IISD RS @ Fifth Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts and Islands, 3-7 May 2010, UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France

Daily Coverage/Summary Report
IISD Reporting Services (IISD RS) has produced daily web coverage a summary report from this meeting. To download our summary, please click below on the HTML or PDF icons.

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10 May

Fifth Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts and Islands

3-7 May 2010 | UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France

Summary of Highlights

A view of the Eiffel Tower and Ecole Militaire from the balcony of UNESCO's 7th floor.

Daily web coverage (click on the following links to see our daily web pages)

3 May - 4 May - 5 May - 6 May - 7 May

Highlights for Friday, 7 May 2010

On Friday evening, participants finished the two-day policy portion of the Conference. Throughout the day, delegates heard four panels on: SIDS and Mauritius Strategy implementation in the context of climate change vulnerabilities; promoting further engagement of the global ocean science and policy community and reinforcing the science-policy interface; implementation of best practices in integrated, ecosystem-based ocean and coastal management at national and regional levels; and improved governance of marine areas beyond national jurisdiction. Delegates also heard an address by Francine Cousteau, President of the Cousteau Society, after lunch.

The day ended with a plenary session on "Moving Forward with the Global Oceans Agenda," including reports on recommendations of the roundtables, and special addresses by Jean-Michel Cousteau, Ocean Futures Society, Felix Dodds, Stakeholder Forum, and by Karl Falkenberg, Director General, DG Environment, European Commission. UNESCO-IOC Executive Secretary Wendy Watson-Wright declared the conference closed at 7:29pm, after which participants enjoyed a farewell reception with live jazz music.

Full web coverage available here: 7 May

Speakers on the dais during the closing plenary.

Panel Chair Chua Thia-Eng, Chair, East Asian Seas Partnership.

Panel Chair Gabriele Goettsche-Wanli, Deputy Director, UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea.

Jean-Michel Cousteau, President, Ocean Futures Society.

Mary Seet-Cheng, Ambassador of Singapore to Panama and Cuba.

Salman Hussein, Scottish Agricultural College

Salman Hussein, Environmental Economist, Scottish Agricultural College.

Philippe Vallette, Co-chair, World Ocean Network and General Manager, NAUSICAÁ.

Delegates at the reception.

Rejoice Mabudafhasi, Deputy Minister, Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, South Africa.

Jacqueline Alder, Head, Marine and Coastal Environment Branch, UNEP.

A jazz band entertained delegates at the farewell reception.

Highlights for Thursday, 6 May 2010

On Thursday, participants began the two-day policy portion of the Conference. Throughout the day, delegates heard five panels on: oceans, climate, biodiversity and integrated governance; implications of the Copenhagen Accord for oceans, coasts and island States; strategic planning and financing for mitigation activities; implementation and financing strategies for adaptation to climate change impacts; and stock-taking and tracking progress in establishing networks of marine protected areas and achieving reduction of biodiversity loss.

Participants also heard special addresses by: Maria Damanaki, Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission; Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity; Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director, European Environment Agency; Anote Tong, President, Kiribati; Jérôme Bignon, Somme Deputy, French National Assembly; and Corinne LePage, European Parliament.

Full web coverage available here: 6 May

Panelists during the "Setting the Stage" panel.

Patricio Bernal, Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative

Patricio Bernal, Coordinator, Global Ocean Biodiversity Initiative.

Jérôme Bignon, Somme Deputy, French National Assembly.

Salvatore Arico, Focal Point for Biodiversity and for Environmental Matters, UNESCO.

Simonetta Fraschetti, University of Lecce

Simonetta Fraschetti, Lecturer, University of Lecce.

Bernard Giraud, Vice-President for Sustainability and Shared Value Creation, Danone Group.

Chantal Jouanno, Secretary of State for Ecology, France.

Ahmed Djoghlaf, Executive Secretary, Convention on Biological Diversity.

Anote Tong, President, Kiribati.

Maria Damanaki, Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, European Commission.

Highlights for Wednesday, 5 May 2010

On Wednesday, participants engaged in three concurrent roundtables for high-level national officials, ocean parliamentarians, and regional, provincial, and local authorities. Delegates heard reports of the roundtables in a plenary at the end of the day. Seven Global Forum Working Groups also met throughout the day. A reception for participants was held in the evening.

