Cyprus
Check against delivery
13 East 40th Street
New York, N.Y. 10016-0718
Tel. : (212) 481-6023
Fax : (212) 685-7316
e-mail: mission@cyprusun.org
PERMANENT MISSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
1
United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable
Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and
marine resources for sustainable development
Plenary, Tuesday, 6 June 2017
Statement delivered by the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and
Environment, H.E. Mr. Nicos Kouyialis
Excellencies,
Ministers,
Distinguished Representatives, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure to take part in this conference, which brings us all here
today to discuss, exchange views and ensure the continuity of our efforts for the
protection and conservation of our seas and oceans.
Throughout human history, our survival and prosperity was weaved with the fate
of the oceans which are the source of all life on Earth: oxygenating our
atmosphere, absorbing carbon dioxide, regulating the world´s climate and
supporting the richest biodiversity on earth. Marine ecosystems are essential to
sustain all life on earth.
Furthermore, hundreds of millions of people rely directly on marine biodiversity
and resources for their livelihoods. Oceans have been a significant food source
since prehistoric times and have supported our survival and prosperity for
thousands of years through fishing, aquaculture, transport, tourism and
recreation. More recently new ocean-related resources and fields of economic
growth have been revealed, like the extraction of minerals and hydrocarbons and
the production of medical substances like antibiotics from marine organisms. But
the contribution of the oceans to our well-being and quality of life goes far beyond
recourses - it extends to the beauty of open seascapes and wide horizons, the
oxygenated air and the feeling to be part of nature. Although these services
cannot be priced, they are essential for our health and survival.
However all these blessings provided by our seas and oceans are under thread
from our polluting activities such as marine debris and nutrients from land based
sources, shipping, dredging, overfishing, illegal and destructive fishing practices,
oil spills from offshore hydrocarbon extraction activities and global warming.
2
The Mediterranean Sea, from where I come from, hosts a wide range of unique
and diverse marine life and is considered as one of the 25 global biodiversity
recognized centres. It’s a biodiversity “hot spot”. The protection of marine
biodiversity is critical for the historical and cultural heritage of the Mediterranean
and contributes enormously to the economic development.
The conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity underpins
sustainable development in the region and is essential to maintain healthy and
productive ecosystems for the current and future generations. Today, the
Mediterranean faces multiple challenges due to unprecedented biodiversity loss
arising from overfishing, habitat destruction, intensive urbanization and tourism,
overexploitation of resources, maritime transport, pollution and climate change.
The Mediterranean is also particularly vulnerable to the introduction of alien
species, several of which are characterized as invasive and cause significant
problems for native species and habitats.
The protection of our seas and oceans can only be achieved through global and
regional cooperation. At an international level the Convention of Biological
Diversity provides the necessary tools for the creation of Marine Protected Areas.
In parallel to this international process, there is a number of regionally focused
initiatives deriving from regional conventions or institutions like the European
Union. For example, Specially Protected Areas are established under the
framework of the Barcelona Convention while the European Aquis provides for
the establishment of marine Natura 2000 protected sites.
Ensuring the protection of our oceans through the establishment of Marine
Protected Areas is very promising but challenging as well. The sustainable
management and protection of marine and coastal ecosystems including the
strengthening of their resilience and taking action for their restoration, is crucial in
order to avoid significant adverse impacts and achieve healthy and productive
oceans.
The obligation for the protection of the marine environment does not lie however,
only on governments. Stakeholder involvement in the establishment and
management of the marine protected areas is crucial for this effort to be
sustainable and successful. Exchange of knowledge and best practices, the
development of research capacity and the transfer of marine technology and
expertise to the states which may need and request technical assistance in this
field is equally essential.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We all committed to the success of SDG 14 and we must support this
commitment with actions in the field. First of all however, we must all flag our
political will and decisiveness to make the best use of the available tools to
conserve our oceans by implementing international law as reflected in the United
3
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which sets out the legal framework
within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out.
I, also, wish to state, in this regard, that Cyprus fully supports the ongoing efforts
for the development of “an international legally binding instrument under the
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and
sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national
jurisdiction”.
Today’s gathering is a proof of our commitment to protect our oceans and to
preserve them for the whole humanity and the generations to come. Our shared
vision for sustainable oceans can be only be achieved through the building of
strong commitments and solid coordinated actions for the conservation and
sustainable use of marine biodiversity and resources, a goal I may am sure we
all share.
Thank you for your attention.
