The Nippon Foundation, Economist Impact Co-host World Ocean Summit in Tokyo to Instigate Action for Sustainable Ocean Economy (2)
Published on April 24, 2025
Supported by Back to Blue, an initiative launched in 2021 by Economist Impact and the foundation to tackle ocean challenges with evidence-based solutions, a panel discussion highlighted the need for clear case studies demonstrating how countries are turning knowledge and evidence into action and policy, as well as how knowledge should be leveraged with good financial models.
Executive Director Ms. Jessie Turner of the International Alliance to Combat Ocean Acidification at the UN Foundation told the panel: “The good news is countries are stepping up because they understand they have a role in responding to ocean and coastal acidification. They are leveraging national policies like climate adaptation plans and Sustainable Ocean Plans to account for ocean acidification. They know this is about seafood economies, coastal resource protection and pollution control. They are taking positive steps to connect science to policy."
I told the first day session: “We must not forget that there are more than 180 nations in the world, yet there is only one ocean, absorbing the full impact of the actions of all nations. Without empathizing with the challenges faced by each nation and collectively striving to find effective solutions, humanity will struggle to envision a shared future. Let us remember that global warming was, and still is, a wake-up call for all of us to think not only about our own futures but also about the future of humanity as a whole.”
“Let us demonstrate to the world what we can achieve together for our future. May the ocean unite us all in overcoming the daunting challenges facing humanity,” I added.
The summit in Tokyo continued action-oriented conversations on the key themes from recent World Ocean Summits and provided an important opportunity for participants from Asia to engage with the global ocean community ahead of forthcoming ocean events, including the United Nations Oceans Conference to be co-hosted by France and Costa Rica and held in Nice, France, from June 9–13, 2025.
“I sincerely hope that the discussions that began here in Tokyo will continue to evolve during the Our Ocean Conference in Busan in South Korea (April 28-30), ultimately bringing us together in Nice and the Word Ocean Summit in Canada (Montreal, March 3-4, 2026), for a collective future filled with hope from all corners of the world,” I told the closing ceremony.
(End)
|