UNESCO Conference Eyes Planet's Threatened Oceans And Coastal Communities
New York, Jan 30 2006 8:00PM
The global community should intensify its efforts to protect the planet's threatened oceans and endangered coastal areas
and communities, agreed environmental experts and senior officials gathered at a global conference in Paris hosted by
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
The 400 participants at the Third Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands, pointed out that that no
international organization holds responsibility for tracking the progress of programmes in integrated coastal and ocean
management. And there is no regular collection of information on the social and economic well-being of coastal
communities, where half of the world's population lives.
The conference, titled "Moving the Global Oceans Agency Forward," was organized by the Global Forum on Oceans, Coasts
and Islands. The forum was launched at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg in 2002.
In addition, the conference participants found, logistical and financial constraints make it difficult for the world's
43 Small Island Developing States (SIDS), to enforce conservation policies and control development. These constraints
are getting worse as overseas development assistance declines to these States, which have stewardship over vast areas of
the world's oceans.
During a six-day conference that ended Saturday, participants examined the progress made in the objectives set during
the Johannesburg Summit as well as progress toward the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of time-bound targets
for addressing global ills.
ENDS