The two-day event brought together hundreds of young people from nearly 165 countries with a common goal: to protect the ocean.
Speaking in front of 100 young advocates gathered to inspire, enhance and accelerate youth action for our oceans, Mr. Guterres reiterated the need save the planet,
On Carcavelos beach, on the seashore near the center of his hometown of Lisbon, the Secretary-General apologized on behalf of his generation for the state of the oceans, the state of biodiversity and the state of climate change.
generational responsibility
“My generation, and those who were politically responsible – which is my case – were slow or at times unwilling to recognize that things were getting worse and worse in these three dimensions: oceans, climate and biodiversity. ”, Mr. Guterres told Lively.
adding it globally, The world is still moving very slowly and it must act now To begin rehabilitating the oceans, saving biodiversity and halting climate change, the UN chief stressed that “this is a generational responsibility that goes far beyond political leaders”.
‘Do everything’ to stop pollution
Telling a young audience that the Pacific Ocean is a realm of plastics – a giant floating ‘dump’ of plastic containers, bottles and other detritus widely known as the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ – which That is bigger than France, Mr Guterres said: “We are still throwing 8 million tonnes of plastic into the ocean every year”.
Because of this and much more, Youth in trouble will inherit the planetUN chief warns gathered youths and says they will need “To do everything to reverse everything” – Overturn political decisions, reverse economic decisions, and reverse personal behaviors.
The Secretary-General acknowledged, “To be honest, when I look at myself and my behavior, my footprint on the planet is huge.”
United Nations Photo/Askinder Debbe
Youth and Innovation Forum of the United Nations Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal.
it’s time for change
Wishing the participants success with their projects, the UN chief called on the younger generation to act.
“Your generation will now be required to lead tomorrow to be able to manage and reverse this trend and save the planet”, he concluded.
‘Nature’s Wand’
Just before the Secretary-General’s address, global film star and ocean activist Jason Momoa made a special appearance with the United Nations Special Envoy for the Ocean Peter Thomson.
Under the scorching sun on Carcavelos beach, on a wide sandy beach surrounded by youth, including his children, Mr Momoa said the work he was doing was “for him and for generations to come”.
Receiving the ‘Nature’s Baton’ from Special Envoy Peter Thomson, Mr Momoa said the baton, which is symbolic of the fact that the world’s existential challenges of climate change and loss of biodiversity are inseparably linked to the state of ocean health. Has happened, was traveling around the world. And it will continue to do so as an enduring symbol for leaders.
“Now is the time to take action. Our ocean is in peril, if we combine ambition, dedication and hope, we can change these outcomes,” he said.
“The ocean, where water begins and ends its journey, enables the system to function for the well-being of humans and non-humans alike. Without a healthy ocean, life as we know it cannot exist.” I will not”, said the actor.
With his feet submerged in the waves on the beach, Mr. Momoa thanked Mother Nature for her “kiss from the sea” and “the powerful force of change to ensure today’s generations and those to come receive its gift.” wave”.
United Nations Photo/Askinder Debbe
Actor and ocean advocate Jason Momoa (left) meets young advocates at the United Nations Oceans Summit on Carcavelos Beach in Lisbon, Portugal.
respect nature
Surrounded by youth, UN Special Envoy for the Ocean Peter Thomson cautioned that youth will face two to three degrees of global warming in their lifetime. “He’s playing with fire,” he said.
Describing the ‘Nature’s Baton’ as a symbol of connectivity, he spoke on the importance of respecting nature and getting back into a balanced relationship with it.
“We have to learn to live with respect to the sea: not to put garbage in it, and not to make it so hot,” said Mr. Thomson.
Forum and United Nations Ocean Conference
The Forum was a unique opportunity for youth to contribute to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG14), which is taking place from 27 June to 1 July to seek science-based and innovative solutions, just before the start of the United Nations Ocean Conference. was. To improve the health of our ocean.
Young entrepreneurs, innovators and solvers enhance their initiatives, projects and ideas with professional training and matchmaking with advisors, investors, private sector and government officials to maximize their impact.
One of the participants in the forum – 29-year-old Gabriela Fernandes from Portugal – developed a project that aims to study and photograph dolphins and whales.
“Studying them will help us understand the interactions between the animals at the top of the food chain and the rest of the marine animals, which will help to figure out what’s going on.” [the state of] Local Biodiversity”.
The governments of Portugal and Kenya co-hosted the event organized by the UN Global Compact Ocean Stewardship Coalition in collaboration with CEiiA, the Municipality of Cascais, the Nova School of Business and Economics (NOVA SBE) and the Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).
The weekend’s programming was centered around a 24-hour “Innovathon”, where 130 youth delegates worked together as teams to address critical challenges outlined in the United Nations Global Compact Report, 5 for a Healthy and Productive Ocean. Tipping Points. Youth were also given the opportunity to contribute to the political process of the United Nations Ocean Conference by facilitating input for eight interactive dialogues.
The winning team, called “Waste Vengers”, came up with a plastic recovery solution to convert plastic waste into manufacturing. The other winning team, named “Invasi”, focused on a complete catalytic shift from believing in change in resources, mentorship and tools to improve ocean health and human health globally.
“A love-based, youth-led climate movement is what we need. This room is filled with the brightest minds in the world who are now working in their communities. Not thinking about the model but actually acting,” said the winning teams from the stage.
Young ocean activist Bodhi Patil is one of the young ocean leaders around the world addressing the challenges of the ocean with innovative solutions, and is part of one of the winning teams.
As part of the prize package, both winning teams will receive a $15,000 microgrant from the Sustainable Ocean Alliance and an unnamed judge from the jury, a scholarship from the NOVA School of Business and Economics, and two from the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational and Scientific Agency. Internship opportunities available. , UNESCO (IOC-UNESCO).
