More than six billion euros have been committed by public and private actors to better manage our oceans at a European Union-hosted conference in Malta.
At the Our Ocean Conference 2017 in Malta, the European Commission has announced over €550 million of EU-funded initiatives to tackle global oceans challenges.
The commitments announced at the event co-hosted by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini and Karmenu Vella, Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, made by the Commission and by other public and private actors from 112 countries around the world total over €6 billion.
The resources will be invested to strengthen the fight against marine pollution and enlarge protected areas, reinforce security of the oceans, foster blue economy initiatives and sustainable fisheries and intensify the EU efforts against climate change, in line with the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals under Agenda 2030. Participants also announced the creation of new Marine Protected Areas spanning more than 2.5 million km², or more than half the size of the entire European Union.
The full list of over 400 commitments (36 from the EU, over 200 from third country governments, more than 100 from business and several others from NGOs, foundations, research institutes and international organisations) are available online.
"The European Commission has demonstrated with concrete pledges its strong commitment to the sustainability, security and prosperity of our oceans. If they are at risk, so are we, for the oceans nourish our planet and our people, and they connect us to our partners around the world,” said First Vice-President Frans Timmermans.
"We all have a responsibility to preserve what's common – to preserve it as a treasure and avoid that it turns into a threat,” commented High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini.
“The European Union believes that a globalised world needs a more cooperative global governance. We believe in the power of diplomacy, we invest in it, we believe and invest in the power of common rules and international institutions. And it is difficult, actually impossible, to imagine a global governance without a cooperative oceans' governance."
"Three years ago I was asked by President Juncker to define the EU's global ocean role. I think together we have delivered. Our policies on land, like our commitment to the circular economy and reduced plastic waste; and at sea, on marine pollution, on protected areas, and on harnessing the ocean's clean energy, clearly demonstrate this,” added Commissioner Karmenu Vella.
The Our Ocean Conference has brought together public and private actors from six continents, who are collectively committed to the cause of better ocean governance and the sustainable use of the oceans. EU commitments reach far beyond its geographical region, to support sustainable international ocean use worldwide, focusing in particular on developing countries.
For the first time, the Conference gathered significant commitments from the private sector, including Airbus, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, Marks & Spencer, Carrefour, Royal Caribbean Cruises, AXA, Sky and others.
Commitments will be tracked and reported at the next Our Ocean Conference in Indonesia in 2018
