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The panel event will gather dedicated experts, activists, and ocean advocates to elucidate why the high seas are so important, and to explore what can be done to better understand and protect them. The debate will focus in particular on the UN treaty for the High Seas. Swift ratification and implementation of the treaty will be key to ocean protection as it establishes binding rules for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction.
The high seas cover almost half of the Earth’s surface and comprise approximately 95 percent of the ocean’s volume. They represent habitat for an enormous diversity of marine wildlife, they supply us with food, and they play a key role in regulating our global climate: The high seas absorb about one-third of our human-induced CO2 emissions and over 90 percent of the planet’s excess heat. The ocean is crucial to our survival.
Yet, today it is under significant threat. The climate crisis, biodiversity loss and pollution are putting massive pressure on marine life. Moreover, new risks are looming on the horizon, such as deep-sea mining of raw materials, potentially causing additional harm to the marine environment. One of the most vulnerable natural areas on our planet requires special attention: Ocean protection is not optional; it is imperative.
Malizia Ocean Conference’s Program:
- Welcome by Ambassador Thomas Zahneisen, Deputy Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations, and Skipper Boris Herrmann.
- Opening remarks by Miguel de Serpa Soares, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and UN Legal Counsel.
- Keynote speech by Ocean Advocate Dr Sylvia Earle.
Panel Debate ” Preserving Our High Seas: A Call to Action for Ocean Protection”:
- Dr Sylvia Earle, Oceanographer, Explorer and Ocean Ambassador
- Boris Herrmann, Skipper of Team Malizia
- Farah Obaidullah, Ocean Advocate, Founder of The Ocean and Us
- Bud Darr, Executive VP Maritime Policy and Government at MSC Group
- Lela DeVine, Youth Spokesperson High Seas Alliance & EarthEcho
- Moderated by Cornelius Eich, Team Malizia
The event will be livestream (livestream link coming soon).