Alexandra Dostal, Assistant Deputy Minister, Aquatic Ecosystem Sector, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, welcomed participants as they re-gathered for a full day of presentations and discussions. Minna Epps, Director, IUCN Global Marine and Polar Programme, stressed the importance of protecting coasts as well as the high seas.
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Through video, keynote speaker Ruth Mthembu, Oceans youth advocate, spoke of her drive for protecting the Oceans, the “world’s greatest unifier”. Sharing the story of her work mobilising African youth leadership in Ocean conservation, and recalling challenges of wealth disparity, gendered violence and high unemployment rates, she reminded participants that protecting human wellbeing also means protecting the Oceans.
Aulani Wilhelm, Senior Vice President for Oceans at Conservation International and currently serving as Assistant Director for Ocean Conservation, Climate and Equity at the US White House, spoke of her experience in large-scale ocean conservation, leading the establishment of the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument and World Heritage Site in Hawai’i. She emphasized US conservation examples to promote building marine protected areas (MPAs) globally, particularly by recognising the tenure rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities.
Cristina Mittermeier, President of Sea Legacy, wowed the audience with her words and beautiful videos playing in the background, as she shared how the right story changes everything “because, without stories, the ocean dies in silence.” She underscored that “30 by 30” is not a magical number, but just a target, and called upon Canada to create highly and fully protected MPAs.
After a coffee break, participants disappeared into parallel sessions where throughout the day presenters and panelists engaged in discussions navigating the streams of Indigenous People’s leadership, youth and innovation.
At one of them Markus Knigge, Executive Director, Blue Action Fund, announced the next call for proposal looking to invest 20 million Euro in MPAs and coastal communities in the Asia-Pacific region.
All ENB photos are free to use with attribution. For IMPAC5, please use: Photo by IISD/ENB | Anastasia Rodopoulou.
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Keynote Addresses
Ruth Mthembu, IMPAC5 Young Professional Committee | Oceans youth advocate
Aulani Wilhelm, Senior Vice President, Oceans at Conservation International
Cristina Mittermeier, President of Sea Legacy | Photographer and Storyteller
View of the room during Cristina Mittermeier's presentation
Mina Epps, International Union for Conservation of Nature
Alexandra Dostal, Assistant Deputy Minister, Aquatic Ecosystems Fisheries and Oceans, Canada
View of the room during Aulani Wilhelm's presentation
Community-Based Management of Coral Reefs and Conservation Areas
Neha Acharya-Patel, PhD Candidate, University of Victoria
Rohmani Sulisyati, Karimunjawa National Park Officer
Working Together to Protect MPAs
Kevin McNamee, Director, National Marine Conservation Area Establishment
Alejandra Villalobos Madrigal, Executive Director, Friends of Cocos Island (FAICO)
Iria Chacón, Conservation Manager, FAICO
A participant posing a question
Making 30X30 a Reality: Lessons Learned From Scaling Up to MPA Networks Across a Global Marine Portfolio
L-R: Luisa Madruga, Fauna and Flora International (FFI), Gabriella Balfour-Church, Marine Technical Specialist, and Henry Duffy, FFI
Gabriella Balfour-Church, Marine Technical Specialist
Luisa Madruga, FFI
Markus Knigge, Executive Director, Blue Action Fund
Putting Plans Into Action: How the Marine Plan Partnership First Nations and B.C. Provincial Partners are Implementing Four Marine Spatial Plans
Rich Chapple, President, Central Coast Indigenous Resource Alliance
Kyle Clifton, Coordinator, Gitga'at First Nation
Meaghan Calacari Campbell, Program Officer, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation
Marine Conservation and Sustainable Aquaculture, for Marine Protected Areas and Coastal Communities
François Simard, IUCN
A participant posing a question
Tiffany Walters, The Nature Conservancy
Geopolitics and Trans-boundary MPAs
Alain Pibot, Project Manager, Life Integrated Project Marha
Álvaro Alonso, Ministry of the Ecological Transition of Spain, and Victoria González, Coordinator, Life Integrated Project Intemares
Around the Venue
Demonstration Against the Deep Sea Mining
