COP27: UNESCO releases activites of greater ambition to sustainable climate action
By Hauwa Ali
As the UN Climate Change Conference COP 27 which will take place in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, from 6 to 18 November this year draw closer, UNESCO says the Ocean Decade will host a series of events at COP27 that will focus on the need and methods for diverse actors to collectively work across the science – policy – society interface to ensure that ocean science leads to tangible and sustainable climate action.
In order to pursue African and global interest, UNESCO has prepared specific themes to be addressed through the Ocean Decade events:
(i) climate action in Africa;
(ii) resilience including the role of nature-based solutions;
(iii) financing for ocean science for climate action, and
(iv) communicating ocean science for climate action.
All events will align with the priorities of the Egyptian Presidency of COP27 related to adaptation, mitigation, financing and collaboration, and the key messages of the Ocean Climate Dialogue held in June 2022.
Events will showcase existing Decade Actions working at the global, regional and national levels, and engage representatives of key Decade structures including the Ocean Decade Alliance and Decade Advisory Board.
UNESCO has indicated that the Ocean Decade is honoured to be a partner of the first ever Ocean Pavilion at a UNFCCC COP and a programming partner of the Ocean x Climate Summit that will be held on 11 November during COP27.
Another event on 8 November at 12h00 – 13h30 local EGY time will be held at the Ocean Pavilion, Blue Zone.
This will amplify the visibility of the Ocean Decade Africa Roadmap that has been produced during a multi-year participatory process with hundreds of stakeholders across the continent.
The Roadmap identifies nine priority actions for ocean science in Africa and discusses the resources, capacity and partnerships needed to ensure its successful implementation. This hour-long event will focus on raising visibility of the importance of the OceanDecade in Africa. It will explore innovative solutions in the context the Roadmap to ensure that ocean science can be effectively generated and used for climate action.
At COP 27 this event is being organised in partnership with the Egyptian National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIOF).
Later the same day, 8 November, at 14h30 to 15h30 local EGY time a relevant event will take place in the Bellona Pavilion, Blue Zone.
Healthy coastal and marine ecosystems have a vital role to play in climate mitigation and adaptation, particularly in vulnerable regions across Africa and Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
When used in conjunction with other resilience solutions, sustainable restoration and management of marine and ocean ecosystems will allow them to contribute to resilience objectives, and also generate significant social, ecological and economic co-benefits. This event will look at the factors hindering the ability of ecosystems to fully play their role in climate adaptation and mitigation. It will explore the role of multi-partner initiatives and frameworks to address these gaps at different scales.
This event is being organised in partnership with The Research Council of Norway and UNEP.
A key focus of COP27 will be on tangible actions, partnerships and initiatives – including financing – to implement the commitments made by parties to the UNFCCC with a specific focus on the needs of Africa and Small Island Developing States.
This event will explore the challenges faced in financing and supporting ocean science for climate action, with a focus on Africa, and present examples and experience in innovative and diverse financing and resource mobilisation approaches that could be adapted for implementation by diverse partners in Africa in the context of the Ocean Decade.
