A ‘Game Changing’ UN Water and UN Oceans Side Event

The importance of the ocean and seas in the water cycle cannot be overstated and their health depends largely on both direct sea-based and indirect land-based impacts. However, ecosystem management often exists in siloes without consideration of the broader implications or impacts to adjacent ecosystems. This is certainly the case in the aquatic realm where freshwater (inland) ecosystems including rivers and lakes are managed separately from coastal and marine ecosystems. Therefore, highlighting the synergies between Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 14 and 6, and their profound contributions across all other SDGs, is crucial to achieve the 2030 Agenda.

This Side Event will explore the interconnected nature and critical importance of the land – freshwater – coastal – ocean continuum, and the necessary steps and actions to systematically addressed the drivers of ecosystem degradation in an integrated manner. More specifically, the side event will aim to highlight the key gaps for holistic management in the areas of knowledge/capacity; finance; collaboration; and governance in the ocean-water continuum. Furthermore, the event will contribute to the Water Action Agenda by showcasing game changing solutions and key Voluntary Commitments for addressing the barriers towards holistic water and ocean action. The discussions planned are closely related to the UN Water Conference’s Interactive Dialogue 3: “Water for Climate, Resilience and Environment: Source to Sea, Biodiversity, Climate, Resilience and DRR (SDGs 6.5, 6.6, 7, 11.5, 13, 14, 15).

Learn more here: https://oceandecade.org/un-2023-water-conference/