Full web coverage available here: 5 May

Participants in the High-Level National Officials Roundtable.

Monique Barbut, CEO, Global Environment Facility.

Paul Sandifer, Senior Science Advisor, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, USA.

Richard Tuheiava, Senator, French Polynesia.

Antonio Carlos Valadares Filho, Deputy, Brazilian Delegation to UNESCO.

David Vousden, Agulhas and Somali Current LME Project

David Vousden, Agulhas and Somali Current Large Marine Ecosystems Project, South Africa.

Participants in the Working Group on Fisheries and Aquaculture Sustainability and Governance.

Coral Pasisi, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Fiji.

Ocean posters along Avenue de Suffren outside UNESCO.

Highlights for Tuesday, 4 May 2010

On Tuesday morning, delegates convened in plenary for a special symposium on "Fifty Years of IOC: International Cooperation on Marine Natural and Social Sciences." In the afternoon, participants attended the remaining 17 sessions of the policy, science and technical symposium.

In the late afternoon, the symposium concluded with a plenary where participants heard reports on discussions of the major themes of "Ensuring Survival," "Preserving Life," and "Improving Governance," along with presentations on progress in public oceans education and private sector engagement for marine conservation, followed by a keynote address by H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco. UNESCO-IOC Executive Secretary Wendy Watson-Wright then declared the symposium portion of the conference closed.

Full web coverage available here: 4 May

Panelists during the morning plenary.

Rolph Payet, Special Advisor to the President, Seychelles.

Liana Talaue-McManus, University of Miami

Liana Talaue-McManus, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami.

Panelists in the session "Blue-REDD: Towards a Comprehensive Program on Oceans and Climate," organized by the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations.

Anne-Sophie Cerisola, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, France, reported on the theme "Preserving Life: Marine Biodiversity and Networks of Marine Protected Areas."

H.S.H. Prince Albert II, Monaco, gave a special address, saying it is critical to make people realize that oceans must be central to conservation efforts.

Speakers on the dais during closing plenary.

Highlights for Monday, 3 May 2010

Monday morning in plenary, delegates heard opening remarks by Biliana Cicin-Sain, Co-Chair, Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands, Ambassador Laurent Stefanini, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, France, Wendy Watson-Wright, Executive Secretary, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO, and President Anote Tong of Kiribati.

After opening remarks, the three themes of the symposium were introduced by their "provocateurs." Janot-Reine Mendler de Suarez, former project coordinator for the Global Environment Facility, introduced the theme of "Ensuring Survival: Oceans, Climate and Security," Marjo Vierros, UN University-Institute of Advanced Studies, spoke on "Preserving Life: Marine Biodiversity and Networks of Marine Protected Areas," and David Freestone, George Washington University Law School, addressed "Improving Governance: Achieving Integrated, Ecosystem-Based Ocean and Coastal Management."

Later Monday morning and in the afternoon, delegates participated in 40 sessions on specific topics within the three main themes of the symposium. In the evening, a welcome reception featured activist and "50 Ways to Save the Ocean" author David Helvarg and "Sherman's Lagoon" cartoonist Jim Toomey.

Full web coverage available here: 3 May

Wendy Watson-Wright, Executive Secretary, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO.

Biliana Cicin-Sain, Co-Chair and Head of Secretariat, Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands.

Laurent Stefanini, Ambassador for the Environment, Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, France.

Panelists during the session on "Climate Change and the Oceans and International Governance: Seeking Meaningful Responses to Climate Change," organized by Greenpeace International.

At the evening welcome reception, activist and author David Helvarg presented ideas from his book "50 Ways to Save the Ocean," which were illustrated in real time by "Sherman's Lagoon" cartoonist Jim Toomey.

Participants in the session "Towards a Regular Process for Global Reporting and Assessment of the State of the Marine Environment, Including Socio-economic Aspects," organized by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and UNEP.

Posters celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission lined a wall.

A display on marine biodiversity occupied the center of the foyer.

Koi-nobori, fish-shaped windsocks hung on flagpoles at UNESCO to celebrate Children's Day in Japan on May 5, fit the theme of the oceans conference.