the future of the oceans is being played out in Lisbon

by time news

“The ‘blue food’ arrives on the plates of Europeans”headlined this Sunday, June 26 Public, to illustrate a report near Aveiro (northern Portugal) in the largest aquaculture basin on land in Europe, intended for turbot farming. A taste of the many themes discussed during the UN Conference on the oceans, which takes place from this Monday, June 27 and until Friday, July 1 at the Altice Arena in Lisbon.

Thousands of people, representing more than 140 countries, are expected on site. As headliners, nearly 25 heads of state, including Emmanuel Macron. For the occasion, the master of ceremonies António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations since 2017, publishes a column in the newspaper. “The world is on fire”warns the former Portuguese Prime Minister (1995-2002). “We need a revolution in the field of renewable energy”which represent “a peace plan for the 21st century”.

The ocean is one

Before the opening of the conference, Maria Adelaide Ferreira launched a first debate, still in Public, about its title. This professor at the Center for Marine and Environmental Sciences in Lisbon (MARE) deplores, unlike English, that we speak of the oceans in the plural in Portuguese (or in French). “The notion of the oneness of the ocean is the first of the seven essential principles of ocean education established almost twenty years ago”she recalls, before driving the point home:

“It sends shivers down my spine that as a host country, we are conveying to the world an outdated and compartmentalized conception of the ocean.”

Protect 30% of the oceans by 2030

“For better or for worse, our destiny is more than ever linked to the ocean: let’s save it to save ourselves”, announces his side Vision. The weekly stresses that, for five days, “it will discuss the threats to the ocean, such as pollution or overfishing, but also its potential in terms of energy, science and food”. And recalls the UN’s objective: to protect 30% of the oceans (against only 3% currently) by 2030.

“The Lisbon declaration, already prepared behind the scenes”is as expected as the stakes are high, notes Express in his editorial:

“The exploitation of the riches of the oceans is vital – the market for marine and coastal resources represents approximately 5% of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) – but it must be done while preserving the balance of ecosystems.”

“More PowerPoint than actions”

international leaders “call it the blue economy”but the latter compete “more PowerPoint than actions”tackle José Mendes in the News Diary. This academic, former Secretary of State for the Environment, regrets that this conference is only the second of the name, after the one organized in New York in 2017.

Finally, he is interested in the fate of his country: “Five centuries ago, Portugal had a serious relationship with the ocean”he writes, before turning, “in recent decades and rightly so, towards Europe”. Then to conclude:

“But we were very wrong to forget the call of the sea, its resources and its potential. Will we be able to mobilize in time to become a maritime power again within 10 years? ”

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