, long-lasting change.
The importance of the ocean and seas in the water cycle cannot be overstated and their health depends largely on both direct sea-based and indirect land-based impacts. However, ecosystem management often exists in siloes without consideration of the broader implications or impacts to adjacent ecosystems. This is certainly the case in the aquatic realm where freshwater (inland) ecosystems including rivers and lakes are managed separately from coastal and marine ecosystems. Therefore, highlighting the synergies between Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 14 and 6, and their profound contributions across all other SDGs, is crucial to achieve the 2030 Agenda.
The UN Ocean Conference held in Lisbon, Portugal in June 2022 highlighted the need to raise awareness of the fundamental interlinkages between land, freshwater and the ocean, and to invest in science, education, and concrete action for integrated management and decision-making. The Declaration “Our ocean, our future, our responsibility” adopted during the 2022 UN Ocean Conference recognizes the vital role of the ocean, the challenges it faces and how holistic, integrated and evidence-based management approaches can contribute to its restoration and protection.
As coordinating platforms across the UN system, UN-Oceans and UN-Water are uniquely placed to work together to convene actors in a systematic exploration of the most effective recommendations for impactful collective action across the land-freshwater-coastal-ocean continuum. The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration provide complementary global frameworks for diverse actors to transform these recommendations into action by identifying critical gaps in understanding, and in co-designing and co-delivering transformative science-based solutions to priority challenges.
This Side Event will explore the interconnected nature and critical importance of the land – freshwater – coastal – ocean continuum, and the necessary steps and actions to systematically addressed the drivers of ecosystem degradation in an integrated manner. More specifically, the side event will aim to highlight the key gaps for holistic management in the areas of knowledge/capacity; finance; collaboration; and governance in the ocean-water continuum. Furthermore, the event will contribute to the Water Action Agenda by showcasing game changing solutions and key Voluntary Commitments for addressing the barriers towards holistic water and ocean action. The discussions planned are closely related to the UN Water Conference’s Interactive Dialogue 3: “Water for Climate, Resilience and Environment: Source to Sea, Biodiversity, Climate, Resilience and DRR (SDGs 6.5, 6.6, 7, 11.5, 13, 14, 15).”
PROGRAM |
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High-Level Opening Segment |
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Keynote and Highlights |
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Panel DiscussionPanel Moderator: Mr. Jakob Granit, Director General, Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (SwaM) |
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Closing Statements |
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Master of Ceremony: Ms. Leanne Burney, Program Officer, UN Water |
Oceans and Seas
