Muscat – The third UN Ocean Conference, which runs until June 13, aims to accelerate global action to protect the oceans and achieve Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water).
In his speech at the conference, His Excellency touched on Oman’s pioneering efforts in preserving and protecting oceans and marine biodiversity, in order to achieve sustainable development goals.
His Excellency pointed out that Oman was among the first countries to protect the environment, having issued the first legislation to protect the marine environment from pollution 53 years ago. He explained that the country had also declared ‘marine nature reserves’ covering an area of more than 90,000 square kilometres to protect threatened species such as humpback whales, turtles, and coral reefs. It also banned the use of all types of plastic shopping bags and set 2050 as the target date for achieving net-zero pollution.
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His Excellency stated that the Sultanate had launched the ‘Oman Blue Carbon’ project to plant 100 million mangrove trees to absorb carbon and protect coastal ecosystems. These efforts have culminated in achieving very advanced rankings in global environmental rankings, particularly in the areas of marine protection stringency and marine biodiversity habitats. In addition, Oman was elected as President of the United Nations Environment Assembly during its seventh session.
His Excellency Al Amri also affirmed Oman’s commitment to supporting Sustainable Development Goal 14, which focuses on the conservation of oceans and marine resources, including support for the Convention on Biological Diversity Beyond National Boundaries (BBNJ).
He further highlighted the importance of reminding the international community of the importance of oceans as a major regulator of carbon absorption, stressing the Sultanate of Oman’s commitment to supporting global efforts aimed at preserving the health of the seas and oceans and the sustainability of their biodiversity.
The conference programme included an opening session in which the Sultanate of Oman, through a national statement, clarified its position on global marine issues, emphasising its support for Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) and the Nice Plan of Action.
The five-day conference programme includes 10 parallel Ocean Action Panels (OAPs) plenary sessions covering various topics, including marine and coastal ecosystems, marine science and capacity building, finance and climate action in the oceans, as well as various exhibitions, accompanying events, and cultural, educational, economic, and scientific activities.