13 East 40th Street
New York, N.Y. 10016-0718
Tel. : (212) 481-6023
Fax : (212) 685-7316
e-mail: mission@cyprusun.org
PERMANENT MISSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF CYPRUS
TO THE UNITED NATIONS
1
United Nations Conference to Support the Implementation of Sustainable
Development Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and
marine resources for sustainable development
Plenary, Tuesday, 6 June 2017
Statement delivered by the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and
Environment, H.E. Mr. Nicos Kouyialis
Excellencies,
Ministers,
Distinguished Representatives, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great pleasure to take part in this conference, which brings us all here
today to discuss, exchange views and ensure the continuity of our efforts for the
protection and conservation of our seas and oceans.
Throughout human history, our survival and prosperity was weaved with the fate
of the oceans which are the source of all life on Earth: oxygenating our
atmosphere, absorbing carbon dioxide, regulating the world´s climate and
supporting the richest biodiversity on earth. Marine ecosystems are essential to
sustain all life on earth.
Furthermore, hundreds of millions of people rely directly on marine biodiversity
and resources for their livelihoods. Oceans have been a significant food source
since prehistoric times and have supported our survival and prosperity for
thousands of years through fishing, aquaculture, transport, tourism and
recreation. More recently new ocean-related resources and fields of economic
growth have been revealed, like the extraction of minerals and hydrocarbons and
the production of medical substances like antibiotics from marine organisms. But
the contribution of the oceans to our well-being and quality of life goes far beyond
recourses - it extends to the beauty of open seascapes and wide horizons, the
oxygenated air and the feeling to be part of nature. Although these services
cannot be priced, they are essential for our health and survival.
However all these blessings provided by our seas and oceans are under thread
from our polluting activities such as marine debris and nutrients from land based
sources, shipping, dredging, overfishing, illegal and destructive fishing practices,
oil spills from offshore hydrocarbon extraction activities and global warming.
2
The Mediterranean Sea, from where I come from, hosts a wide range of unique
and diverse marine life and is considered as one of the 25 global biodiversity
recognized centres. It’s a biodiversity “hot spot”. The protection of marine
biodiversity is critical for the historical and cultural heritage of the Mediterranean
and contributes enormously to the economic development.
The conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity underpins
sustainable development in the region and is essential to maintain healthy and
productive ecosystems for the current and future generations. Today, the
Mediterranean faces multiple challenges due to unprecedented biodiversity loss
arising from overfishing, habitat destruction, intensive urbanization and tourism,
overexploitation of resources, maritime transport, pollution and climate change.
The Mediterranean is also particularly vulnerable to the introduction of alien
species, several of which are characterized as invasive and cause significant
problems for native species and habitats.
The protection of our seas and oceans can only be achieved through global and
regional cooperation. At an international level the Convention of Biological
Diversity provides the necessary tools for the creation of Marine Protected Areas.
In parallel to this international process, there is a number of regionally focused
initiatives deriving from regional conventions or institutions like the European
Union. For example, Specially Protected Areas are established under the
framework of the Barcelona Convention while the European Aquis provides for
the establishment of marine Natura 2000 protected sites.
Ensuring the protection of our oceans through the establishment of Marine
Protected Areas is very promising but challenging as well. The sustainable
management and protection of marine and coastal ecosystems including the
strengthening of their resilience and taking action for their restoration, is crucial in
order to avoid significant adverse impacts and achieve healthy and productive
oceans.
The obligation for the protection of the marine environment does not lie however,
only on governments. Stakeholder involvement in the establishment and
management of the marine protected areas is crucial for this effort to be
sustainable and successful. Exchange of knowledge and best practices, the
development of research capacity and the transfer of marine technology and
expertise to the states which may need and request technical assistance in this
field is equally essential.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
We all committed to the success of SDG 14 and we must support this
commitment with actions in the field. First of all however, we must all flag our
political will and decisiveness to make the best use of the available tools to
conserve our oceans by implementing international law as reflected in the United
3
Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which sets out the legal framework
within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out.
I, also, wish to state, in this regard, that Cyprus fully supports the ongoing efforts
for the development of “an international legally binding instrument under the
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and
sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national
jurisdiction”.
Today’s gathering is a proof of our commitment to protect our oceans and to
preserve them for the whole humanity and the generations to come. Our shared
vision for sustainable oceans can be only be achieved through the building of
strong commitments and solid coordinated actions for the conservation and
sustainable use of marine biodiversity and resources, a goal I may am sure we
all share.
Thank you for your attention.
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