The ocean will make a splash at next week's Global Nature Positive Summit in Sydney. The Summit program will feature elements highlighting the importance of the ocean for a nature positive future.
The ocean is a solution
There are huge economic opportunities associated with the ocean. It connects us with the world and offers many solutions to global problems.
A Summit plenary session will consider the transition to a sustainable ocean economy where effective protection, sustainable production and equitable prosperity go hand in hand. The expert panel discussing challenges and opportunities at the global, regional and national levels will comprise:
- Jas Chambers, Ocean Decade Australia (facilitator)
- Valerie Taylor AM, Knight of the Order of the Golden Ark, shark researcher and conservationist
- Her Excellency Ilana Seid, High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy and Palau's Ambassador to the United Nations
- Vidar Helgesen, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission - UNESCO
- Dr Filimon Manoni, Pacific Ocean Commissioner
- David Carter, Austral Fisheries.
Investing in a sustainable ocean economy
'Life Below Water' - one of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals - is critically underfunded. A special summit session will explore the essential role of ocean investment - or 'blue finance' - in growing sustainable ocean economies. This will include how to:
- build investable pipelines of projects
- include and empower First Nations people and the private sector
- grow at the scale required to meet the ocean finance gap.
The panel will share lessons from different perspectives and experiences on the use of finance instruments to unlock investment from all sources. The speakers will be:
- Dr Melissa Walsh, ocean finance and blue economy expert, formerly Minderoo Foundation (moderator)
- Karen Sack, Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance
- Karena Lyons, Pacific Community (SPC)
- Nick Chiarelli, Ocean Impact Organisation
- Dr Emma Lee, Federation University.
Navigating a course to sustainable ocean management
The summit will also host an Ocean Dialogue focusing on sustainable ocean management in Australia, as well as in a regional and global context. The event will bring together:
- First Nations people
- representatives from all levels of government
- ocean industries
- researchers
- non-government organisations
- representatives from the Indo-Pacific
- the community.
The dialogue will be a valuable opportunity to progress discussions on Australia's draft Sustainable Ocean Plan.
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