L-R: Dmitry Gonchar, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (UNDOALOS); Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Director, UNDOALOS; ICP-19 Co-Chair Kornelios Korneliou, Cyprus; Vasiliki Krasa, Cyprus; and Michele Ameri, UNDOALOS Secretariat
In December 2017, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2021-2030 as the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The Decade was launched to provide a common framework for fostering scientific research and to ensure that ocean science can fully support countries in creating improved conditions for the sustainable development of the ocean. In this context, the 20th Meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea (ICP-20) will provide a unique forum for comprehensive discussions on ocean science, with an emphasis on identifying areas for potential enhanced coordination and cooperation at intergovernmental and inter-agency levels.
The Co-Chair’s summary document will highlight issues of most concern for delegates and identify potential areas for future coordination and cooperation. ICP-20 is expected to consider some of the following topics:
- scope and uses of ocean science;
- cross-cutting role of ocean science related to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
- current state of knowledge and ocean science, and related gaps;
- role of the Law of the Sea and its implementing agreements in advancing ocean science;
- technology and data infrastructure;
- integration of traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples and local communities into ocean science;
- strengthening the science-policy interface; and
- strengthening capacity to carry out ocean science research.
The “informal” aspect of the ICP allows delegates to dive more deeply into a specific topic area each year, with presentations from subject-matter expects followed by discussions. In 2018, ICP-19 focused on “Anthropogenic Underwater Noise.” Please see our ICP-19 summary and analysis.
IISD Reporting Services, through its Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) meeting coverage, provided daily web updates from the 20th Meeting of the UN Open-ended Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea. In addition, IISD Reporting Services, has published a summary and analysis report of the meeting, which is available in HTML and PDF.