This issue of Blue Pulse focuses on the UN Ocean Conference held in Lisbon late last month. The conference generated billions of dollars in spontaneous commitments to implement Sustainable Development Goal 14, and the “ocean emergency” on ecology and climate was further discussed in depth. China also putting forward constructive initiatives at the conference. In the near future, it is expected to see the implementation of policies and the achievement of commitments.
After a week of discussions and events at the second UN Oceans Conference（UNOC), more than 100 member states have voluntarily committed to conserve or protect at least 30 percent of the world’s oceans through marine protected areas by 2030; regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) cover about 91 percent of the world’s oceans, but many organizations feel they are failing in their responsibility to protect high seas fisheries resources.
The Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) adopted the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement, which is a major step towards ending harmful fisheries subsidies, but there is still a long way to go in future negotiations. In the meantime, civil society organisations, large companies and governments worldwide are all on the same page in the fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
China vigorously promotes high-quality development of marine ecology; Bolton Food Group calls for the conservation of tuna stocks should shift the past reactive mentality to a proactive way of thinking as a method for improving the stability and sustainability of the tuna industry.
How the aquaculture industry should respond to climate change has become a major issue globally; meanwhile, the aquaculture industry has taken an revolutionary step on the road to carbon neutrality.
In order to fill the information gap in marine conservation, SCAR is building an initial framework based on UN recommendations to gradually improve the shortage of the information and data coverage.
In the context of climate change, the natural and political stability of the polar regions requires urgent attention and response from the international community; at the same time, scientific research continues to “escort” the construction of marine protected areas.
In this issue, we focus on the unsatisfactory outcome of the first part of the recently concluded 27th session of the International Seabed Authority in the News part, while the Academics part proposes ways to optimise the current start-up criteria for marine mining in terms of effective environmental management. The seabed is a rich source of resources for mankind, but too much casual exploitation opens Pandora’s Box.
This issue continues to focus on polar changes and fisheries, while it closely follows the Fourth Intergovernmental Negotiating Meeting on the United Nations Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity in Marine Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction in New York, the results of which are summarised in the newsletter section and hopes for a bright future for high seas conservation.
