The United Nations (UN) wants Bangladesh to come up with positive ideas on how they can 'conserve' and 'sustainably use' ocean resources staying away from pollution.
"We're asking you to come to the conference with positive ideas about how we're going to conserve and sustainably use ocean resources," UN General Assembly President Peter Thomson told UNB ahead of the Ocean Conference.
The high-level UN conference titled 'Ocean Conference' to support the implementation of sustainable development goal 14: conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development will be held at the UN Headquarters in New York from June 5 to June 9.
The five-day event will be coinciding with World Oceans Day to support the implementation of SDG 14. The governments of Fiji and Sweden have the co-hosting responsibilities of the conference, reports UNB.
Peter Thomson said a country like Bangladesh has got huge challenges of sea-level rise and also has huge pollution challenges because of river systems entering into the Bay of Bengal. "We're asking you to come up with your idea of sustainability as to how you're going to control that."
Responding to another question, Peter Thomson said Bangladesh, on regional aspect, will have to get its regional thinking together with regional partners as well.
Before joining the conference, he also suggested Bangladesh to have a good look at the 'Clean Seas' global campaign on marine litter by United Nations Environment Program from which Bangladesh can get a lot of good ideas. "Plastic is one of your concerns," said the UN General Assembly President who has been Fiji's Permanent Representative to the United Nations since February 2010.
The conference aims to be a game-changer that will reverse the decline in the health of ocean for people, planet and prosperity, said the organizers adding that it will be solutions-focused with engagement from all.It will identify ways and means to support the implementation of SDG 14, build on existing successful partnerships and stimulate innovative and concrete new partnerships to advance the implementation of Goal 14.
The conference will involve all relevant stakeholders, bringing together governments, the United Nations system, other intergovernmental organizations, international financial institutions, non-governmental organizations, civil society organizations, academic institutions, the scientific community, the private sector, philanthropic organizations and other actors to assess the challenges and opportunities relating to, as well as actions taken towards, the implementation of the Goal 14.
The conference shall comprise plenary meetings, partnership dialogues and a special event commemorating the World Oceans Day. It will adopt by consensus a concise, focused, inter-governmentally agreed declaration in the form of a 'Call for Action' to support the implementation of the Goal 14 and a report containing the co-chairs' summaries of the partnership dialogues, as well as a list of voluntary commitments for the implementation of Goal 14, to be announced at the conference.
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