Oceans Congress. envy without ministers to Lisbon
“This is a United Nations Conference, Russia is a member of the UN and therefore participates in this conference”. The explanation comes from the Minister of Foreign Affairs, asked about the Russian presence at the Ocean Conference, which will take place in Lisbon, between the 27th of July and the 1st of July.
João Gomes Cravinho says that a representation, but it will not be at ministerial level, “a special envoy for ocean and climate issues, will not be just a minister”.
“Incidentally, the minister confirmed that the European Union’s conclusions are binding that are specific that are exceptions like this.”
Ukraine will also send one that is going to the Oceans Conference to join in Lisbon in the last week of the month 1 heads of state and government.
Confirmed so far are the heads of state of Angola, Colombia, Ecuador, France, Gabon, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Maldives, Micronesia, Monaco, Namibia, Nigeria, Kenya, Togo and Crown Princess of Sweden.
This United Nations conference will also be joined by the prime ministers of Barbados, Belize, Cape Verde, Norway and Tonga.
The vice president of the organizing committee of the conference, Alexandre Leitão, also told the delegates, in a session at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that so far 143 countries have registered delegates to the conference.
The presence of eight general reports of the UN is also foreseen, among them the FAO, UNESCO.
But in addition to the Nova SBE events taking place on June 2, a Nova SBE Forum, Carcavelos.
A high-level event on Governance at the Local and Regional Level will be held in Porto de Matosinhos and a Forum on Sustainable Blue Economy and Investment is scheduled for the Estoril Congress Centre.
Portugal expects, in addition to international leaders, representatives of “1,178 other entities, from academia to the financial sector and non-governmental organizations, foundations and other partners”, says the person responsible for organizing the UN Ocean Conference.
Costa Silva asks for “epistemological shock”
The Lisbon declaration, which will come out of this conference, will not establish quantified goals or objectives for Member States to meet with regard to the preservation of the oceans.
“There are many commitments ahead, but there are no obligations”, anticipates the Minister of Foreign Affairs, who, however, that the Lisbon declaration “reflects the way the oceans are thought today and is a very positive evolution in relation to previous times”. ”, concludes João Gomes Cravinho.
In a presentation session of the Conference, the Minister of Economy and the Sea said he hoped that this conference would be a turning point.
Costa Silva recalled that the oceans are the surface of the earth, 50% are sick, the oceans are the oceans, there are 11 million tons, there are 11 million tons.
Therefore, the minister responsible for the sea hopes that this conference “an epistemological shock, a clear change in the perception of people and decision-makers about the need for action, and that is why action is in the motto of this conference” said the minister. minister to journalists.
António Costa Silva also defends other changes and that knowledge, science and technology are at the “core of our relationship with the oceans”.
The Minister of Economy and the Sea says that, until now, the relationship we have with the oceans has been blind, “based on predatory instincts and we have converted the oceans into a kind of bathhouse for the planet and it’s time for the planet to bathe” ,
In addition, there is still a need to invest in the blue bioeconomy, because the oceans can provide more energy, and they can also contribute to food. “We cannot forget that we are facing a food crisis and the use of algae will be fundamental not only for Portugal, but also for Europe”, says António Costa Silva.
In Lisbon there will be more than three thousand entrepreneurs with the capacity to invest in activities related to the oceans.